Elizabeth I

“ An analysis of the religious issues in England 1560-1600 reveals Elizabeth I acting with consummate political skill.” Discuss

Probably Elizabeth’s most striking examples of moderation can be seen with her religious policy. The Settlement of Religion 1559 had her facing one of the hardest questions she had to answer during her reign. Was England to be a Catholic or Protestant country? Elizabeth had political and personal reasons for choosing Protestantism. Although she had abided by the Catholic faith during Mary’s reign she had been raised a Protestant and was committed to that faith. But she also believed in Religious toleration and that Catholics and Protestants were both part of the same faith. She had no toleration for radicals of either faith.

In April 1559 the Act of Uniformity was passed. Everyone in England was to conform to Protestantism. Elizabeth chose the 1552 Prayer Book of Edward VI and incorporated wording from the 1554 Prayer Book so t...