Elizabethan England!

Question

I have some questions that need to be answered ASAP!

first off, what is the difference between the privy council and the parliament?

Answer 1

Great Question! The Privy council and Parliament do hold separate roles in Elizabethan England. The Privy Council is a select number of advisors to the Monarch and are not elected by or represent in any way the wider British population. They would advise the monarch on subjects ranging from international relations (e.g. should we go to war with France?), monetary policy, socio-economic conditions, religion and the people, etc. They would ideally be experts in diplomacy, law, commerce, etc. However, while they can advise, they cannot make laws, though they do hold a great deal of influence with the monarch and often represent him/her in different settings.

Parliament was and is the legislative body in Great Britain, split into the House of Lords and the House of Commons. In Elizabethan England, the House of Lords was made up of the English Aristocracy and Clergy, while the House of Commons were men elected to office to (theoretically) represent the common people at large. Parliament's jobs were the make/pass laws (subject to Monarchical input and approval) and approve taxation and the raising of money through it to keep the country running. Unlike today, the monarchy had much more power over Parliament and a much more invested role in the running of the country, including what laws were made. Similarly, the aristocracy and clergy also influenced who was elected to Parliament.