Securing the monarchical republic: the remaking of the lord lieutenancies in 1585

Abstract

The revival of the lord lieutenancies in July 1585 was a landmark in the development of early modern county government. It has customarily been linked to England's decision to go to the aid of the Dutch rebels, in effect starting open warfare with Spain. Yet the months preceding this move, in late 1584 and early 1585, were dominated by one of the most intense political crises of the reign, when fears for Elizabeth I's safety gripped the political nation and drove ministers to consider radical ways to secure the future of Protestant England. This context highlights other potential functions of the lieutenancy, as a security measure for ministers who might be contemplating a 'republican' interregnum.

Beyond Shallow and Silence

“…Many of the lord lieutenants appointed in 1585-86 were also members of the Privy Council, which gave the Council a very direct connection to the military preparedness and internal security of key counties across the realm. 16 As reports of Spanish preparations for an invasion of England grew after 1586, the Council consistently stepped up the pressure on counties to strengthen their trained bands. The city of Gloucester, which was jurisdictionally distinct from the county, finally set up its own trained band in 1586, when 300 men were chosen and "dyverse tymes trained."…”

Organized Violence in the Elizabethan Monarchical Republic

“…Over the summer it proceeded to develop and implement a scheme to provide more effective home‐defence forces by reviving the institution of the lord lieutenancy. A small group of peers, all regarded as politically reliable and most having close ties to the council, were appointed to take charge of the county militias and begin moulding them into more effective ‘trained bands’, drilled by professional officers who had served in continental armies. Since the trained band members were mainly prosperous householders these forces ressembled the ‘civil’ armies theorists had long advocated.…”