This is a list of the principal government ministers during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, 1558 to 1603. From the outset of her reign, her chief minister was Sir William Cecil, later Lord Burghley. He died in 1598 and was succeeded by his son Sir Robert Cecil.
OfficeNameDateNotesLord ChancellorLord Keeper of the Great SealSir Nicholas Bacon1558 Sir Thomas Bromley1579 Sir Christopher Hatton1587 in commission1591 Sir John Puckering1592 Sir Thomas Egerton1596 Lord TreasurerThe Marquess of Winchestercontinued in office The Lord Burghley1572 The Lord Buckhurst1599 Lord Privy SealSir Nicholas Bacon1558 The Lord Burghley1571 The Lord Howard of Effingham1572 Sir Thomas Smith1573 Francis Walsingham1576knighted in 1577The Lord Burghley1590 Sir Robert Cecil1598 Secretary of StateSir William Cecil1558 Sir Thomas Smith1572 Sir Thomas SmithFrancis Walsingham1573 Sir Francis WalsinghamThomas Wilson1577 Sir Francis Walsingham1581 Sir Francis WalsinghamWilliam Davison1586 Sir Francis Walsingham1587 vacant1590 Sir Robert Cecil1596 Chancellor of the ExchequerSir Richard Sackville Sir Walter Mildmay1566 Sir John Fortescue1589 Lord High AdmiralThe Lord Clinton1558created Earl of Lincoln in 1572The Lord Howard of Effingham1585created Earl of Nottingham in 1596Master-General of the OrdnanceSir Richard Southwellcontinued in office The Earl of Warwick1560 The Earl of WarwickSir Philip Sidney1585 The Earl of Warwick1586 vacant1590 Sir Robert Cecil1598 The Earl of Essex1597 vacant1601 Lord StewardThe Earl of Arundelcontinued in office The Earl of Pembroke1568 vacant1570 The Earl of Leicester1587 Lord St John of Basing1588 Lord ChamberlainThe Lord Howard of Effinghamcontinued in office The Earl of Sussex1572 The 1st Lord Hunsdon1585 The 2nd Lord Cobham1596 The 2nd Lord Hunsdon1597 Cofferer of the HouseholdSir Henry Cockeby 1572 John Habington1580-81 Master of the HorseLord Robert Dudley1558created Earl of Leicester in 1564The Earl of Essex1588 The Earl of Worcester1602
Other important ministers were Sir Francis Knollys and James Windebank.
Sources
Haydn's Book of Dignities, 1894