Chronology: Key Events in England under Elizabeth I, 1558-1603

1558 Accession of Elizabeth I (1). William Cecil appointed Principal Secretary.

1559 Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity. The House of Commons criticised for requesting Elizabeth I to marry.

1566 Tensions between Elizabeth I and Parliament over the succession and the Queen's marriage (2).

1568 Flight of Mary, Queen of Scots, to England.

1569-70 Rising of the Northern Earls (3).

1570 Publication of Bull of Elizabeth I's Excommunication by Pope Pius V. Rise of Sir Francis Walsingham as Ambassador to France.

1571-72 Ridolfi Plot.

1571 Strickland introduced bill in the House of Commons to reform the Prayer Book. The Queen tries to ban him from the House of Commons.

1572 William Cecil (Lord Burghley) appointed Lord Treasurer. Walsingham replaces Burghley as Principal Secretary.

1576 Peter Wentworth imprisoned over free speech by the House of Commons (4).

1583 Throckmorton Plot.

1586 Babington Plot.

1586-7 Cope introduces a bill to the House of Commons to repeal the Prayer Book. Arrested by the Privy Council.

1587 Mary, Queen of Scots, executed.

1588 The Spanish Armada.

1590 Death of Walsingham.

1595 Irish Rebellion led by Tyrone.

1596 Riots against enclosures.

1597 House of Commons grievances over monopolies.

1598 Death of Burghley.

1601 Essex's Rebellion.

1601 Elizabeth I's 'Golden Speech' (5).

1603 Death of Elizabeth I.

1. Accession of Elizabeth I
   Elizabeth I's accession after the death of Mary I was popular but she faced many problems. The most important of these were to make an acceptable religious settlement, to defend England's interests against powerful countries in Europe and to deal with finance. She was a female ruler at a time when men were expected to govern.
2. Succession and the Queen's marriage
   Elizabeth I's Tudor predecessors, Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I, had faced problems in ensuring a safe succession. Elizabeth's closest heir was Mary, Queen of Scots, descended from Henry VII, but she was Catholic. Some English nobles, such as the Duke of Norfolk, had remote claims based on medieval ancestors. Elizabeth knew the problems that marriage had caused to Henry VIII and Mary I. An English husband might cause rivalries at court. The main suitors abroad were in France and Spain, Catholic countries.
3. Rising of the Northern Earls
   This was the most dangerous rebellion in the reign. It involved nobles such as the Earl of Westmorland and the Earl of Northumberland, both of whom were powerful in the north of England, and the Duke of Norfolk. It arose from religious grievances (the north was largely Catholic), poverty and resentment against London ministers. A planned marriage between Norfolk and Mary, Queen of Scots, would be dangerous to Elizabeth I. The revolt was suppressed quickly. Allegedly 800 people were executed but the revolt threatened to revive the civil wars of the Middle Ages.
4. Free speech by the House of Commons
   MPs claimed to have freedom of speech in parliamentary debates, freedom from arrest and free access to the Queen to express their grievances. The problem was to balance these freedoms with the Queen's power or prerogative.
5. Elizabeth I's 'Golden Speech'
   This was a good example of Elizabeth I's effective speeches. 'Though God has raised me high, yet I count this the glory of my crown, that I have reigned with your love. I was never so much enticed with the glorious name of a king, as delighted that God has made me His instrument to maintain his truth and glory, and to defend his kingdom from peril, dishonour, tyranny and oppression. Though you have had, and may have, many mightier and wiser princes sitting on this throne, you have never had nor never will have any that will love you better.'