Introduction

The Tudors – Elizabeth I and the Succession Crises, 1558-1603

In this course, Professor John Morrill (University of Cambridge) explores the reign of Elizabeth I (1533-1603) through the lens of the succession crisis that she faced throughout her life – both at the beginning of her reign in 1558, and at its end in 1603. In the first module, we think about monarchy in the early modern period. After that, we turn to the particular problems associated with Elizabeth which made her an unpopular choice for Queen among some sections of society – not least the fact she was female. In the third and fourth modules, we think about who else might have become King or Queen of England in Elizabeth's place – looking at a whole roster of candidates in the third module, before looking specifically at Mary, Queen of Scots in the fourth. In the fifth module, we think about why it was the Elizabeth refused to marry and provide a successor for the English throne, before moving on in the sixth module to consider the increasing tensions at the end of Elizabeth's reign, the attempts by various individuals to influence the succession in their favour, and the eventual succession of James I of Scotland to the English throne in 1603.

Introduction

In this module, we explore the general context of monarchy in the early modern period, thinking in particular about succession within the Tudor dynasty, the status of female monarchs within Europe, and the great schism in 16th-century Europe between Catholics and Protestants, which would come to dominate European politics for at least the next hundred years.