England under Queen Elizabeth I's reign, the Elizabethan Era, was ruled by the very structured and complicated Elizabethan government. It was divided into the national bodies (the monarch, Privy Council, and Parliament), the regional bodies (the Council of the North and Council of the Marches), the county and community bodies, and the court system. Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate... Elizabeth I redirects here. ... The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. ... A monarch (see sovereignty) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... The Council of the North was an administrative body set up by Richard III of England in 1484 to improve government control over the northern counties. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ...

Structure

National bodies

Monarch

Elizabeth at her coronation

The monarch of England during the Elizabethan Era was Queen Elizabeth I. Download high resolution version (529x700, 80 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (529x700, 80 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

The government was very much a personal monarchy with ministers. The monarch’s personality determined the style, intensity, and efficiency.

Back then, the monarch was a ruler, unlike the modern monarchs who are more like figureheads. The monarch was the ultimate decider and was able to determine issues of national religion, when Parliament would sit and what it would discuss, when and if the country would go to war, matters of education, welfare of the citizens, what food they could eat, and what clothes they could wear. She also had various counselors and officials to aid her rule. This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ...

The queen could choose who would help her govern.

The Divine Right of Kings gave the monarch the image of a Demigod. This strengthened authority and made going against the monarch considered a sin. Not obeying the queen was considered treason and was punishable by death. The queen had the power to send one to prison and order executions. The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. ... The term demigod, meaning half-god, is a modern distinction, often misapplied in Greek mythology. ...

All laws required her consent to be passed. Generally, she could not pass laws herself – she had to draw up a Bill and put it forward to Parliament. However, she could make laws, called Royal Proclamations, without Parliament’s consent. A proclamation (Lat. ...

Even with this much power, the monarch was not above the law, and she could be brought to court.

Elizabeth is considered by many to be one of England’s best monarchs. She was wise and just, chose good advisers and wasn’t dominated by them, dealt with the stubbornly resistant Parliaments without being tyrannous, and was skilled at compromising in both religious and political matters. She ruled for 45 years and was the sixth and last of the Tudor dynasty. The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor (Welsh: ) was a series of six monarchs of a Welsh origin who ruled England and Ireland from 1485 until 1603. ...

Sir William Cecil

Sir William Cecil (named Baron Burghley in 1571) was her chief adviser and supervised the whole administration. He was also Secretary of State from 1558 to 1572 and Lord Treasurer from 1572 to his death in 1598. Sir Francis Walsingham was famous for uncovering many Catholic plots against Elizabeth; he filled in as Secretary of State from 1572 to his death in 1590. Sir Robert Cecil, second son of Sir William Cecil, was Secretary of State in 1596 and master of Court of Wards after a clash with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. He then became dominant in the government. william cecil 1st baron burghley painted by marcus gheeraerts the youger or john de critz the elder This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... william cecil 1st baron burghley painted by marcus gheeraerts the youger or john de critz the elder This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (13 September 1520 – 4 August 1598), was an English politician, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign (17 November 1558–24 March 1603), and Lord High Treasurer from 1572. ... Francis Walsingham by John de Critz (detail) Sir Francis Walsingham (c. ... ] The Right Honourable Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC (1 June 1563–24 May 1612), son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and half-brother of Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, statesman, spymaster and minister to Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. Lord Salisbury is the... Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (10 November 1566 – 25 February 1601), favourite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, is the best-known of the many holders of the title Earl of Essex. ...

Sir Nicholas Bacon, Sir Francis Bacon, Sir Francis Knollys, and Sir Walter Mildmay were important bureaucrats of Elizabeth. Sir Nicholas Bacon (1509 - February 20, 1579) was an English politician during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. ... Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, and essayist, but is best known as a philosophical advocate and defender of the scientific revolution. ... Knollys, the name of an English family descended from Sir Thomas Knollys (d. ... Sir Walter Mildmay was Chancellor of the Exchequer under Queen Elizabeth I of England. ...

Along with these, she had many favorites. Robert Dudley was Elizabeth’s most important favorite during her early years; he was influential at court, commanded the English army in the Netherlands in 1985, self-appointed himself governor of the Netherlands in 1586 (and was recalled in the following year), and was appointed general of the armies to repel the Spanish invasion, but died just after. Sir Christopher Hatoon, another favorite, was captain of her bodyguard in 1572, her spokesman in the House of Commons, and was made Lord Chancellor in 1587 despite little legal training. Sir Walter Raleigh was such a favorite that he was showered with gifts, including the right to take possession of land in the New World, where he organized the exploration of what would be Virginia. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester painted by Steven van der Meulen. ... Should not be confused with Walter Raleigh (professor). ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ...

Privy Council

The Privy Council was Elizabeth’s group of advisers. Its main purpose was to give numerous different opinions and the monarch decided on the issue at hand. (However, the advice was often ignored; the Council still carried out her wishes.) Routine administration was usually left to the Council. It was involved in matters of religion, military, the queen’s security, economics, and the welfare of the citizens. It dealt with both matters of national and individual interest, issued proclamations in the queen’s name, and supervised law and enforcement.

However, the Council could make no decisions – it could only advise.

Who was in it depended on who the queen wanted there. However, certain powerful noblemen were necessary in the Council so that their and their realms’ interests were represented so that a rebellion would be avoided. Believing that more members (and therefore more different opinions) would cause more problems, Elizabeth dropped the previous member count of 50 to 19 and eventually 13. The Counselors employed assistants who did most of the work.

At first, they met only thrice a week; by the end of Elizabeth’s reign, they met almost every day.

The Secretary of State led the Council. Sir William Cecil effectively led it; he was wise, cautious, cooperative with Elizabeth, trusted above all others, Elizabeth’s personal secretary, and chief adviser until his death, and therefore very influential; due to his great administrative ability, he had the reputation of one of the greatest English statesmen – historians have even debated whether the success of Elizabeth’s rule was more due to Sir William Cecil or Elizabeth. His successor, Sir Francis Walsingham, was the mastermind of the English spy network, which defended Elizabeth against foreign powers and plots (although practical defense was done by the army and navy); he was succeeded by Sir Robert Cecil.

Parliament

The group of representatives, called Parliament, was divided into the House of Lords (or the Upper House), which consisted of bishops and aristocrats, and the House of Commons (or the Lower House), which consisted of common people. The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as the Lords. The Sovereign, the House of Commons (which is the lower house of Parliament and referred to as the Commons), and the Lords together comprise the Parliament. ... This article is about a title or office in religious bodies. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The term aristocracy refers to a form of government where power is hereditary, and split between a small number of families. ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons The House of Commons is the elected lower house of the bicameral parliament in the United Kingdom and Canada. ...

Unlike the modern British Parliament, it had much less power, no Prime Minister, and no political parties. A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

The main function of Parliament was dealing with financial matters (taxation and granting the queen money). Generally, the monarch payed for daily administration with ordinary revenues (customs, feudal dues, and sales of land) while Parliament covered extraordinary expenditures (such as war) with taxation. However, taxation didn’t supply enough for military expenditures; therefore, more land was sold along with probably illegal scheming. Parliament was also used for passing laws. 438 laws were passed under Elizabeth’s reign. They were either public, in which case they applied to all, or private, in which case they only applied to certain people. Only another Parliament could undo one. They required approval by both houses thrice and the queen. However, the queen could make laws, Royal Proclamations, without Parliament’s consent. Another purpose of Parliament was to advise. Nonetheless, Elizabeth was almost never interested in Parliament’s advice. Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting customs duties and for controlling the flow of animals and goods (including personal effects and hazardous items) in and out of a country. ...

Elections occurred only for the House of Commons. Who was in Parliament depended mainly on who was supported by the important local people. They were, however, often rigged. Also, only those that were male and received a certain annual income could vote. An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. ...

The monarch decided when Parliament was to be called. In total, Elizabeth only called Parliament ten times.

Local governments

Local governments were important in Tudor England.

Royal representatives (Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, and Lords Lieutenant) were in every county; they ensured that the queen’s commands and laws were obeyed. A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a magistrate appointed by a commission to keep the peace, dispense summary justice and deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. ... Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or American common law, or the person who holds such office. ... Flag of a Lord-Lieutenant The title Lord-Lieutenant is given to the British monarchs personal representatives around the United Kingdom. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ...

Regional governments helped oversee parts of England that the Privy Council could not supervise. The Council of the North, which resided in York, oversaw Northern England while the Council of the Marches, which resided in Ludlow, oversaw Wales and some border counties. York is a city in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... Northern England, The North or North of England is a rather ill-defined term, with no universally accepted definition. ... Feathers Hotel, Ludlow A view of Ludlow market, which is situated in Castle Square, taken from the tower of St Laurences Church. ... This article is about the country. ...

Manors were run by nobility and gentry. Land was power at the time, and those with land were wealthy and masters of the tenants on his land and his workers; thus, they had a major influence. It was a position of responsibility, for they were meant to aid the monarch by governing their land. Also, the grievances were taken to the lord. On the other hand, the tenants were loyal to him – if called upon, they would go to war. His views also greatly impacted those of his tenants. For the area of Sheffield, in England, see Manor, Sheffield. ... Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Each city and town had its own government, headed by a mayor as well. Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ...

Courts

The courts made up the judicial system of Elizabethan England.

The most important courts were the Great Sessions Courts or the Assizes, which were held twice a year in each country, and the Quarter Sessions Courts, which were held four times in a year. These two dealt with most crimes. The Assizes was famous for its power to inflict harsh punishments. The Courts of Assize, or Assizes, is the name of criminal courts in several countries. ... The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were periodic courts held in each county and county borough in England and Wales until 1972, when together with the Assize courts they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court of England and Wales. ...

Unimportant crimes were handled by the Petty Sessions Courts, Manor Courts, and town courts. Civil cases were dealt with by various courts, depending on the person’s monetary status; the wealthy were tried by the Star Chamber, one of the highest profile courts which consisted of mostly Privy Counselors. The Court of Chancery also judged criminal cases, the Exchequer of Pleas dealt with financial suits, the Court of Requests with the poor (“the court of the poor man’s causes,” as it was known), Church Courts with religious and moral cases, and other specific courts with other specific matters. The Star Chamber (Latin Camera stellata) was an English court of law at the royal Palace of Westminster that sat between 1487 and 1641, when the court itself was abolished. ...

Committers of high treason and other serious crimes received the death sentence (often handled by the queen). Those of lesser crimes were sent to prison or the stocks. Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. ... Spes or Hope; engraving by Sebald Beham, German c1540 The stocks are a device used since medieval times for public humiliation, corporal punishment, and torture. ...

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

Impact

The Elizabethan Era is famous for its playwrights (William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson) that thrived during this period; Francis Drake, the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world; and Sir Walter Raleigh’s exploration of the New World. The stability and structure of the government helped to allow the arts to flourish and prompted other achievements in exploration. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Christopher (Kit) Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593?) was an English dramatist, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. ... For other persons of the same name, see Ben Johnson (disambiguation). ... Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c. ... To circumnavigate a place, such as an island, a continent, or the Earth, is to travel all the way around it by boat or ship. ...

Sources

• "Power and Government." Queen Elizabeth I. 6 May 2007
• "Monarch." Queen Elizabeth I. 6 May 2007
• "Privy Council." Queen Elizabeth I. 6 May 2007
• "Parliament." Queen Elizabeth I. 6 May 2007
• "Elizabethan England - A background overview." Everything2. 6 May 2007
• Sommerville, J.P. "Elizabeth I." Department of History. 6 May 2007
• Sommerville, J.P. "Elizabethan government." Department of History. 6 May 2007
• Sommerville, J.P. "Elizabeth I, Parliament, church and economy." Department of History. 6 May 2007