Die Arbeit gibt einen Einblick in das höfische Prozedere am Hof Elisabeths I. sowie ihre Royal Progresses, die Besuchsreisen bei adligen Untertanen. Teilweise detaillierte Beschreibungen veranschaulichen die Theorie der hierarchisierten Elisabethanischen Gesellschaft, the Chain of Being. Es wird vorrangig auf das Standardwerk zum Thema von E. M. W. Tillyard Bezug genommen.
At a glance
- Grade: 1.3 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Examines Elizabeth I’s 1591 royal progress to Elvetham
- 12 sources in the bibliography
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Royal Household: Edificial Structure and Servants
3. Regular Court Movements
4. Royal Progresses
4.1 Elvetham
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how Elizabeth I’s court operated and asks whether its elaborate ceremonies and displays were necessary. It considers the organisation of the royal household, the movement of the court and royal progresses as expressions of power and hierarchy.
- The spatial organisation of the royal household
- Servants, courtiers and access to the queen
- Regular movements between royal residences
- The political and ceremonial functions of royal progresses
- The 1591 entertainment at Elvetham
- Court ritual and national identity
Excerpt from the Book
The Royal Household: Edificial Structure and Servants
Entering an Elizabethan court, one found himself in the Great Hall, at the beginning, where audiences of large numbers of visitors could be held and where other heads of state and legations were being welcomed. As this hall was still a more public place visitors could enter fairly easily with nothing more than a letter of recommendation (cf. SUERBAUM, 256).
More efforts were required to gain access to the spacious chamber area that was divided into several chambers of different size and for different uses. The Presence Chamber, for example, was probably the biggest among them, the major place to receive parliament delegations. As Suerbaum and other sources state, Queen Elizabeth I. was being informed about political news almost daily (ibid.). After all, it was still a relatively uncomplicatedly accessible spot where one could behold the Queen pretty naturally and without exaggerated royal ceremonies.
On the contrary, the Privy Chamber, as the name suggests, was reserved for the inner political circle, Elizabeth’s personal servants or highly prominent guests. Yet it had surprisingly varied functions; this chamber was a working office, a waiting room, a leisure time area, and a living room all at once (cf. SUERBAUM, 257). Since being located centrally within the court building it was theoretically accessible by several rooms surrounding it in order to have servants and/ or guests ready for the Queen to meet them whenever she felt inclined to do so. Although “Counsellors were supposed to tell the monarch the necessary hard truths” we can assume that their meetings were still comfortable for the Queen because they were “sought to time their advice correctly and offer it in a soothing manner” (MEARS 97f). Until then courtiers performed their apparently most natural task: waiting. When Elizabeth finally arrived it was done what she was in a mood for; they played games, discussed current political affairs, etc. (cf. SUERBAUM, 257) . As a consequence, persons allowed in the Privy Chamber could become the monarch’s most influential advisors as can already be seen in the case of Henry VIII. (cf. MEARS 15, 20, 84f).
The exertion of influence on the monarch by her Maids of Honour in her most private room, the Royal Bedchamber, however, maintains uncertain, although presumably low. Although the image of about ten people regularly lingering in one’s bedroom is considerably alien to modern thinking, it was absolutely accepted back then; the Queen’s body was property of the state in a way and helping her wash herself or getting her dressed was treated as a great honour (cf. SUERBAUM, 257).
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: The paper introduces the court as a hierarchical world and asks whether its pomp and carefully planned ceremonies were necessary.
The Royal Household: Edificial Structure and Servants: This chapter explores the arrangement of court rooms, access to the queen and the responsibilities of the household’s servants and officers.
Regular Court Movements: The discussion explains why the court moved between residences and describes several places associated with Elizabeth I.
Royal Progresses: This chapter distinguishes progresses from regular court movements and considers their demands on hosts and their political significance. Its Elvetham section examines the entertainment prepared for the queen in 1591.
Conclusion: The paper returns to the question of necessity and considers the material and ideological roles of royal ceremony.
Keywords
Elizabeth I, Elizabethan court, royal household, court ritual, royal progresses, court hierarchy, Privy Chamber, royal residences, Elvetham, political representation, national identity, ceremonial entertainment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the paper about?
It examines the organisation and ceremonial life of Elizabeth I’s court, including the movement of the royal household and royal progresses.
What are its central themes?
Its themes include court hierarchy, household organisation, access to the monarch, royal travel, political representation and national identity.
What is the primary research question?
The paper asks whether the court’s pomp and carefully planned ceremonies were necessary and what purposes they served.
What method does the author use?
The author draws on and discusses historical literature and published accounts to interpret the organisation and ceremonies of the Elizabethan court.
What does the main discussion cover?
It moves from the household’s rooms and personnel to regular changes of residence and the distinctive practices of royal progresses.
Which keywords characterise the paper?
Key terms include Elizabeth I, royal household, court ritual, royal progresses, hierarchy, Elvetham and national identity.
Why does the paper discuss the Privy Chamber?
It uses the chamber to illustrate how physical access to the queen related to courtly and political influence.
What example of a royal progress is examined?
The paper examines Elizabeth I’s 1591 visit to Elvetham, including the preparations and the symbolic entertainment arranged by her host.
- Quote paper
- Cordula Zwanzig (Author), 2011, Elizabeth I. Court Rituals and Royal Progress, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/267697
