Elizabeth I and her Government

There are some useful websites available commenting on how Elizabeth governed her country and how successful she was. www.elizabethi.org has a good collection of useful material plus some good reading suggestions. Here is a useful summary of how the council was established, and here is an argument from Natalie Mears suggesting that the council wasn't as influential as was first thought. (Here is an overview of the book, plus references to other articles that may be helpful) Finally, here is a more historiographical account from John Guy, assessing differing historians' opinions on Elizabeth's political approach, which is an excellent source for interpretations.

Elizabeth Portraits

The Year 12s who visited the National Portrait Gallery yesterday will have seen two famous portraits of Elizabeth I which are rarely seen together. The Pelican (top picture) and Phoenix (bottom) portraits, painted in the 1570s when Elizabeth was in her 40s, have recently been proven to have been painted on wooden panels taken from the same trees, and so are most likely to have been painted by the same artist, Nicholas Hilliard. You can read more about how the paintings were researched here, but you only have till the end of the week if you want to see them together!

PS: Here are further details from the National Portrait Gallery and comments from Channel 4 News.

John Guy

John Guy's website has been mentioned before on Nonsuch HP. It includes this article on historians' views on Elizabeth and politics which is particularly useful for Year 13s gathering interpretations. There are also notes on Elizabeth and religion, the mid-tudor crisis and the role of faction amongst others.

Year 12s will find useful articles on Henry VII's reputation and foreign policy plus the significance of Wolsey, his domestic and foreign policies, and his fall.

The Death of Elizabeth I

Here is an excellent discussion of how Robert Cecil handled the succession of James I as Elizabeth I's reign slowly came to an end. The In Our Time programme covers plenty of other historical topics, often with contributions from leading historians and academics. If you come across any that are particularly interesting, let us know.

Elizabeth's theme song

If you had to choose a theme song to sum up Elizabeth I's core values what would it be? Be as anachronistic as you like and post your answers below. Best response (including your justification for the choice) will win some sort of prize...

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is a useful starting point for researching historical figures (they have to have died by 2005 to be included). Articles are thoroughly researched and have excellent sets of references, including articles by relevant historians. Here for example are the articles on Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth I. (Full access to the site is only allowed at school and at public libraries)

Elizabeth FAQ

Here is a useful set of FAQs on Elizabeth I, including a list of all the errors (and there are many!) made in the Cate Blanchett film. The website also contains a useful Tudor reading list alongside lots of other Elizabeth info.