WHY ARE PAINTINGS AND PICTURES
IMPORTANT TO AN HISTORIAN?
 They tell us information about people or
events.
 They not only show what happened but also
what people thought and felt.
 They can be used to send out messages and
can be used to try and make people think in a
certain way.
 This is called PROPAGANDA.
How did Elizabeth’s portraits make people think she
was a good Queen?
Most people who lived in Elizabeth’s time never got
to see her in real life.
Her image was produced on coins, medals, portraits,
engravings and wood cuts. Many nobles wanted to
display pictures of Elizabeth in their houses. Some
pictures were sent abroad as gifts to foreign rulers.
Elizabeth’s portraits were not supposed to show
what she really looked like.
They were an
important form of propaganda.
Portrait Decoder
Heart = Love for her people.
Serpent = Wisdom.
Eyes/Ears = Sees/hears
everything.
Angels Wings =
Elizabeth is a
messenger from God.
Pearls = Elizabeth is a
Moon goddess.
Sword = Justice
and power.
Flowers = Chastity and youth.
Ermine = A pure Queen.
Rainbow = Peace after a storm.
Long Hair or Low Cut
Dress
= Virginity.
Jewelled Glove = Men will
fight for Elizabeth.
Globe = Power.
Crown = Truly a Queen.
Black and White = Legendary
colours of ‘Queen of Corinth’ who
was pure and
wise.
Mary Queen of Scots was the daughter of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise of
France. She became Queen of Scotland when she was six days old after her father
died at the Battle of Solway Moss. Mary spent a happy childhood in France and in 1558
married Francis, heir to the French throne. They became King and Queen of France in
1559. Sadly the King died and the Queen returned to Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots
eventually went on to have a further two disastrous marriages! 1586 was a bad year for
Mary when it was discovered that she had been receiving letters from a Catholic called
Anthony Babington. The letters revealed a plot to kill Elizabeth and replace her with
Mary. Elizabeth had no choice but to sign Mary’s death warrant. Mary Queen of Scots
was beheaded at Fotheringay Castle on February 8th 1587.
The Spanish Armada
What are the reasons for
the Armada?
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Elizabeth refused Philip II
marriage
Philip II was a committed
Catholic and wished that all
countries would become or
remain Catholic.
Spain ruled a number of
countries in the New World.
Seamen such as Sir Francis
Drake stole treasure from
Spanish ships during the 1570's
and 80's. Elizabeth had been
encouraging this !!
In 1585, Elizabeth sent an army
to help the people of Holland
fight against the Spanish.
Elizabeth had signed Mary
Queen of Scot's death warrant in
February 1587.
Sir Francis Drake had sailed to
Cadiz Harbour in April 1587. The
Spanish fleet was there and he
set fire to 37 ships belonging to
Philip. He boasted:
" I have singed the King of
Spain's beard"
The Events of the Armada
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12th July 1588, the Armada was ready to sail
and to fight!
As the Spanish ships entered the English
Channel near Plymouth they were spotted
immediately. Warning signals were sent to
London and the Navy was put straight to sea.
When the Armada ventured further up the
Channel, the English Navy chased them until
they anchored at Calais on the coast of France.
At Calais, the Spanish had hoped to meet with
their ally and his force the Duke of Parma. But he
was not there! They would have to continue their
battle with the English Navy alone.
On the 27th July, the English Navy sent burning
fire ships into Calais port sending the Spanish
into a mad panic. Those that escaped were
forced to sail towards the Western end of the
Channel.
There they were greeted by English ships waiting
to attack and were forced to leave their friends in
the Netherlands behind as they tried to make
their escape once more.
Feeling defeated, Spain was forced to return
home by going north around Scotland.
As the Armada reached Ireland they were
battered by fierce storms to which they lost even
more ships.
By September, only two thirds of the Armada
made the return journey to Spain.
Reasons why the Armada failed:
• Ship design, leaders, the weather, tactics,
weaponry and poor plan of attack
The Execution of Charles I
Charles's beheading was scheduled for Tuesday, 30 January 1649. Two of his children remained in
England under the control of the Parliamentarians: Elizabeth and Henry. They were permitted to
visit him on 29 January, and he bade them a tearful farewell. The following morning, he called for
two shirts to prevent the cold weather causing any noticeable shivers that the crowd could have
mistaken for fear.
He walked under guard from St James's Palace, where he had been confined, to the Palace of
Whitehall, where an execution scaffold was erected in front of the Banqueting House. Charles was
separated from spectators by large ranks of soldiers, and his last speech reached only those with
him on the scaffold. He blamed his fate on his failure to prevent the execution of his loyal servant
Strafford.
At about 2:00 p.m. Charles put his head on the block after saying a prayer and signalled the
executioner when he was ready by stretching out his hands; he was then beheaded with one clean
stroke. According to observer Philip Henry, a moan "as I never heard before and desire I may never
hear again" rose from the assembled crowd some of whom then dipped their handkerchiefs in the
king's blood as a memento.
Life in England under Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was born in Cambridgeshire in 1599. He was a Puritan
which meant that he was a strict Protestant and hated Catholics.
He was an MP in Parliament and then became the Cavalry commander in
the New Model Army. By the end of the war he was one of the most
famous and powerful men in England.
Cromwell supported the trial and execution of King Charles. He used his
influence to make sure Charles was found guilty of treason and killed.
After Charles’ death, Cromwell became even more powerful. Cromwell and
other Republicans wanted rich Puritans to rule the country. When the
Puritans were in power they banned several Christian festivals, such as
Christmas and Easter.
Cromwell’s actions
• Cromwell reformed the English Navy and its army
• Cromwell split the country into regions, he put a Puritan
in charge of each one!
• Cromwell closed the theatres, banned make-up, music,
drinking, dancing and swearing!
• Cromwell banned the celebration of Christmas
• Cromwell allowed Jewish people to come back into
England
• Cromwell used his new army to control and massacre
Catholic rebels in Ireland.
Is Oliver Cromwell a Hero or a Villain?
A portrait
of King
Charles II
From this image
alone, what can
you guess about
Charles II?
How is he
presented?
How is he
different to
Oliver Cromwell?
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What does the Declaration of
Breda tell you about Charles
II?
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Who would have liked/disliked
the terms?
The Merry Monarch!