Hampton Court Palace is one of the most famous royal palaces in England, closely associated with King Henry VIII and later the reign of Elizabeth I. Originally built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in the early 16th century, the palace became a key site for Tudor politics and power. Our visit to Hampton Court was an opportunity to explore its history and learn more about Elizabethan England through two educational sessions: Elizabeth- Politics and Power and Global Influences- Elizabethan Links to the Wider World. Great start!
The Elizabeth: Politics and Power session helped us understand the major challenges Queen Elizabeth I faced during her reign. One of the biggest issues was religion. After her father, Henry VIII, broke away from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England, religious tensions grew. Elizabeth’s half-sister Mary I, had briefly restored Catholicism, so when Elizabeth became queen, she had to carefully navigate between the Protestant and Catholic people to maintain stability. The session also covered how Elizabeth faced threats from the Catholic powers such as Spain and France. She never married, which gave her more independence as a ruler but also raised concerns about her succession.
One of the most interesting things I learned (going away to further my research) was The Armada Portrait which shows Elizabeth standing confidently with her hand on a globe, symbolizing her power over England and its growing influence in the world. Excellent!
The Global Influences session focused on how England’s relationships with other countries changed under the rule of Elizabeth I. One notable development was England’s growing trade with Islamic countries. Since England had broken away from the Catholic Church, it was no longer allied with Catholic Spain, Portugal and France, which dominated trade with the Americas and parts of Africa. Instead, Elizabeth looked to form new alliances, particularly with the Ottoman Empire – Turkey and others) and North African states, like Morocco. England traded weapons, metal and wool in exchange for luxury goods such as silk, spices and sugar. I found it fascinating that Elizabeth even exchanged letters with Sultan Murad III of the Ottoman Empire’s wife – Safiye, showing how England was becoming more involved in global affairs. Superb!
At the same time, England was expanding its naval power and sending explorers like Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh to the Americas, However, this period of exploration also marked the beginning of England’s involvement in the slave trade. It was interesting to see how England was becoming more and more connected to the wider world, both through trade and exploration, but also how these interactions had long-lasting effects.
Hampton Court Palace was an incredible place to visit, and exploring its history made me appreciate the Tudor period even more as a turning point in the development of England. I especially enjoyed seeing rooms like the Great Hall with its enormous wooden beams and intricate tapestries. One of the most memorable parts of the visit was hearing about the waiting room where guests could stay for days at a time just to speak to the monarch. The level of detail in the palace, like the motifs of Henry VIII and his ex-wives engraved in the ceilings. This trip gave me a much deeper understanding of Elizabethan politics, global trade and how England was changing during this period.
Zoe, Lower IV
