Was there new economic and imperial activity under Elizabeth?

About the lecture

In this module, we consider the question, ‘Was there new economic and imperial activity under Elizabeth?’, focusing in particular on: (i) the ‘traditional’ view that the origins of the British Empire can be dated back to the reign of Elizabeth (1558-1603); (ii) the ‘revisionist’ view that the British Empire only begins in earnest in the reign of James I (1603-25); (iii) imperial failures in the reign of Elizabeth, e.g. the disappearance of the colony at Roanoke, Frobisher’s failure to find the Northwest Passage, etc.; (iv) imperial successes in the reign of James I, e.g. the establishment of colonies in the Americas, trading factories in India, etc.; (v) the theoretical underpinnings of empire in the works of John Dee (1527-1608/9) and Richard Hakluyt (1553-1616); (vi) advances in maritime navigation, including William Gilbert’s research in magnetism, William Bourne’s navigational textbook, and the invention of new navigational aids; (vii) the celebration of explorers as national heroes, especially Francis Drake; (viii) the importance of trading companies such as the Muscovy Company and the Turkey Company (later the Levant Company) in establishing trade routes in the East; and (ix) the foundation of the East India Company in 1601.

About the lecturer

Susan Doran is Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Oxford. She has a substantial publishing record which reflects a particular interest in the religious and political history of the Tudors, especially Elizabeth I. She is also a Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College and Director of Studies in History at Regent’s Park College.