Queen Elizabeth

Luis E. Curiel
Dr.Lehavi
AP European History
DBQ Queen Elizabeth

The Queen of England during 1558 to 1603,Queen Elizabeth brought political stability to her nation during her reign. Although England was a rising power in the 16th century the question of having a woman at the throne was an issue for Elizabeth. She was criticized by the church peoples, because of her gender, not only as the head of state but also the head of the church. Elizabeth responded to this negative criticism through her strong leadership and her machiavellian tactics.
One of the main difficulties that Elizabeth had during her reign was the criticism and the judgement of her gender and her legitimacy to rule by the church. In 1558 John Knox a scottish religious reformer wrote in First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women,that women should not rule or be the head of the church. This can prove to be a bias response because Knox, who was a churchmen, did not approve of female superiority because the church was the conservative kind and did not want to change.(Doc 1)As well as John Knox, Nicholas Heath, the archbishop of York, criticized the legitimacy of having a woman as head of the church, Heath spoke to the House of Lords about the issue that Elizabeth being the leader of the church was illegitimate because according the the “Christ's church” a woman is not considered anything significant, he also states that her highness cannot be supreme head of any “part”. This is also a biased response because himself being a religious figure goes against the thought of change in the church and the right that a woman has the power to rule anything.(Doc  2) In 1562 the bishops of the Church of England wrote in their book The Second Book of Homilies that the Husband or male should be a leader while the woman should stand aside and obey their husbands while not ruling in any way.(Doc 5) Edward Rishton, a Roman Catholic Priest , who in his book On the Origin and Growth of the English Schism wrote that now the birthday of the Queen has become more important than the ceremonies of the church. This counts as a bias response because since England is Protestant and he is Catholic he might have remorse to them.(Doc 7)
Although the church was against Elizabeth’s rule those in favor of her were those who knew her, therefore these responses can be bias because of the relationship to her as well as knowing other things about her not shown in public. In a pamphlet by a friend of Elizabeth’s tutor in 1559, saying that since Elizabeth  is a ruler with the consent of Parliament he has no fear in a woman leader because Parliament has the ability to restrict her power.(Doc 4)In 1592 Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger an English court painter,painted Elizabeth atop a map of England showing that he believes that Elizabeth is the true and capable leader of England.(Doc 8) William Tooker, Elizabeth’s personal chaplain describes a “touching” ceremony in 1597 he believes in her rule and that he believes she has the ability to heal the people of their illnesses therefore believing in her power as head of the church of England.(Doc 9) Elizabeth’s personal surgeon William Clowes prayed that god let Elizabeth rule for ever because he believed Elizabeth would help cure many more people than she has already cured, with this thought he supports Elizabeth’s rule over England.(Doc 10)
Elizabeth herself responded to these oppositions presented by the church-men through political decisions. In 1559 When Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy  shows how she was able to be recognized by Parliament that she is the supreme ruler of the Church of England. This was a reinforcement of the Act of Supremacy that was established in 1534 by her father Henry VIII when he split from the Catholic Church. This also shows her will to assert her strength as Queen.(Doc 3)The French ambassador Jacques Bochetel de La Forest’s report on Elizabeth’s Response to a proposed Parliament petition on the succession to her throne shows some bias because since the French were under Catholic rule while Elizabeth was protestant. He states and describes how Elizabeth defends her self and that would be willing to work with men to decide on what to do.(Doc 6)In a speech to parliament in 1559 Elizabeth stated that men are not needed on the throne because she can care for society alone. Although in these documents she does not defend her cause as Head of the Church of England in 1588 in a speech to the English troops before the attempt attack against the Spanish Armada,asserting her legitimate rule as any king. She was for the people and would make sure she led them well. This document might be inaccurate because it was recorded in 1623 by an eyewitness of the speech that was given in 1588.
The religious figures during the reign of Elizabeth I of England thought she was unfit to rule the nation or be heard of the church..Those people close to her fully believed in her as a ruler and  in healing the people of England. Elizabeth responded to the negative criticism by the church by being a politique leader and helping England become a powerful country during the 16th and 17th century.