Xaire Davis, Group #3: 2002 Exam

1. Xaire Davis, Group #3: 2002 Exam • Thematic Essay: 2002: Compare and contrast the religious Policies of TWO of the following: • Elizabeth I of England • Catherine de Medici of France • Isabella I of Spain • Critical Trigger Words: Compare (find similarities) Contrast (find differences) Religious Polices (religious influence on government) • Two Step Direction Phrase: Focus on the polices of two of the women and how their religious beliefs influenced their way of governing. Name check polices enforced.

2. Introduction:

3. Introduction Religion was the driving force within European government during the sixteenth century. Rulers used religion as tactical devices to manipulate the people togain greater power. Two rulers who were notable of doing these tactical devices were Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I of England. Both of these leaders ruled using religious strength as their backbone. In assessing both the polices of Catherine and Elizabeth, their similarities and differences will be discovered.

4. Body One

5. Body One Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I of England had outstanding policies of governing their empires. Catherine was a regent of her son Coligny in France. Her objective was to keep the Medici monarchy in power and prevent the Guise from gaining any authority. She did this by playing both sides of Protestantism and Catholicism. When the Catholic Guise family began to gain power she joined forces with the Protestants and created the January Edict. This granted Protestants the privilege to worship outside of the town. When her son finally came into power and the Protestants gain increasing dominance in governmental affairs she joined forces with the Catholic Guise. She took part in the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of Protestants and killed thousands of them; then she made the Protestants conflict amongst one another. Elizabeth inherited the throne following her sister Mary I. She tried her best to placate both Catholics and Protestants, which resulted in the creation of the Anglican Church. This was a church, which was Catholic in appearance but followed protestant doctrine. She also established settlements that prevented religious differences from destroying England. Both of these ladies ran their emperors in very similar strategic ways.

6. Body Two

7. Body Two Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I had many commonalities. For example, they both enacted governmental policies, at some point in their reigns, that were in favor of Protestants. Catherine created the January Edict and Elizabeth created the Anglican church, which both gave greater acceptance of Protestantism. Another similarity between the two was the influence religion played in both of their empires. They both used the power of religious beliefs to maintain their own power. The last thing they had alike was strategy. They both knew how religious matter worked and they both used it to the best of their advantage. Elizabeth and Catherine were both aware of the constant battle between Catholicism and Protestantism and ruled accordingly to it. Even though they had these things in common the way they went about enforcing them and governing were on two opposite sides of the spectrum.

8. Body Three

9. Body Three Even Though both of these rulers did outstanding jobs at maintaining their empires they took two different approaches and were focused on two individual desires. One difference would be the fact that Elizabeth was a politique while, Catherine was a manipulator. Elizabeth tried to pacify both the protestants and Catholics within England to maintain a stable government. Catherine on the other hand played both sides to maintain her family’s dominance and prevent the Protestants or Catholic Guises from gaining power. This is exactly another difference they had. Catherine just wanted her family to be powerful, but Elizabeth wanted a tranquil England. Another difference was their religious following and how they went about showing them. Elizabeth was Protestant, but she did not enforce her religion to make Catholics feel isolated. Catherine, however, was a Catholic who played off both Catholics and protestants to make conflicts among them.

10. Conclusion:

11. Conclusion Evidently, Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I of England were two very powerful forces. Their religious policies proved to be efficient in stabilizing their power. They may have similar ideas on the use of religious influence, but they way they went through with things were completely opposite. The battle between Protestantism and Catholicism that was apparent within their empires was also the same through out all of Europe. This increasing conflict would lead to what was known as one of the destructive of all religious war, the Thirty Years’ War.

12. Miscellaneous: Think of it in three parts… Analysis the polices of both leader during their times of reign. Take what you already know and mode how they have some of the same traits of way of going about things. Demonstrate the differences in their goals and religious positions.