Page 1: Challenges Facing Elizabeth I
The page details the multiple challenges Elizabeth I encountered upon becoming queen. Elizabeth's legitimacy problem stemmed from Catholic opposition to her parents' marriage, while her gender presented additional obstacles in a patriarchal society.
Highlight: Elizabeth faced three main challenges: legitimacy questions, gender discrimination, and religious tensions.
Definition: Transubstantiation - The Catholic belief that bread and wine literally transform into Christ's body and blood during Holy Communion.
Example: The religious divide between Catholics and Protestants manifested in different worship practices: Catholics used Latin in services and had decorated churches, while Protestants conducted services in English and preferred plain churches.
Vocabulary: Auld Alliance - The traditional alliance between Scotland and France against England.
The economic situation was precarious, with:
- A £300,000 debt inherited from previous rulers
- Widespread poverty and unemployment
- Poor harvests affecting crown income
Foreign relations were complex:
- Spain, ruled by Catholic Philip II, controlled the wealthy Protestant Netherlands
- France remained England's traditional rival
- Scotland, ruled by Mary Queen of Scots, maintained the Auld Alliance with France
Quote: "Elizabeth had been protestant but wanted to create middle ground" - highlighting her approach to religious settlement.
The religious landscape was particularly challenging:
- Previous monarchs MaryIandEdwardVI had alternated between Catholicism and Protestantism
- Around 300 Protestants were executed under Mary I
- Key differences between Catholic and Protestant practices included church hierarchy, communion beliefs, and worship styles
