The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I: Politics, Culture, and Society (Queenship and Power)

This textbook provides an overview of the long reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603), a highly significant female ruler in a time of great change. It offers an accessible yet detailed survey of the events of her life and reign, followed by thematic chapters exploring key aspects of her time in power and the wider context of politics, culture and society in early modern England. Topics covered range from the composition of the queen's Privy Council; the 'Other' in Elizabethan England; assassination attempts; friendship; entertainment; and dreams. Gathering a great deal of cutting-edge and original research from one of the foremost scholars of Elizabeth's reign, this book is an essential companion for students and a crucial reference work for researchers. Acknowledgments Praise for The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I Contents Chronology List of Figures 1 Introduction: Elizabeth I Part I Politics and Religion 2 The Coronation 3 The Privy Council Principal Secretaries Sir William Cecil, Later Lord Burghley (1520–1598)—Served from 1558–1572; 1590–1596, Member 1558–1598 Sir Thomas Smith (1513–1577)—Served as Secretary 1572–1576, Member 1571–1576 Sir Francis Walsingham (1532–1590) Served as Secretary and Member End of 1573–1590 Thomas Wilson (1524–1581) Member and Second Secretary 1577–1581 William Davison (d. 1608) Served as Secretary 1586–1587 Robert Cecil (1563–1612) Served as Secretary 1596–1612, Member 1593–1612 Sir John Herbert (c.1540–1617) Served as Secretary 1600–1606, Member 1600–1619 Some of the Clerks of the Privy Council Bernard Hampton (d. 1572) Clerk, 1551–1572 Francis Allen (c.1518–1570), Clerk 1553–1570 William Smith, Clerk 1553–1566 Edmund Tremayne (c.1525–1582), Clerk 1571–1582 Robert Beale (1541–1601), Appointed Clerk 1572 Henry Cheke (c.1548–1586) Appointed Clerk 1576–1581 Sir Thomas Wilkes (c.1545–1598) Appointed Clerk 1576 Sir William Waad (1546–1623) Appointed Clerk in 1583 Anthony Ashley (1552–1628) Appointed Clerk 1587 Sir Daniel Rogers (c.1538–1591) Appointed Clerk 1587 Sir Thomas Smith (c.1556–1609) Appointed Clerk 1595–1605 Sir Thomas Edmondes (d. 1639) Appointed Clerk 1601 Members—Listed Chronologically Members Who Had Been Appointed Prior to the Reign of Elizabeth and Were Reappointed in November 1558 William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester (c.1475–1572), Member 1536–1572 Sir William Petre (1506–1572) Member of Council 1544–1572 Sir Ralph Sadler (1507–1587) 1537–1533, 1558–1587 Henry FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel (1512–1580) 1546–1580 Nicholas Wotton (c.1497–1567) Member 1546–1567 Francis Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury (1500–1560) 1549–1560 Edward Feinnes de Clinton, Earl of Lincoln (1512–1585) 1550–1585 Sir John Mason (1503–1566) Member 1550–1566 Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York (c.1501–1578), Member 1553–1559, When He Was Removed William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (1507–1570) Member 1553–1570 Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby (1509–1572) Partial Member in 1551, Member 1553–1572 William Howard, Lord Howard of Effingham (c.1510–1573) Member 1554–1573 Sir Ambrose Cave (c.1503–1568) Member 1558–1568 Sir Thomas Parry (c.1515–1560) Member 1558–1560 Sir Edward Rogers (1498–1568) Member 1558–1568 Sir Richard Sackville (c.1506–1516–1566) Member 1558–1566 Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford (1527–1585) Member 1558–1585 Sir Nicholas Bacon (1510–1579) Member 1558–1579 William Parr, Marquess of Northampton (1513–1571) Member, 1545–1548, 1558–1571 Sir Francis Knollys (1512–1596) Member 1559–1596 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (c.1532–1588) Member 1562–1588 Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk (1538–1572) Member 1562–1572 Sir Walter Mildmay (1521–1589) Member 1566–1589 Sir James Croft (c.1518–1590) Member 1570–1589 Thomas Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex (1527–1583) Member 1570–1583 George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury (c.1522–1590) Member 1571–1590 Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick (c.1530–1590) Member 1573–1590 Sir Henry Sidney (1529–1586) Member 1575–1586 Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon (1526–1596) Member 1577–1596 Sir Christopher Hatton (1540–1591) 1577–1591 Sir Thomas Bromley (c.1530–1587) Member 1579–1587 Charles Baron Howard of Effingham and Later Earl of Nottingham (1536–1624) Member 1584–1619 Sir Amias (or Amyas) Paulet (c.1532–1588) Member 1585–1588 Henry Stanley, Earl of Derby (1531–1593) Member 1585–1593 William Brooke, Lord Cobham (1527–1597) Member 1550–1553, 1586–1597 Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, Earl of Dorset (c.1536–1608) Member 1586–1608 John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury (c.1531–1604) Member 1586–1604 Sir John Wolley (d. 1596) Member 1586–1596 Sir Thomas Heneage (c.1532–1595) Member 1587–1595 Sir John Fortescue (1533–1607) Member 1589–1607 Sir John Perrot (1528–1592) 1589–1590, Removed from Council and Charged with Treason Sir John Puckering (1544–1596) Member 1592–1596 Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (1565–1601) Member 1593–1600, Removed from the Council Sir Thomas Egerton, Baron Ellesmere, First Viscount Brackley (1540–1617) Member 1596–1614 Sir William Knollys, Baron Knollys, Earl of Banbury (c.1545–1632) Member 1596–1532 Roger Lord North (1531–1600) Member 1596–1600 George Carey, Lord Hunsdon (1548–1603), Member 1597–1603 Sir John Stanhope (c.1540–1621) Member 1601–1621 Edward Somerset, Earl of Worcester (c.1550–1628) Member 1601–1628 Gilbert Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury (1552–1616) Member 1601–1616 Sir Edward Wotton (1548–1628) Member 1602–1628 4 Elizabeth’s Parliaments Parliament 1559 1563 Parliament, with Second Session 1566–1567 Parliament of 1571, Not Dissolved Until 1583, Several Sessions 1584 Parliament 1586 Parliament 1589 Parliament 1593 Parliament 1597 Parliament 1601 Parliament 5 The Archbishops of Canterbury Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury 1559–1575 Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury 1575–1583 John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1583–1604 6 Courtships and Favorites 1534–1535 Charles, Duke of Angoulême (1522–1545) 1542, 1559 James Hamilton, Third Earl of Arran (c. 1532–1609) 1548 Thomas Seymour (c. 1508–1549) 1554–1556 Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon (c. 1527–1556) 1554 Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (1528–1580) 1558–1561 Prince Erik of Sweden, Afterward Erik XIV (1533–1577) 1559 Henry FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel (1512–1580) 1559 Sir William Pickering (1516–1575) 1559 Philip II (1527–1598) 1559 Archduke Ferdinand (1529–1595) 1559, 1563–1568 Archduke Charles, Son of Holy Roman Emperor 1559, Ferdinand and Brother to Emperor Maximilian II (1540–1590) Count John Casimir Palatine, Younger Son of Frederick III, Elector Palatine 1564 Courtships with French Princes, the Sons of Catherine De Medici Favorites Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (c. 1532–1588) Favorite, 1558–1588; Marriage Attempts 1561–1575 Sir Christopher Hatton (1540–1591), Favorite Sir Walter Raleigh [or Ralegh] (1554–1618), Favorite 1581–1591, Restored at Court 1597–1603 Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (1565–1601) Favorite 7 Potential Heirs to Elizabeth’s Throne Plantagenet Descendants from Richard, Duke of York Descendants of Henry VIII’s Younger Sister Mary (1495–1533) Katherine Grey (c. 1540–1568) Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp (1561–1612) Edward Seymour (1587–1618) William Seymour (1587–1660) Thomas Seymour (1563–1600) Mary Grey (c. 1545–1578) Descendants of Eleanor Brandon (1519–1547) Margaret Clifford, Countess of Derby (1540–1596) Ferdinando Stanley, Earl of Derby (1559–1594) Anne Stanley Bridges Touchet, Countess of Castlehaven (1580–1647) William Stanley, Earl of Derby (1561–1642) Descendants of Henry VIII’s Older Sister Margaret (1489–1541) Mary Stuart (1542–1587) James VI and I (1566–1625) Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (1515–1578) Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1545–1567) Charles Stuart, Earl of Lennox (c. 1555–1576) Arbella Stuart (1575–1615) Isabella Clara Eugenia, the Spanish Infanta, King Phillip II’s Daughter (1566–1633) 8 Ambassadors at Elizabeth’s Court Suárez de Figueroa, Gómez, Count of Feria, Later Duke (c. 1520–1571), Spanish Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1558 to 1559 Alvaro de Quadra, Bishop of Aquila (c. 1516–1564), Spanish Ambassador 1559–1563 William Maitland of Lethington (c. 1525–1573), Scottish Ambassador to Elizabeth I During Visits from 1559 to 1563 Paul de Foix de Carmain (1528–1584), French Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1562 to 1566 Dom Diego Guzman de Silva (1520–1578), Spanish Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1564 to 1568 Sir James Melville, of Halhill (1535/1536–1617) Scottish Ambassador to Elizabeth I in 1564 Adam Zwetkovich, Baron of Mitterburg, Imperial Ambassador to Elizabeth I from May to August 1565 Guerau de Spes (1524–1572), Spanish Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1568 to 1571 Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe Fénélon (1523–1589), French Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1568 to 1575 Michel de Castelnau, Seigneur de Mauvissière (c. 1520–1592), French Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1575 to 1584 Jean de Simier, Baron de Saint-Marc, Special Envoy to Negotiate Marriage 1579, 1581 Don Bernardino de Mendoza (c. 1540–1604), Spanish Ambassador to Elizabeth I from 1578 to 1584 André Hurault, seigneur de Maisse (1539–1607), French Ambassador to Elizabeth I in December 1597 9 Assassination Attempts, Plots, and Rebellions 1558–1562 Anthony Fortescue and the Pole Brothers Worries About Plots in the 1560s The Northern Rebellion November 1569–January 1570 Plot to free Mary Stuart 1570 Ridolfi Plot (1571) Queen’s Illness March 1572—possibly Poison Possible Attempt at Kenilworth 1575 Plot Against the Queen, 1577 Image Magic 1578 First Thought to Be Attempted Assassination 1579 Margaret Clifford 1579 Throckmorton Plot 1583 John Somerville, or Somerfield 1583 Parry Plot 1584 Pedro De Zubiaur 1584 Friar in Dunkirk 1585 Jeremy Vanhill 1585 Babington Plot 1586 Stafford Plot 1586–1587 1586–1588 Cecily Burche 1589 Supposed Plot to Assassinate Elizabeth Revealed by Edward Kelley 1589 Book Published in Paris About Prophesy 1590 Nicholas Haselwood 1591 William Hacket 1591 Sir Brian O’Rourke 1591 Henry Collins and Gratian Brownell 1592 Gilbert Laton (or Layton) 1592 John Daniel, Hue Cahill, Patrick Collen, William Randall 1593 William Stanley, Richard Hesketh, and Ferdinando, Earl of Derby 1593 Roderigo Lopez 1594 Sir John Smythe 1596 Edward Ewer 1596 Edward Squires 1598 Valentine Thomas and James VI 1598 Thomas Farryngton 1598 Supposed Attempt Against the Queen 1599 Potential Poison Attempt 1600 Image Magic 1601 Essex Rebellion 1601 1601 Attempt to Seize the Queen 1603 10 The Spanish Armada Part II Society and Culture 11 Elizabeth’s England and Others Wealthy European Visitors Cecilia Vasa Helena Snakenborg John Casimir Lupold von Wedel Samuel Kiechel Count Frederick of Mompelgard, Future Duke of Württemberg Paul Hentzner Thomas Platter Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano Philip Julius, Duke of Stettin-Pomerania Embassies from Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Morocco, and Poland Russia Anthony Jenkinson, Eliseus Bomelius, and Tsar Ivan IV Boris Godunov Mikepher Alphery The Ottoman Empire Murad III Mehmet III Morocco Poland Jewish Refugees Dr. Hector Nuñez Joachim Gaunse Solomon Cormano The Jew of Malta and Roderigo Lopez Those Brought to England Without Their Consent Ippolyta and the Dark-Skinned Page Boy Calichough, Ignorth, and Nutioc Manteo and Wanchese Polonia African Servants—Or Slaves? Diego Maria Expelling Africans 12 Mirrors 13 Dreaming Elizabeth Early Dream About Anne Boleyn Elizabeth’s Dreams Propaganda Describing Dreams of Elizabeth Sermon That Mentioned a Dream English Dreams About Elizabeth Thomas Chaloner Mary Cocker Simon Forman Joan Notte Spanish Dreams About Elizabeth James VI Literary Representations of Dreams 14 Women Friends of Queen Elizabeth Kat Ashley (d. 1565) Blanche Parry (1508–1590) Marjorie Williams Norris (or Norreys) (d. 1599) Katherine Carey Knollys, Lady Knollys (c.1523–1569) Katherine Carey Howard, Countess of Nottingham (c.1545–1603) Dorothy Stafford (1526–1604) Ann Russell Dudley, Countess of Warwick (1548–1604) 15 Slander Gossip Rumors Rumors About Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour Slander About Elizabeth’s Involvement in the Death of Amy Robsart Slander About Elizabeth, Her Lovers, and as the Mother of Illegitimate Children June 1560 August 1560 January 1561 February 1561 June 1562 January 1563 April 1564 February 1566 1570 1572 1575 1580 1581 1582 1587 1588 1590 1598 1601 1609 Elizabeth Is Not Like Other Women 1559 1578 1584 1619 Rumors at Times of Crisis and War Late 1586–Early 1587 August 1588 1597 Rumors Involving Mary Stuart 1567 1587 Rumors the Queen Was Dead, How She Died, and Her Final Destination 1572 1576 1587 1594 1600 1603 1612 Queen Elizabeth Was Really a Man 16 Elizabeth’s Pleasures Translations Hunting Walking in and Enjoying Gardens Dance Music Games Gifts Entertainers Drama Performed at Court Bibliography Index