The Factors That Shaped the Elizabethan Religious Settlement

The Factors That Shaped the Elizabethan Religious Settlement

When Elizabeth I was proclaimed Queen in 1558 a new era of religious

tolerance began. With her religious settlement, Elizabeth had to

consider a number of different factors. Without doubt, the most

important task following her accession was to resolve the ideological

divisions in the country brought about by the religious changes in the

past three monarch's reigns. However, when deciding on her own

religious settlement, Elizabeth had a number of influencing factors.

She had grown up as a 'committed and conventionally pious Protestant'

and these views obviously effected the way she ran her household and

country, and consequently influenced her decisions over the religious

settlement. Another evident influence was the views of the Privy

Council and of her chief councillor, William Cecil. It has been argued

that their opinions forced Elizabeth into a more protestant settlement

that she originally desired. There are also many debates over the role

of parliament and how their personal views dictated the outcome of the

settlement. In particular, historians argue about whether the Commons

or the Lords shaped the religious settlement to a greater degree. It

is also important to consider that Elizabeth had to take into account

other factors, not just religion, when establishing the settlement.

England's political, financial and international situations all had to

be considered. As a new monarch, it was crucial that Elizabeth

instigated a religious settlement which appealed to the majority of

people, not just in England but in Europe as well.

Having grown up in an evangelical hous...

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...efore be concluded

that there were a number of factors which influenced the Elizabethan

religious settlement. All of them were as important as each other, and

some were repercussions of others. For example, it is difficult to

distinguish whether the House of Commons and Lords acted as a result

of manners of the Privy Council and Cecil. The issues in question are

therefore all inter-related and it is impossible to judge, without

further evidence, which influenced the Queen the most.

Bibliography

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The Elizabethan Deliverance - Arthur Bryant

Reformation and Revolution 1558-1660 - Robert Ashton

Elizabeth and her Parliaments - J.E. Neales

Elizabeth and her Reign - Richard Salter

Elizabeth I and religion 1558-1603 - Susan Doran

Tudor England - John Guy

Elizabeth I - David Starkey