1554 Wyatt Flashcards
Give an overview of Wyatt’s rebellion
The rebellion was planned initially as a four-pronged attack on London to prevent Mary’s marriage to Phillip of Spain. The rebels feared England would be dominated by Spaniards and there would be a re-established Catholic dynasty. Wyatt raised 5000 troops and reached Ludgate where he was finally arrested
Why was dynastic succession linked to Wyatt’s rebellion?
Wyatt attempted to secure the succession of Elizabeth. He attempted to stop Mary’s marriage to Philip of Spain, which would prevent Elizabeth’s succession if the marriage produced children
Why was religion linked to Wyatt’s rebellion?
Wyatt claimed the rebellion was not religious, although this may have been an attempt to widen support to include Catholics opposed to Mary’s marriage. However, it took place in a strongly protestant area and people knew that Mary was a staunch catholic
Why was faction linked to Wyatt’s rebellion?
The rebellion involved many who would have lost influence with the marriage of Mary to Phillip of Spain. Men feared they would lose their positions to Spaniards
Why did Wyatt’s rebellion only last 18 hours?
It was in London so it threatened the seat of government, consequently the government raised troops quickly
Which noble was involved in Wyatt’s rebellion?
Duke of Suffolk
Earl of Devon
What were the outcomes of Wyatt’s rebellion?
Rebellion went off half-cock and was unco-ordinated, but still proved dangerous. Focused in Protestant Kent; rebels reach London but city stayed loyal to Mary
Mary agreed to abide by Parliament’s advice over her marriage – Philip will be her consort, but not king
Nearly 100 executions, including Wyatt – indicative of the scale of the threat
How did Mary deal with the rebellion?
Mary was concerned enough to offer to negotiate – if the rebels returned home. Wyatt refused; this turned his rebellion into outright treason in the eyes of government
Why did Wyatt’s rebellion fail?
Unlike 1549, this was not a genuinely popular rebellion, Wyatt got little backing from the commons outside Kent, and not much there
Loyalty of London
Mary understood backing was for her, not Catholicism. She refused to listen to advisors who urged her to bring in a Spanish army to crush the trouble, and instead appealed for her subjects’ loyalty “as a mother to her children”
Cold weather. The rising began at the end of January – winter, a difficult time to rouse the commons for a long and uncomfortable march in the open with no shelter
Bad security - word of the plot leaked out two months early
