Events in Elizabethan England
Famous Explorers!
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Francis Drake (1542-1596) cousin of John Hawkins
- Drake was famous for his Voyage around the World between 1577 - 1580
- Raleigh was famous for the Discovery of Guiana
- Establishing the Virginia colony of Roanoke Island in 1584
- Gilbert was famous for the Discovery of Newfoundland
- Hawkins was famous for his voyages to West Africa and South America
- Grenville was famous his voyages to Virginia and Roanoke Island and the Azores
- Frobisher was famous for his attempts to discover a North-West passage and his voyages to Labrador and Greenland
- His search for the Northwest Passage in led to the discovery of the mouth of the Hudson River
- His search for the Northwest Passage in led to voyages to North America and South America
- Followed Drake in an attempt to circumnavigate the World
- Famous for his voyages to the Canadian Artic and Asia
- Famous for his voyages to South America
1497: John Cabot was searching for a Northwest Passage to China and discovered Cape Breton Island
1562: John Hawkins sails to Africa - profits from the slave trade
1576: Explorers working for the Muscovy Company were so successful that 100 English ships were visiting Russia
1576: Martin Frobisher begins three attempts to find the Northwest Passage and gold in Canada sailing to Baffin Bay and into the Hudson Strait
1577: Francis Drake circumnavigates the world - December 13 1577 to September 26 1580
1585: Sir Walter Raleigh establishes the Roanoke colony
1585: John Davis explores the Canadian Artic and Asia
1593: Sir Richard Hawkins travels to South America
Politicians of the Elizabethan Era
The government of England was led by the famous statesmen and Elizabethan Politicians who advised Queen Elizabeth I. At National level the Elizabethan politicians attended the Privy Council and there were Regional levels such as the Council of the North and the Council of the Marches ( Wales ). At local level there were representatives who attended Parliament and county levels. The Privy Council consisted of wealthy and powerful nobles together with the highly intelligent men. The Privy Council was ruled by Elizabeth and had less than twenty members. The Privy Council met between 3 and 5 days each week. All were chosen by Queen Elizabeth. Elizabethan Politicians on the Privy Council were responsible for:
- Elizabethan Economics
- Foreign Policy
- Home Policy
- Religion
- Security and Military matters
- People and events in Elizabethan Times
Famous Elizabethan Politicians
The most famous Elizabethan Politicians were:
- William Cecil ( Queen Elizabeth's first Secretary of State )
- Robert Cecil ( Queen Elizabeth's first Secretary of State )
- Sir Francis Walsingham
- Francis Bacon
Famous Battle
On 28 May 1588 the Spanish Armada, consisting of 151 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers who bore 1,500 brass guns and 1,000 iron guns headed for the English channel. The fleet also contained 28 purpose-built warships and 34 light ships. In the Spanish Netherlands 30,000 soldiers awaited the arrival of the armada. On 16 July the English fleet stood prepared, if ill-supplied, at Plymouth, awaiting news of Spanish movements. The English fleet outnumbered the Spanish, with 200 to 130 ships, while the Spanish fleet outgunned the English. The Armada was delayed by bad weather, forcing the four galleys and one of the galleons to leave the fleet. That evening the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth harbour by an incoming tide. 55 English ships set out to confront the Armada. The English tacked upwind of the Armada, thus gaining the weather gage, a significant advantage. There was a long battle. The Armada anchored off Calais in a tightly packed defensive crescent formation, not far from Dunkirk, where Parma's army, reduced by disease to 16,000, was expected to be waiting. But they didn't arrive, and the English closed in for battle.
With its superior maneuverability, the English fleet provoked Spanish fire while staying out of range. The English then closed, firing repeatedly and damaging broadsides of the enemy ships. After eight hours, the English ships began to run out of ammunition, and some gunners began loading objects such as chains into cannons. Around 4:00 PM, the English fired their last shots and were forced to pull back. The Spanish plan to join Parma’s army had been defeated and the English had won themselves some breathing space. But the Armadas presence still posed a great threat to England. the Spanish were suffering from thirst and exhaustion, and the only option left to the Spanish was to chart a course home to Spain, by a very dangerous route. On the 18th of August, Queen Elizabeth went to Tilbury to encourage her forces, and the next day gave to them what is probably her most famous speech.The Armada took a wrong turn and ended up in a storm. They were driven ashore in Ireland and attacked by the English but managed to get back home to Spain.
In the end only 67 ships and 10,000 of the Spanish survived and made it back home, though many more died in the hospitals in Spain. The English won the battle, losing only 50 - 100 men and losing no ships.
With its superior maneuverability, the English fleet provoked Spanish fire while staying out of range. The English then closed, firing repeatedly and damaging broadsides of the enemy ships. After eight hours, the English ships began to run out of ammunition, and some gunners began loading objects such as chains into cannons. Around 4:00 PM, the English fired their last shots and were forced to pull back. The Spanish plan to join Parma’s army had been defeated and the English had won themselves some breathing space. But the Armadas presence still posed a great threat to England. the Spanish were suffering from thirst and exhaustion, and the only option left to the Spanish was to chart a course home to Spain, by a very dangerous route. On the 18th of August, Queen Elizabeth went to Tilbury to encourage her forces, and the next day gave to them what is probably her most famous speech.The Armada took a wrong turn and ended up in a storm. They were driven ashore in Ireland and attacked by the English but managed to get back home to Spain.
In the end only 67 ships and 10,000 of the Spanish survived and made it back home, though many more died in the hospitals in Spain. The English won the battle, losing only 50 - 100 men and losing no ships.
Holidays in Elizabethan Land!
This is events of Elizabethan times:
- The first Monday after the 12th of January was Plough Monday. It celebrated returning to work after the Christmas celebrations and the New Year.
- February 2: Candlemas. Candlemas was celebrated as the first day of spring. All Christmas decorations were burned with candlelights and torchlights.
- February 14: Valentine's Day.
- Between March 3 and March 9: Shrove Tuesday. On this day, apprentices were allowed to run amok in the city in mobs, wreaking havoc before Lent.
- The day after Shrove Tuesday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent when all were to abstain from eating and drinking certain things.
- March 24: Lady Day or the feast of the Annunciation. It was the supposed moment when the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would bear a child.
- April 1: April Fool's Day. This was a day for tricks, jests and jokes
- May 1: May Day, celebrated as the first day of summer.
- June 21: Midsummer, known as the feast of John the Baptist
- August 1: Lammastide, or Lammas Day. On this day, you would have to bring a loaf of bread to the church.
- September 29: Michaelmas. Michaelmas celebrated the beginning of autumn, and Michael the Archangel.
- October 25: St. Crispin's Day. Bonfires were featured in this celebration.
- October 28: The Lord Mayor's Show, which still takes place today in London.
- October 31: Halloween. The beginning celebration of the days of the dead.
- November 1: All Saints' Day
- November 2: All Souls’ Day
- November 17: Accession Day or Queen's Day, the anniversary of when Queen Elizabeth' became the Queen
- December 24: The Twelve days of Christmas started at sundown and lasted until Epiphany on January 6.