Elizabeth I & Court

Elizabeth I and her Court

The court was the centre of political and social life for England’s ruling classes. The queen used it to build a network of loyal supporters dependent on her for their status.

Patronage

Patronage means being given gifts such as lands, office, monopolies (having the sole right to produce or sell a good) and titles in return for loyalty.
The Queen and key ministers, such as Cecil, bestowed patronage.
Being given an office was the most valued gift from the monarch. Offices might be in the Church, central government, the law or the Royal Household.
Elizabeth only gave 18 titles (making people peers) during her reign. By the end of her reign in 1603, there were fewer nobles than at the start of her reign in 1558.

The Household and the Privy Chamber

The Household was the monarch’s domestic staff.
Headed by the Lord Chamberlain, it employed 1500 people.
It was divided into departments according to its work. For example:
- Robe.
- Bakehouse.
The Privy Chamber fulfilled the same domestic function as before but was becoming less important.

Government and court

The monarch was the centre of government and the court was wherever the monarch was.
Officials had to attend court to get royal permission for their actions.
Nobles had to attend to get noticed and be rewarded with patronage. They might hope to become a favourite with the queen.
Elizabeth promoted loyal, competent men at court to posts in the Privy Council or her Household.
She also promoted favourites, who then became the target of jealousy and court politics.

Key courtiers from the gentry

Sir William Cecil - Lord Burghley from 1573. He was Elizabeth’s most important and trusted adviser. His son, Robert Cecil took his place in 1596.
Sir Christopher Hatton - his close friendship with Elizabeth was especially resented by the nobility.
Sir Walter Raleigh - a favourite from the 1580s. Hatton was jealous of him.
Sir Francis Walsingham - a staunch Protestant. He developed an extensive spy network and was instrumental in Mary, Queen of Scots’ execution.

Key courtiers from the nobility

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester from 1564.
The Earl of Sussex was from the old nobility.
The Earl of Essex was Elizabeth’s last great favourite, but it ended disastrously.

Elizabeth I and her Ministers

Elizabeth I's ministers advised her in government. William Cecil, later Lord Burghley, was the Queen's longest-serving minister.

William Cecil

Cecil first served Elizabeth I as Secretary of State and later as Lord Treasurer.
Elizabeth I favoured Cecil because of his administrative skills.
Cecil's political views were aligned with Elizabeth, relatively conservative and focussed on maintaining stability.

Role of Elizabeth I's ministers

Elizabeth I's ministers were trusted advisors who helped her govern the kingdom.
That said, they were there to advise Elizabeth I, not tell her what to do. Elizabeth I believed she had a 'divine right' to rule (meaning she was chosen specially by God).

Image-making

Elizabeth I's ministers also helped shaped the Queen's image and how it was communicated to her subjects and foreigners.
This 'propaganda' (information which aims to influence an audience) presented Elizabeth I as a powerful, Protestant Queen who could overcome the weaknesses usually associated with her sex.

Historical assessment

Historians debate the extent to which Elizabeth's gender influenced her relationship with her ministers and her ability to assert her royal authority. Natalie Mears (2005) effectively summarises both sides of the debate:
- 'Entrenched gender assumptions privileged the role of (male) counsellors and provided a stimulus for arguments that Elizabeth should listen and accept advice.'
- '... gender did not eclipse concepts and practices of counsel and governance established prior to 1553; rather it competed with them.'

Factional Rivalries in Elizabeth's Court

Elizabeth's court was filled with factions (groups with a common interest). These groups all had rivalries with each other. The members of a faction could change depending on the issue at hand.

Conservative Court factions

A conservative faction at Court included:
- The Duke of Norfolk, the Earls of Sussex and Shrewsbury, Sir James Croft and Sir Christopher Hatton.
- Conservative influence (except for Hatton’s) waned in the 1570s after the Northern Rebellion (a rebellion in 1569 where Catholic nobles tried to overthrow Elizabeth I and put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne) and Ridolfi Plot (a plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne).

Protestant Court factions

The Protestant faction at Court included:
- Sir William Cecil, Sir Walter Mildmay, Sir Francis Walsingham, the Earls of Leicester, Warwick and Bedford.
- These men formed an ‘inner ring’ around Elizabeth from the 1570s.

Early Privy Council Factions

Cecil and Leicester had their own followings at court and often disagreed on political issues. They conflicted over Elizabeth’s potential marriage in the 1560s.
In the 1570s and the 1580s, factional rivalry was limited. Courtiers co-operated and Elizabeth managed any rivalries effectively.

Late Privy Council Factions

By the 1590s, a new generation of courtiers dominated. Factional rivalry grew after the deaths of Leicester (1588), Walsingham (1590) and Hatton (1592).
Cecil’s ill health diminished his influence after 1592. His son, Robert, eventually replaced him.
In the late 1590s factions formed around Robert Cecil and the young Earl of Essex. Essex lost Elizabeth I’s favour and was executed for treason in 1601.

1Consolidation of the Tudor Dynasty 1485-1547

1.1Henry VII 1485-1509

1.1.1Henry VII's Consolidation of Power

1.1.2Henry VII & Succession

1.1.3Henry VII's Councils & Parliament

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 1

1.1.5Henry VII & Justice, Finance & Policies

1.1.6Henry VII's Relationship with Foreign Powers

1.1.7Henry VII & Society

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 2

1.1.9Henry VII & Regional Issues

1.1.10Henry VII & Economic Development

1.1.11Henry VII & Cultural Development

1.1.12End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 3

1.2Henry VIII 1509-1547

1.2.1Henry VIII's Consolidation of Power

1.2.2Henry VIII & His Government

1.2.3Henry VIII & His Government 2

1.2.4End of Topic Test - Henry VIII Part 1

1.2.5Henry VIII & Succession

1.2.6Henry VIII's Relationship with Foreign Powers

1.2.7Henry VIII & Society

1.2.8End of Topic Test -Henry VIII Part 2

1.2.9Henry VIII & Society 2

1.2.10Henry VIII & Economic Development

1.2.11Henry VIII & Religion

1.2.12End of Topic Test - Henry VIII Part 3

2England: Turmoil & Triumph 1547-1603

2.1Instability & Consolidation 1547-1563

2.1.1Edward VI, Somerset & Northumberland

2.1.2Edward VI & Authority

2.1.3Edward VI & Relations with Foreign Powers

2.1.4End of Topic Test - Edward VI Part 1

2.1.5Edward VI & Rebellions

2.1.6Social Impact of Religious & Economic Changes

2.1.7Edward VI & Cultural Developments

2.1.8End of Topic Test - Edward VI Part 2

2.1.9Mary I & Her Rule

2.1.10Mary I & Relations with Foreign Powers

2.1.11The Social Impact of Religious & Economic Change

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Mary Part 1

2.1.13Elizabeth I & Her Rule

2.1.14Elizabeth I & Relations With Foreign Powers

2.1.15Impact of Economic, Social & Religious Change

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 1

2.2The Triumph of Elizabeth 1563-1603

2.2.1Elizabeth I & Court

2.2.2Elizabeth & Government

2.2.3Elizabeth I & Succession

2.2.4End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 2

2.2.5Mary Queen of Scots

2.2.6Relations with Spain

2.2.7End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 3

2.2.8Elizabeth I & Society

2.2.9Elizabeth I & Rebellion

2.2.10Elizabeth & Economic Development

2.2.11End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 4

2.2.12Elizabeth I & Religious Developments

2.2.13The English Renaissance

2.2.14Elizabeth's Last Years

2.2.15End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 5

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