2.1 Plots And Revolts At Home

Question 1

When was the rebellion of the northern earls?

Answer 1

1569

Question 2

How mary had effected the northern earls to revolt ?

Answer 2

Committed catholics and wanted a catholic monarch and a catholic england. When mary came in 1568 it gave them hope elizabeth could be replaced .

Question 3

How elizabeths actions towards the northern earls made them want to revolt?

Answer 3

• Elizabeth had confiscated large areas of land from the earl of northumberland and shared it between his main rivals and southern protestants. Also he was angry as elizabeth claimed all copper mines profits that had been discovered
• she reduced there power and increased her control of the north

Question 4

What did elizabeth set up to control the north?

Answer 4

Council of the north , which helped her govern the region. The council under elizabeth was controlled by southern protestants, the northern nobles hated thisn

Question 5

Who did the northern nobles blame for elizabeths policies against them?

Answer 5

Privy council . They believed some of the privy councillors especially william Cecil , had become too powerful. They wanted to remove the ‘evil councillors’ and replace them with men more sympathetic too their interests

Question 6

Who was the duke of norfolk and what role did he play in the northern earls rebellion?

Answer 6

He was the wealthiest land owner in england, and in 1569 made a plan to marry mary queen of scots and have her recognised as elizabeths heir. The plan was supported by catholic nobles , including Northumberland and westmorland as elizabeth was would succeeded by a catholic queen.

Question 7

Why did the duke of norfolk change his plan?

Answer 7

The plan was uncovered and the earls feared they would be executed, so they desperately tried to rebel and overthrow elizabeth.

Question 8

How did the revolt of the northern earls play out ?

Answer 8

November 1569- the rebels captured durham cathedral and had a catholic mass . Then they marched south , to tutbury in Derbyshire where mary was imprisoned. Before the rebels reached mary , a large royal army forced them to retreat. Many of the troops deserted and and the two earls fled to scotland .

Question 9

What was elizabeths reaction to the revolt of the northern earls ?

Answer 9

Showed little mercy . Westmoreland had fled to scotland but northumberland and 400 rebel troops were executed

Question 10

Why the revolt of the northern earls was significant ?

Answer 10

Most serious rebellion of elizabeths reign and posed a major threat to elizabeths rule. Showed the danger of Mary as a rallying point. It also frightened protestants who did not want to go back to catholics burning them alive

Question 11

How did the pope react to the revolt of the northern earls ?

Answer 11

1570 , Pope Pius V excommunicated elizabeth . This was meant to strengthen the revolt , but the rebels had already fled. It did make the catholic threat more serious as they no longer had to obey the queen and were encouraged to overthrow her.

Question 12

What happened to the relationship between elizabeth and catholics after the rebellion in 1569?

Answer 12

Changed elizabeths attitudes . Saw catholics now as potential traitors . She was less tolerant of recusancy and took increasingly harsh measures against catholics

Question 13

Did the majority of catholics support the northern earl rebellion?

Answer 13

Little support from catholic nobility and ordinary people who chose elizabeth over their religion. This was the last time catholics would try to remove elizabeth with force

Question 14

what was the ridolfi plot?

Answer 14

• 1571
• roberto di ridolfi was an itlaian banker who played a small pert in the northern earls revolt . Used his contacts in europe and england to try to overthrow elizabeth
• ridolfi planned to assassinate elizabeth then marry mary to the duke of norfolk and make her queen. Supported by the pope and king Phillip II. Phillip provided troops for a spanish invasion

Question 15

Why did the Ridolfi plot fail?

Answer 15

Elizabeths allies passed names of the main conspirators . They also intercepted letter sent by mary which implicated her in the plot

Question 16

What were the consequences of the ridolfi plot ?

Answer 16

Norfolk executed and mary supervision made tighter .

Question 17

Who was Francis wallsingham ?

Answer 17

Elizabeths principal secretary and spymaster . He established large spy networks in england and europe . Intercepted letters from catholic conspirators and used expert cryptographers to decode them . Also used double agents to infiltrated catholic netowrks

Question 18

When was the throckmorton plot ?

Answer 18

1583

Question 19

When was the Ridolfi plot?

Answer 19

1571

Question 20

What was the throckmorton plot?

Answer 20

Aimed to assassinate elizabeth and replace her with mary. The conspirators planned for an invasion by french troops , financed by the pope and phillip II of spain

Question 21

Who was francis throckmorton?

Answer 21

A young catholic man who was a leading figure in the throckmorton plot of 1583. He carried messages between mary and catholic conspirators abroad. Walsingham uncovered the plot who had throckmorton under surveillance for months.

Question 22

How did elizabeths advisors react to the throckmorton plot?

Answer 22

Elizabeth closest advisors drafted bond of association , which aimed to prevent such plots. The bond which was signed by english nobility and gentry required the signatories to execute anyone attempting to overthrow the queen

Question 23

What did catholic plots show elizabeth?

Answer 23

• catholic plots were a real threat
• marys presence in england and her strong claim made plots credible and they posed a real threat
• pope could rally support for plots as the head of the church

Question 24

What were weaknesses with the catholic plots?

Answer 24

• elizabeth was a popular ruler and conspirators lacked public support. Northern earls revolt shows lack of support for a catholic revolution
• Phillip II was reluctant to destroy his alliance with elizabeth . Supoort for catholic plots were half hearted, rarely following through with his promises to conspirators
• walsingham uncovered the plots before they could develop

Question 25

When was the babington plot?

Answer 25

1586

Question 26

What was the babington plot ?

Answer 26

Another plot involving france and spain . Planned to assassinate elizabeth and give the throne to mary . This time with support of a franco-Spanish invasion.

Question 27

Who was Anthony babington and what was his role in the babington plot?

Answer 27

Key conspirator . He was responsible for sending information to mary from her supporters in england and europe and passig back her replies

Question 28

What role did Francis walsingham play in the babington plot?

Answer 28

Through his spy network , he followed every stage of the plot . Using a double agent he managed to secretly intercept all letters sent to and from mary and decoded them. One of marys letters approved of plans to assassinate the queen and free mary from prison. In august 1586 walsingham had all the evidence to break the plot and all conspirators were arrested, tried and executed

Question 29

Why was walsinghams spy network effective?

Answer 29

• informants in every british town

- had trained agents all over europe informing him

Question 30

What was Elizabeths reaction to the babington plot ?

Answer 30

Mary had been implicated in catholic plots before and elizabeth had always been reluctant to take action against her. The evidence gathered by walsingham convinced her to put mary on trial

Question 31

Why was elizabeth reluctant to try mary?

Answer 31

Mary was the queen of scotland and elizabeth believed in the divine right. She felt she had no right to execute a legitimate monarch

Question 32

What were the consequences for mary of the babington plot?

Answer 32

October 1586 mary was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. After hesitating for a couple of months elizabeth eventually signed the death warrant. 8th February 1587 , mary queen of scots was executed

Question 33

How the execution of Mary decreased the threat of catholic revolt at home?

Answer 33

Removed the long standing catholic threat to elizabeth at home. English catholics had no one to rally around. Lost hope of overthrowing elizabeth and her religious settlement

Question 34

How did Marys execution increase the threat from abroad?

Answer 34

-inflamed catholic opposition abroad and increased the threat of an invasion.

Question 35

What did Marys execution do to relations with spain?

Answer 35

Countries were at war over the netherlands and king phillip II had been preparing for an attack on england since 1585. Phillip after finding out about mary was even more determined to invade England.

Question 36

Who was James VI of scotland and why would he be a threat to elizabeth?

Answer 36

Marys son . Might want to seek revenge for his mother, fears were he would seek a catholic alliance and invade england .