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National Curriculum Level Test
Year 7: Communication KSU 5
Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603)
Elizabeth's reign from 1558 to 1603 is considered by many to be a
Golden Age, but there were many dangers present throughout her
life. When Elizabeth was two years old her mother, Anne Boleyn,
was beheaded by her father, Henry VIII, and the young princess
was brought up in the care of governesses and tutors at Hatfield
House.
However her life came under threat when her half-sister, Mary I,
became queen in 1553. When Elizabeth succeeded to the throne
in 1558 one of her priorities was to return England to the
Protestant faith and, between 1559 and 1563, introduced the acts
which made up the Church Settlement.
The ill-fated Spanish Armada was launched by Philip II of Spain in
1588, bringing to a climax the threat which had been posed to
English independence from Spain for many years. Always a
popular monarch, and a brilliant public speaker, Elizabeth's speech
to the troops at Tilbury succeeded in uniting the country against a
common enemy, and confirming the loyalty and adoration of her
people.
Despite pressure from her Council, and particularly her chief
secretary, William Cecil, Elizabeth always refused to marry. She
had a close relationship with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and
was not averse to using the promise of marriage for diplomatic
purposes, but asserted her independence until the end of her life.
When she died in 1603, Elizabeth was succeeded by the
Protestant James VI of Scotland and I of England, the son of Mary,
Queen of Scots. As the nation mourned their queen, one of her
greatest legacies was to have established and secured the
Protestant faith, avoiding the religious bloodshed which had
caused such unrest in earlier years.
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But Mary was not giving up without a fight. Having already shown
herself to be a poor judge of character, Mary now made the huge
mistake of misjudging Elizabeth. If only she could meet her, she
thought, Elizabeth would rally to her cause. Ignoring the pleas of
her advisors Mary managed to escape from Lochleven and,
disguised as a man, fled the country. She landed on English soil
ready to meet her fellow Queen.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, was paralysed by indecision. She did not
wish to meet the woman she considered her rival, but knew that if
she released Mary her own life would be in danger. Elizabeth
remained, however, fascinated by the Scottish Queen. Mary was
said to be a great beauty who exerted a strange power over men
and, whenever any minister returned from a visit to the now
belligerent Mary, he was quizzed by the Queen on her looks, her
clothes, her attractiveness compared to herself. Similarly Mary
would ask after Elizabeth. But the two Queens never met.
Mary's trial began on 15 October 1586 at Fotheringhay. But she
was not allowed a lawyer and, attempting to defend herself, was
not even permitted to consult her own papers. Found guilty of
treason, Mary was sentenced to death. Problem solved. But
Walsingham had reckoned without the Queen's reluctance to sign
the execution warrant. To Elizabeth, Mary was a fellow Queen. To
execute any Queen was a precedent she did not wish to set, for
her own sake. She also feared that Mary's relations in Europe
would take revenge on England. As the weeks passed, Elizabeth
procrastinated. For someone who disliked making decisions, this
was torture.
In February 1587 the warrant was finally signed and the execution
took place before the Queen could change her mind. But when
Elizabeth heard the bells pealing to celebrate the death of Mary
Queen of Scots, she was horrified. It had all happened too quickly.
The warrant had been taken to Fotheringhay before she was
ready. Elizabeth was inconsolable and locked herself in her room.
She wept for days.
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Using the information you have been given about Elizabeth I,
answer the questions that follow:
1.
Do you think Elizabeth’s childhood had an influence on
her later life?
2.
Why do you think Mary Queen of Scots escaped to
England?
3.
What sort of relationship did Mary Queen of Scots have
with Elizabeth I?
4.
Was the Spanish Armada caused by the execution of
Mary Queen of Scots?
5.
Who took the throne of England after Elizabeth I?
6.
Using the information above, write out the timeline of
Elizabeth I’s life.
7.
How would you describe Elizabeth’s reign?
8.
Imagine you are Mary Queen of Scots. Write a letter to
Elizabeth I, asking for her pardon for your crimes and to
be allowed to see your son.
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