Food During The Elizabethan Era

Elizabethan Classes

Elizabethan Societal Classes

The events depicted in The Lost Colony took place during the Elizabethan era in England. The term, "Elizabethan Era" refers to the English history of Queen Elizabeth I'due south reign (1558–1603). Historians oftentimes depict it as the golden historic period in English history and it's been widely romanticized in books, movies, plays, and TV series. The Elizabethan age is considered to exist a time of English renaissance that inspired national pride through classical ethics, international expansion, and naval triumph.

This English Renaissance saw the flowering of poetry, music and literature. The era is well-nigh famous for theatre, equally William Shakespeare and many others composed plays that we still read and lookout today. Information technology was also an age of exploration and expansion away to institute colonies under English language rule beyond the globe, including in The New World, to further England'south empire.

The Monarch

The era called the Elizabethan England was a time of many changes and developments and was also considered as the Aureate Age in English history. This era was led by Queen Elizabeth I, the sixth and concluding ruler of Tudor. Queen Elizabeth I was considered past many to exist England's all-time monarch. She was wise and a just Queen and chose the right directorate and was not dominated past them. She ruled the Elizabethan era for 45 years and during this time was the height of the English Renaissance and the time of the development of English language verse and literature.

Nobility

The Lost Colony Western Europe Map Society began to form along new lines during the Tudor years and information technology was an age of individuality. Dignity and knights were still at the height of the social ladder. These men were rich and powerful, and they accept large households. The real growth in society was in the merchant grade. Within the nobility form there was a distinction between sometime families and new. Almost of the old families were Catholic, and the new families were Protestant. During Shakespeare's fourth dimension there were merely about 55 noble families in England. At the caput of each noble family is a duke, a baron or an earl. This class is the lords and ladies of the land. A person becomes a member of dignity by birth, or past a grant from the queen or king. Noble titles were hereditary, passing from father to oldest son. It took a crime such as treason for a nobleman to lose his championship. Many nobles died during the State of war of the Roses, a series of civil wars fought during the 15th century. The Tudor monarchy, Elizabeth, her begetter Henry VIII, and her grandfather Henry 7 rarely appointed new nobles to replace those who died. They viewed the nobility class as a threat to their power and preferred to continue the number of them pocket-sized. Being a member of the nobility class oftentimes brought debt rather than profit. The expectations of the class and the not paying honorific offices could bring terrible financial burdens. They maintained huge households, and conspicuous consumption and lavish entertainment was expected. Visiting nobles to England were the responsibleness of the English nobility to house and entertain at their ain expense. Appointment to a mail as a foreign ambassador required the ambassador to maintain a household of as many 100 attendants. Nigh of Queen Elizabeth's quango, chief officers in the counties came from the noble families. They were expected to serve in an role, such as existence an ambassador to a strange land, at their own expense of course.

Gentry

The Gentry class included knights, squires, gentlemen, and gentlewomen who did not work with their hands for a living. Their numbers grew during Queen Elizabeth's reign and became the almost of import social class in England. Wealth was the primal to becoming a part of the gentry form. This class was fabricated of people non born of noble nascence who by acquiring large amounts of property became wealthy landowners. The rise of the gentry was the dominant feature of Elizabethan guild. They essentially inverse things, which launched out new paths whether at home or overseas, provided leadership and spirit of the historic period, who gave it grapheme and did its work during this era. The gentry were the solid citizens of Elizabethan England. Francis Drake, the famous explorer and Sir Walter Raleigh, who led the manner to the English colonization of America were of the gentry class. Two of the queen'southward main ministers, Burgley and Walsingham were products of the gentry. Francis Salary, the bully essayer and philosopher besides came from this class. The gentry were the backbone of Elizabethan England. They went to Parliament and served as justices of the Peace. They combined the wealth of the nobility with the energy of the sturdy peasants from whom they had sprung.

Merchant

The Tudor era saw the rise of modern commerce with cloth and weaving leading the manner. The prosperous merchant class emerged from the ashes of the Wars of the Roses. The prosperity of the wool trade led to a surge in building and the importance cannot exist overstated. Shipping products from England to various ports in Europe and to the New World also became a profitable business for the merchants. Prices for everyday food and household items that came from other countries increased as the merchants gained a monopoly on the sales of all goods nether the pretence information technology would do good the country where information technology actually benefited the pocket of the merchants.

Yeomanry

This was the "middling" course who saved plenty to live comfortably only who at any moment, through affliction or bad luck be plunged into poverty. This class included the farmers, tradesmen and craft workers. They took their religion very seriously and could read and write. This class of people was prosperous and sometimes their wealth could exceed those of the gentry, simply the divergence was how they spent their wealth. The yeoman's were content to live more only, using their wealth to better their land and expand it.

Laborers

The concluding class of Elizabethan England was the day laborers, poor husbandmen, and some retailers who did not ain their own state. Artisans, shoemakers, carpenters, brick masons and all those who worked with their hands belonged to this class of society. In this course we can also put our great swarms of idle serving-men and beggars. Under Queen Elizabeth I, the regime undertook the job of assisting the laborers course and the result was the famous Elizabethan Poor Laws which resulted in i of the world'southward first government sponsored welfare programs. This era was generally peaceful as the battles between the Protestants and the Catholics and those between the Parliament and the Monarchy had subsided.

Historical Figures

Historical Figures featured in The Lost Colony

Queen Elizabeth (1533-1603)

Queen Elizabeth was probably England'south near popular sovereign. In March 1584 she granted Sir Walter Raleigh a patent entitling him to occupy such lands every bit he may discover in the name of the crown of England. Every bit a event of this patent, she was the benefactor of Virgina. In honor of her, the "Virgin Queen," the name Virginia was given to the territory claimed by Raleigh's men in the New World. Elizabeth I has been credited with the devotion to duty and love of her land that has made "England" stand forever.
Captain Philip Amadas (1550-1618)
An English navigator was sent by Walter Raleigh to explore the North American coast of the New World. On April 27, 1584, he and Captain Arthur Barlowe fix sail and commanded i of the ii barks that made the offset English voyage to Roanoke Isle. He was trained in navigation by Thomas Harriott, English scientist and mathematician. Amadas returned to Roanoke Island in 1585 as "Admiral of Virginia." His reports to Walter Raleigh provided "glowing accounts" of new found land in the New Earth.

Helm Arthur Barlowe (1550-1620)

An English navigator also trained by Thomas Harriott, sent by Walter Raleigh to explore the North American declension of the New World. He was second helm to Amadas on the 1584 voyage to the North American coast. He accompanied Amadas on the visit to Chief Wingina village on Roanoke Island. On their return back to England in September 1584, they took dorsum with them two Indians, Wanchese and Manteo, who were taught English language and served every bit propaganda for the second voyage dorsum to the New World. Barlowe is also known for his entertaining report to Walter Raleigh describing their discoveries and experiences of the 1584 Virginia voyage.

Ananias Dare (1560-1587)

An English tiler and bricklayer, was the father of Virginia Cartel, the starting time English child born on Roanoke Island. He was married to Eleanor White and was the son in law of Governor John White, who was appointed past Sir Walter Raleigh to lead his Roanoke colony. His name was tertiary on the list of thirteen men to whom Sir Walter Raleigh granted certain privileges for establishing a colony in Virginia. Dare was also the offset scientific illustrator appointed by Queen Elizabeth to illustrate everything in particular that he observed that was different from English eyes. Information technology is believed that Ananias Dare lost his life while defending the fort on Roanoke Isle from the local Native Americans.

Eleanor White Dare (1563-1599?)

1 of the 16 women who left England in 1587 every bit part of the Roanoke expedition. She was the girl of Governor John White and wife of Ananias Dare. Eleanor gave birth to Virginia Cartel, the first child of English parents born on August 18, 1587 in North America shortly after their arrival from England. She disappeared with the colony while her begetter Governor White returned to England for supplies.

Virginia Dare (1587-?)

The get-go kid to be born in America of English parents on August 18, 1587. The babe, Virginia Dare vanished along with all of the other Roanoke colonists while awaiting supplies ships from England who was in the middle of the Spanish Armada. It is believed that what survivors of the "Lost Colony" there may have been were captivated into the Croatan tribe.

Simon Fernandez

Simon Fernandez was a Portuguese navigator from Azores Island. He piloted the Roanoke Voyages from 1584 to 1587. Fernandez was past trade a privateer in the escalating state of war betwixt England and Espana. The Chesapeake Bay area was originally the decided area for the 1587 voyage with Governor White and his colonists. By the time the caravan arrived at Roanoke Island to bank check on the 15 men that were left a year earlier, he had grown inpatient with Governor White and anxious to resume the chase for Castilian trading. He ordered the colonists aground on Roanoke Island and abandoned the thought of taking the colonists to the Chesapeake Bay area. Ten days afterwards, Fernandez departed for England taking forth the anxious John White, who reluctantly decided to return to England for supplies.

Ralph Lane (1530-1603)

From Northampton, Ralph Lane may have served in the Parliament before engaging in various maritime activities and in the struggle confronting Espana. He was Governor for Sir Walter Raleigh's outset Roanoke colony in 1585 which consists of 107 military machine men which last approximately ten months from August 17, 1585 to June eighteen, 1586. Lane was knighted in 1593 and is buried in Dublin where he died.

Manteo

Manteo was the Primary of a local Native American tribe that befriended the Ralph Lane colony that arrived on Roanoke Island in 1585. Arriving likewise late in the yr to plant crops and harvest for nutrient, Manteo helped the colonists to avoid starvation until they were able to provide food for themselves. He made two trips to England and was listed amid those sailing for the New Globe in 1587 with Governor White and his colonists. Past the command of Sir Walter Raleigh, Manteo was christened on Roanoke Island and invested with the title of a feudal baron, Lord of Roanoke and Dasamonqueponke on Sunday, Baronial 13, 1587. This was the offset peerage elected past the English in America. Manteo was besides the first Native American to be received into the Church of England. It was Manteo and his people at Croatoan that the colonists expected to turn to in case of demand until Governor White returned from England with supplies.

Sir Walter Raleigh (1522-1618)

Born to a protestant family in Devon he is i of the most colorful characters in English history. Navigator, historian, soldier, poet and explorer, he initiated the Roanoke voyages and English colonization of the New World. Raleigh never visited the New World. He is credited with having introduced both the murphy and tobacco to England from America. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1585. It is historically true that the episode of the cloak thrown in the pool for Queen Elizabeth I did indeed happen. It was from this incident that Raleigh'due south favor with the Queen grew.

Wanchese

Wanchese was a Native American chief of Roanoke Island and probably a member of the eastern division of the Algonquian tribe. He returned to England with Helm's Amadas and Barlowe'southward expedition and became bitter towards the English.

John White (1540-1593)

English artist and one of several early English colonists who sailed with Sir Richard Grenville's trek in 1585. During his time at Roanoke Island he made numerous famous drawings with watercolors of the landscapes and native people. His superb watercolors of native plants, animals and Indian life, give us an insight into what the English institute during their explorations. White was described as a "Gentleman of London" became Governor of the second Roanoke colony in 1587. He led a band of settlers sent out past Sir Walter Raleigh under the authority of the Virginia Company. He was the male parent of Eleanor Dare and grandpa of Virginia Dare, the outset English born child in the New World. He returned back to England for much needed supplies and was not able to return in 1590 finding the colony empty. He spent the residue of his life in England and Ireland.

The Colonists

Very picayune is known about the vast majority of the colonists explorers who were not leaders. What little is known is interesting simply because it is a get-go footstep toward understanding who the colonists might accept been and in trying to guess why they wanted to come to the New Earth.

Mark Bennett and William Berde

Mark Bennett and William Berde both "Lost Colonists" are described quite only every bit husbandman and a yeoman. Richard Berry, as well a member of John Whites colonists was described equally a "gentleman" and was a muster helm in 1572. Anthony Cage, another 1587 colonist, had been sheriff of Huntington in 1585. Two other "Lost Colonists," James Hynde and William Clement, had been in prison together in Colchester Castle for stealing.

Thomas Ellis

Thomas Ellis of the "Lost Colony" was at the other end of the social ladder. Before leaving home in Exeter, he had been a member of the vestry of his parish church building, St. Petrock, which all the same stands today on the main business street of Exeter. It is believed that John Hewet was the "Lost Colonist" lawyer. He held a bachelor of civil constabulary from Oxford. John Spendlove, subsequently a "Lost Colonists" was described on a 1585 muster list as a "gentleman" and reported present with his horse.

It is also believed that in that location were three men who returned with Governor John White in search of the "Lost Colonists" who had the same or like surnames as some of the members of the vanished expeditions. Robert Coleman, Henry Millett, John Taylor were in search of Thomas Colman and his wife, Michael Mylett and Clement and Hugh Taylor.

Elizabethan Food

Economic and Social Form Availability of Nutrient

The availability of food during the Elizabethan Era was based on economic and social class standing. Home grown produce was used to feed the majority of the English. Poor harvests which occurred during the 1590's, had a bad consequence on the economy and led to starvation in some areas. The booming wool trade changed the face of agronomics and the land enclosures led to and increase of the number of people living in poverty and the introduction of the 1601 Poor Law.

Social class played a very important role in Elizabethan England in almost every attribute of life. Nutrient and drink were no exception to this rule; it varied according to condition and wealth. The availability of food to the people of England also depended on the social classes. The food available to the Upper Class differed considerable to the food bachelor to the lower grade. The Upper Class also enjoyed various spices imported from abroad.

Presentation of nutrient was also important during the Elizabethan era peculiarly for the nobility. It was of import that their feasts and banquets had a bang-up visual effect. Colors, different serving methods, and various "props" besides used to enhance the presentation of a repast. Peacocks were not raised just for the meat of the poultry but also for its feathers. The feathers were used to decorate the foods that were served during the banquets. Whatever imported foods were expensive and out of the attain of Lower classes and used primarily by the monarch and nobility classes.

Meat was the primary food consumed by the wealthy and privileged course. It was the most popular food and commonly sold a large livestock markets. The rich of Elizabethan England ate well. Meats such as lamb, beefiness, mutton, pork, caprine animal, salary, veal, rabbit, and fowl such as peacocks, swans, herons, and goose were served. Chicken were believed to be introduced to England by the Romans. Just Lords and Nobles were allowed to hunt deer, boar, hares and rabbits. They also ate different kinds of freshwater and sea fish such every bit herring, salmon, eel, whiting, cod, trout and expressway. Shell fish including crab, oysters, mussels and cockles were too featured in Elizabethan recipes.

Meat, fishes and poultry were cooked in varied means also. Some of the more than common methods were spit, roasting, baking, boiling, smoking, salting and frying. Smoking of the meat was very pop and was intended to preserve the food. The people during this era more often than not preferred cooking that washed over an open flame. Meat was cooked on a spit which was sometimes turned by a canis familiaris running on a circular treadmill attached to the end of the spit. Other useful cooking utensils for cooking over an open flame were pots, pans, skillets and cauldrons. Food grooming was fabricated possible with the use of ladles, knives, meat forks, and scissors. Baking trays made from hardened pastry chosen a "coffin" was used for baking. Baking was also done in iron boxes laid on the burn or in a brick oven that was set into the side of a fireplace. The mortar and pestle were essential in grinding nuts and spices for the Elizabethan recipes that was kept in a volume by each cook. In the Upper Classes, the kitchens were in large houses or castles some distance from the main house and food was generally served cold.

Improved agriculture techniques and inventions gave way to an increase in herbs, vegetables, and fruits such as turnips, parsnips, carrots, onions, leeks, garlic and radishes, apples, pears, plums, cherries and woodland strawberries. It was common to prepare these by roasting or boiling and serving with staff of life.

Carbohydrate, honey, and marzipan became popular during this era as the Tudors were very fond of desserts. Sugar was imported to England, having been obtained from sugar pikestaff. They enjoyed pastries, tarts, cakes, cream, custard, and crystallized fruit and syrup. On special occasions such equally banquets, all kinds of specialties would be made out of sugar and marzipan such as animals, birds, fruits or baskets. Sometimes wine glasses, dishes would be fabricated out of crisp molded saccharide called sugar-plate which would be elaborately decorated.

Nutrient items were by and large purchased from pocket-size markets and from fairs. In larger cities in that location were specific markets which sold fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. The term "vegetable" was rarely used to describe what we call vegetables today. Instead the term "herb" was used for all green plants, roots, and herbs. Nutrient items that came from the ground were only skillful enough for the lower classes. Only vegetables such as rape, onions, garlic and leeks were set on a Noble's table.

Food began changing over the course of the Tudor period. More than and more than foods were being introduced into society every bit they were discovered in the New World. Tomatoes or "love apples" from United mexican states, Turkey from Central America, Kidney Beans from Peru and of course the famous potatoes brought to England by Sir Walter Raleigh. Chili peppers, including cherry-red peppers, cayenne, and paprika were likewise imported from the New World. Ane of the about sought after spices was pepper. The discovery of Chili peppers in the New Earth was very encouraging to the Elizabethan explorers. Vanilla, pineapples, lima beans, peanuts, tapioca, pumpkins, corn, avocado, pecans, cashews, squash, coffee, maize, chocolate and tea were also introduced during the Elizabethan era.

The Early on Crusaders had brought back to England the element of eastern cooking with spices such equally pepper, cinnamon, mace, ginger, cloves, raisins, saffron and sugar. These Medieval recipes were passed down to Elizabethan recipes. Spices were welcomed in the preparation of a repast as their distinctive flavors bearded the strong and dominate taste of salt which was used to preserve the meat. Spices were very expensive and used in these cooking recipes for the Upper Class. It became a thing of both social style and prestige and a sign of wealth and loftier social condition. The Oriental Spice Trade was very important and the nearly profitable in European trade. The bulldoze for profit through new spices as well as the quest for gold and silver was what encouraged the explorations of Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh.

Elizabethan Drinkable

Water was not make clean during the Elizabethan Era, and thus people drank ale and wine. The Upper Classes drank both and the Lower Classes simply drank ale. Beloved was used to make a sweet alcoholic drink called mead which was drunk by all classes. Wine was imported, although there were a few fruit wines produced in England. Near of the wines were sweetness and rather heavy. They probably had to be strained before they could be boozer, and could even so take solid thing floating in them. "Apple-vino", a form of cider was also produced during the Elizabethan era. Ales were brewed with malt and water and were relatively apartment, while beer contained hops of a bitter flavor. Bayberries, orris, and long pepper were flavors that could exist added to ales and beers for a variety of tastes. It was estimated that a person would consume about a gallon a solar day of weak depression alcohol drinks during the Elizabethan era.

Daily Meals

The main parts of the basic diet during Elizabethan times were bread, meat, and fish. Bread was the most important component of the diet. The Upper Classes ate Manchet, a bread loaf fabricated of wheat flour. The Lower Classes ate bread loaves of rye and barley.

Dairy products produced during Elizabethan England included milk, cream, butter and cheese. Milk was used as a beverage, and cream, curds, whey, butter and cheese was a by-product of this commodity. Strawberries and cream was a delightful treat and eggs were abundantly consumed. Several types of cheeses were available during this era.

Difficult cheeses were made from skimmed milk, and soft cheeses were made from whole milk. Butter was stored in wooden barrels called firkins and was merely used by the Upper Grade for cooking food as all dairy products were determined inferior foods and only to exist eaten by the poor.

Biscuits, invented by the Crusaders were considered a convenience food during the Elizabethan era. The "Ploughman's Tiffin" consisting of cheese and bread was a staple diet of the Lower Class workers. Communal ovens were also available in villages for baking pastries and pies with cooked roasted meat which were sold on the street to the villagers during an outing to the Theatre or a fair.

How many times a day you ate and what yous ate with depended on your social form. Upper classes and nobility would swallow three meals a mean solar day using glass, delft from Holland and silverware. Mainland china ware was unknown at this fourth dimension. Lower classes would eat two to three meals a day using wooden or horn dishes and pewter. Everyone used their ain knife, and spoons were rarely used every bit soup and liquids were drunk from a cup. Forks had only been introduced in the tardily 14th century and were nonetheless evolving around the state.

The Upper Classes would usually swallow breakfast consisting of food and potable between 6-seven am. Dinner was the midday meal of nutrient and potable served between noon and 2 pm. Supper was a substantial repast of food and potable served between vi-7 pm forth with diverse forms of entertainment. The Lower Classes meals were far less elaborate than the Upper Classes and did not include entertainment during supper. The average Lower Class citizen consumed at least ½ lb of bread, 1 pint of beer, 1 pint of porridge and ¼ lb of meat daily. This could be supplemented by some dairy products, and vegetables were the main ingredient of their soups. Food for a Tudor soldier would consists of two lb. of beefiness or mutton accompanied with 1 lb. of cheese, ½ lb of butter, 1 ½ lb of bread, and almost a gallon of beer. Beer in the Elizabethan era had a very depression content of booze. The quantity and content of the nutrient eaten by the Upper Class was considerably unlike course the diet of the Lower Classes. The number of courses and variety of the foods consumed by the Upper Class included expensive spices and ingredients and exotic recipes.

Preservation

Food varied according to flavour as there were no methods of freezing foods in Elizabethan England. For economic reasons, animals were slaughtered in the fall of the twelvemonth as to non have to feed them during the winter. Table salt was used to preserve the meats and thus the food e'er had a salty taste. Methods were introduced to disguise the salty taste. Spices, including pepper, mustard, saffron, cloves, cardimon and cinnamon were added to recipes and a variety of sauces were used to disguise the salty sense of taste. Stews and potages formed an important element in the diet of Middle and Lower Classes. The introduction of food processing was used to soften meat and vegetables. Soaking roots, leaves, seeds, nuts and berries in cold water for several hours made the food easier to digest. Salted meats and fish were rinsed in several changes of liquid before cooking to weaken the salty taste. Pickling and smoking were also used equally methods of preservation.

Fresh flowers and herbs were preserved to apply in flavoring winter dishes. The training of preserved nutrient took identify in the Stillroom. This is where distillations, preserves and delicate floral syrups were prepared. The Stillroom was besides used to prepare medicinal tinctures and herbal potions. The almost important use if the Stillroom was to produce alcoholic beverages.

The Upper Form could afford to expand the use of saccharide and honey as a sweetener in many Elizabethan recipes. Jams, marmalades and curds were made from a diverseness of fruits.

Elizabethan Diet

Elizabethan nutrient and drink did non constitute a good balanced diet. The rich ate few fresh vegetables and footling fresh fruit. Fruit was ordinarily served in pies or preserved in honey. Vegetables and fresh fruit were eaten by the poor, normally in some form of stew, soup or porridge. Food items which came from the ground and dairy products were considered only fit for the poor.

The diet of the poor and Lower Classes was better than those of the Nobles and Upper Class. Because of the snobbery of eating fresh vegetables, fruits and dairy products the Upper Classes suffered from lack of Vitamin C, calcium and fiber in their diet. This led to an assortment of health problems for those running the country. Bad teeth, peel diseases, scurvy, and rickets were just a few health problems the rich encountered. Carbohydrate, simply affordable to the rich was known to blacken teeth. It became stylish to have your teeth blackened by applying cosmetics to become this outcome if plenty quantities of saccharide were not available to y'all.

Religion played an important part in the diet of the Elizabethan people. In that location were certain times the eating of meat was banned. Certain religious observances banned the eating of meat on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Meat was likewise banned during the religious seasons of Lent and Advent and on the eves of many religious holidays. Fasting and abstaining from meat was observed for over one-half the days of the twelvemonth.

Elizabethan Banquet & Feast

The Elizabethan Royalty, Nobility and Upper Classes were known throughout the country for their lavish and sumptuous banquets and feasts. New foods and spices arriving daily from the New World inspired new recipes using the finest foods and ingredients. The Royal banquets of the Elizabethan Era were the well-nigh magnificent. The Tudor Dynasty, specially the male parent of Queen Elizabeth, King Henry VIII was always in competition with the French King.

Cooks employed by Nobles during the Elizabethan era would effort to provide Queen Elizabeth with a banquet or banquet of a similar standard and content fix by the high standards ready past the French. An example of an Elizabethan Banquet is outlined:

Elizabethan Authorities

Elizabethan Government

The Monarchy

The monarch of England during the Elizabethan era was Queen Elizabeth I. The government of Elizabethan England was centralized, well organized and very efficient. It was very much a personal monarch with ministers. Queen Elizabeth'due south personality adamant the mode, intensity and efficiency. She ruled and led her people for 45 years, and produced great developments and advancements for England. During her time, monarchs were rulers and not merely figureheads. She was the ultimate decider and was able to determine bug of her nation's religion, when Parliament would sit down and what it would discuss, when and if her land would go to state of war, matters of teaching, welfare of her citizens, what food they would consume and what wearing apparel they could habiliment. She is considered to be England's all-time monarch. She was a wise and just Queen and chose the right advisers and never let herself get dominated by these advisers. She dealt with the stubbornly resistant members of Parliament without beingness tyrannous, and was cleaver at compromising in both religious and political matters. Queen Elizabeth I was the sixth and last of the Tudor dynasty.

The Divine Rights of Kings gave the monarch the paradigm of being a Demigod. The theory of the Divine Right of Kings aimed at instilling obedience by explaining why all social ranks were religiously and morally obliged to obey their authorities. The strong authority made going against the monarch a sin. By not obeying the queen, you could be accused of treason and sentenced to death. The queen had the power to send one to prison and club execution. Even with all of this power, the monarch was not above the police force, and she could also be brought before the court.

All laws required the queens consent in order to be passed. The queen could not write and pass laws herself. She had to draw up a Bill and put it forward to Parliament for consideration and approval. However, the queen could brand Purple Proclamations without Parliament'south consent.

The Privy Council

The Privy Council was Queen Elizabeth's grouping of advisers and its chief purpose was to requite numerous dissimilar opinions to the queen and she decided on the issue at hand. Too often the advice was often ignored and the Council had to still carry out the queen'due south wishes. The Quango took care of routine assistants which involved matters of religion, military, the queen's security, economics, and the welfare of the citizens. The Council dealt with matters of national and individual involvement, issued proclamations in the queen's name and supervised constabulary and enforcement. The Council could not may any decisions, they could only suggest. The members of the Council were depended on who the queen wanted in that location. Certain powerful noblemen were also necessary in the Council so that their and their realms' involvement were represented so that a rebellion would be avoided. Queen Elizabeth believed the more than members of the Quango, the more opinions and issues. She dropped the number of Council members from 50 to 19 and eventually to 13. At the beginning of her reign, the Council met three times a week, by the end her reign, they met almost every day.

The Secretary of Country, Sir William Cecil led the Council. He was wise, cautious, and cooperative with Queen Elizabeth and trusted by all others. He was likewise the queen's personal secretary and chief adviser until his expiry. He had the reputation of one of the greatest English statesmen. His successor, Sir Francis Walsingham, was the mastermind of the English spy network which defended Queen Elizabeth against foreign powers and plots. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Cecil.

Parliament

A group of representatives called Parliament was divided into two sections. The House of Lords or the Upper House consisted of bishops and aristocrats. The House of Commons or the Lower House consisted of common people. There were no political parties or a Prime number Minister associated with Parliament during the Elizabethan era.

The main role of Parliament at this time in history was to deal with financial matters such as taxation and granting the queen money. The monarch paid for daily administration with ordinary revenues from customs, feudal dues and sales of state. Parliament covered boggling expenditures such as war with taxation. If revenue enhancement did not supply plenty funds for military expenditures, more than country was sold forth with illegal scheming. Parliament was also used for passing laws. During Queen Elizabeth's reign, 438 public and private laws were passed. Public laws practical to everyone, whereas, individual laws only applied to certain people. Parliament could disengage a law if both houses agreed three times and the queen was also in agreement. The queen could brand laws by Royal Annunciation without Parliament's consent. Parliament could as well advise the queen, but she was never interested in their advice.

Elections only occurred for the members of the House of Commons. These members were supported past the of import local people from their locale. The members of the Firm of Eatables only had voting power if they were male and received a sure annual income. The queen decided when Parliament would be called to session. Queen Elizabeth I only called Parliament to session ten times during her reign.

Local Governments

Local governments were important to the citizens of Elizabethan England. Every county had royal representatives such as Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, and Lords Lieutenant. They insured that the queen'southward command and laws were enforced and obeyed.

Regional governments were responsible for overseeing parts of England that the Privy Quango could not supervise. The Quango of the North, which resided in York, was responsible for Northern England, and the Council of the Marches, which resided in Ludlow, was responsible for Wales and some border counties.

Manors were run past nobility and gentry. Owning land was what fabricated one powerful, and those with land were wealthy and masters of the tenants on his land, thus they had had a major influence. Information technology was a position of responsibleness every bit they were meant to help the monarchy by governing their own land. Grievances were taken to the Lord of the estate and the tenants were loyal to him. His political views were greatly impacted on his tenants every bit well.

Each city and town had its ain regime, caput by a mayor.

Courts

The judicial system of Elizabethan England was fabricated up of several courts. The most important courts were the Dandy Sessions Courts or the Assizes, and the Quarter Sessions Courts which dealt with near crimes. The Great Sessions Courts were held twice a year in each canton, and the Quarter Sessions Courts were held four times a yr. The Assizes was famous for its power to inflict harsh penalty.

Petty Sessions Courts, Manor Courts, and town courts handled unimportant crimes. Ceremonious cases were dealt by various courts depending on the person'south budgetary status. The Star Chamber, one of the highest profile courts consisting of generally Privy Counselors tried the wealthy. The Court of Chancery judged criminal cases, and the Exchequer of Pleas handled the financial suits. The Court of Requests dealt with the poor or "poor man's causes, and the Church building Courts handled religious and moral cases. Those who committed high treason and other serious crimes received the death penalty which was often handed downward by the queen. Those guilty of lesser crimes were sent to prison house or to the stocks.

It was an era of cracking economic development. Sir Thomas Gresham established the offset stock substitution called the Royal Exchange in 1565. This was the first one in England and 1 of the first institutions in Europe. This relative peaceful and prosperous Elizabethan era was known equally the "Golden Historic period."

Elizabethan Family unit Life

Elizabethan Family Life

The people of Elizabethan times believed that families were to go the part models of the society. Families in England were regarded of import in its role to order. Information technology was a time of family rules based from Bible sections indicating the responsibility of the parents to enhance their children in a proper manner. Love was not considered a reason to marry, but did recognize that beloved may come during married life. Bundled marriages were mostly between neighbors and friends except for noble classes. Lower social classes were freer to make their own choice in marriage matters.

Wives were regarded equally "property" of their husbands and the women were expected to go married and be dependent on the male population all of their life. Men were expected to inquire a woman her hand in marriage and matrimony was a requirement to be able to take legal command of the household, to be able to work in a public part and to go involved in whatever position with civic duties. Children were also acknowledged as "holding" of their parents, and were commanded to respect them. Family ties were very shut knit and well respected and it was regarded that firm rules were followed with proper obedience.

The Elizabethans had a high regard for family in the community. They followed a deep respect for the importance of bureaucracy. Their customary rulings for the beliefs of children were taken from Bible passages, which explained the duty of parents in properly raising their children and likewise explaining the responsibleness of children to respect and obey their elders. The life expectancy reached until 42 years quondam and the richer classes lived years longer than that.