Queenship in Early-Modern Britain



Overview

Three of the six reigning monarchs in sixteenth-century Britain were queens: Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Mary, Queen of Scots. This course will explore how far their gender influenced their queenship. 

We shall begin by discussing early modern attitudes to women - particularly teachings derived from scripture and the classics - and how they influenced writings opposed to female rule, such as John Knox’s famous tract against ‘the Monstrous Regiment of Women’.  We shall then turn to the different justifications for female rule, and the practical alternatives to it in the case of the three queens.  

Next, we shall look at the early lives of these queens, focusing on their education, households, and attempts to prevent them from exercising power, including the moves to exclude Mary Tudor and Elizabeth from the English succession. Moving on to their reigns, we shall examine the challenges arising from their gender, the strategies they employed to overcome them, and the extent of their success.  

Finally, we shall consider, gendered critiques of the queen and how and why attitudes towards them are changing. 

Course materials include extracts from contemporary documents and visuals of portraits and material culture. 

This course is part of the Inspiring Oxford summer school.

Programme details

Seminars meet each weekday morning, with afternoons free for course-related field trips, individual study, or exploring the many places of interest in and around the city.

Monday

  • Attitudes to women from scripture and the classics 

  • Writings of John Knox and others opposed to female rule 

  • Responses justifying it, notably that of John Aylmer 

Tuesday

  • The humanist education of the three British Queens 

  • Their early lives before their exercise of power 

  • Attempts to exclude Mary and Elizabeth from the throne and Mary, Queen of Scots, from power. 

Wednesday

  • Religion and governorship of the Church. 

  • The royal court and intimates 

Thursday

  • Marriage 

  • Military leadership 

  • Image 

Friday

  • Gendered critiques of the queens by contemporaries. 

  • Gendered critiques by historians and in popular culture 

  • New gendered approaches to the queens 

Field Trip
Destination: National Portrait Galley, London 

Website: www.npg.org.uk

Excursion Rating: Moderate - up to two hours' walk on even ground or up to an hour's walk on rough and/or steep ground or up lots of stairs and steps.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee option 1 (single en suite accom and meals per person) £2370.00
Fee option 2 (single standard accom and meals per person) £2040.00
Fee option 3 (twin en suite accom and meals per person) £2220.00
Fee option 4 (no accom; incl lunch and dinner per person) £1685.00

Funding

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for applicants.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Payment terms

If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking.

If submitting an enrolment form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date.

Extended stay fee

Participants staying multiple, consecutive weeks will be charged an additional bed and breakfast fee for the cost of the Saturday night between courses.

Cancellations and refunds

1. Cancellation by you

Participants who wish to cancel must inform the Programme Administrator in writing: by email to inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk, or by post to Inspiring Oxford, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

The following cancellation and refund policy applies in all cases:

  • Cancellation within 14 days of online enrolment / payment of fees – full refund of all fees paid. 

  • Cancellations received up to and including 30 April 2024 – OUDCE will retain an administration fee of £100 per week booked; all other fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received between 1-31 May 2024 – OUDCE will retain 60% of the fees paid; the remaining 40% of fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received on and after 1 June 2024 - no refunds will be made under any circumstances.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

2. Cancellation by us

Where there is good reason, OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course by giving you notice in writing at any time before the course is due to start. In these cases, we will endeavour to offer a transfer to another available course if practical and acceptable to you, subject to payment or refund of any difference in course fees. Alternatively, we will refund the course fees that you have already paid. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred. The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2024. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, anyone affected will be notified by email within 7 days; if you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2024, you should assume that your course will be running. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course at short notice in exceptional circumstances that would prevent the course from being delivered e.g. tutor illness. In these rare instances, and if we are unable to find a replacement tutor, we will notify you as soon as possible and arrange a transfer to another available Inspiring Oxford course. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

3. Travel insurance

All participants must purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred. OUDCE cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. 

Tutor

Professor Susan Doran

Tutor

Susan Doran is a Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Oxford, a Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College, and a Lecturer at St John’s College. All her research centres on Tudor monarchs, except for her forthcoming book From Tudor to Stuart which covers the period 1603-12.  Overall, she has written twelve books and edited or co-edited another ten, including four catalogues for major exhibitions. Before coming to teach in Oxford in 2002, she taught at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and earlier still at St Paul’s Girls’ School. She studied for her BA in History at St Anne’s College, Oxford, and her doctorate at UCL.  

Teaching methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups of up to 16 people, teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/Presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions 

Assessment methods

There are no assessments for this course.

Application

Registration closes on 29 May 2024. Courses can fill up fast so early registration is recommended.

Single accommodation may be booked online by clicking on the “Book now” button in the “Course details” box at the top right-hand side of the course page. 

If you would like a twin en suite room, please send us a completed enrolment form that names the other course participant you will be sharing with. Please note these rooms have limited availability.

If you experience any difficulties enrolling online please contact the Programme Administrator at inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Level and demands

Inspiring Oxford is aimed at non-specialists: no prior knowledge is required, and classes are pitched at an introductory level. The courses are designed for an international audience aged 18 and over.

Accommodation

During your course you will stay in typical Oxford student accommodation at Brasenose College, in the heart of the city in buildings overlooked by the iconic Radcliffe Camera. Please note that bedrooms are modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning. 

You can find out more about Brasenose by visiting their website.

The following types of accommodation are available:

  • Single en suite
  • Twin en suite: shared between participants that apply to the programme together
  • Standard single: bathrooms are shared between, on average, four participants

  • a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have lunch and dinner at Brasenose, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere.

    Non-residential participants are encouraged to attend all aspects of the academic and social programme, and they have equal access to Brasenose as residential participants.
     

En suite rooms include private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet).

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support