C6 - Religious Matters Flashcards
What did Elizabeth’s religious settlement involve?
- priests were allowed to marry
- services were all in English and followed the Protestant Book of Common Prayer
- she declared herself ‘governor’ rather than ‘head’ of the church
- Catholics could worship in their own way in private
- a moderate Protestant, Matthew Parker, was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
What was the Northern Rebellion?
1569 - inspired by Elizabeth’s refusal to allow the Duke of Norfolk to marry MQS, two northern nobles led a rebellion against Elizabeth. The Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland took control of Durham Cathedral and held an illegal Catholic mass. They marched south with 4600 men but the rebels disbanded when the loyal Earl of Sussex raised an army against them. Northumberland was executed, Westmorland escaped to France and the Duke of Norfolk was imprisoned.
What was the papal bull?
1570 - Pope Pius V issued a special message (papal bull) in which he stated that Elizabeth was not the true queen and called on the people of England not to obey her laws. The bull excommunicated her from the Catholic Church. The Pope’s aim was to stir up rebellion by forcing English Catholics to choose between their queen or their religion.
What was the Ridolfi plot?
1571 - the plot was led by an Italian named Ridolfi, but it also involved the Duke of Norfolk and a second northern rebellion. This time, the uprising would coincide with an invasion of foreign Catholics from the Netherlands and the murder of Queen Elizabeth. Her Catholic cousin, MQS, was to be placed on the throne and would marry the Duke of Norfolk. The plot was discovered before it could be carried out.
What was the Throckmorton plot?
- led by Sir Francis Throckmorton in 1583
- the plan was to assassinate Elizabeth and replace her with MQS
- there would then be an uprising of English Catholics and a French invasion. The Spanish ambassador was also involved
- when the plot failed, Throckmorton was executed
What was the Counter-Reformation?
The attempt by the Catholic Church to bring many Protestants back to the old faith.
Who were the Jesuits?
The Society of Jesus was created in 1540 and it began to send missionaries to England from 1580. Its purpose was to convert the Protestant population to Catholicism. Elizabeth saw the Jesuits as a threat.
Who were the key Jesuits in England?
Edmund Campion and Robert Parsons arrived in England in 1580 as missionaries. Campion travelled the country spreading his message, whereas Parsons kept a lower profile. Campion became a wanted man because the authorities were convinced he wanted to start a rebellion.
Were the Jesuits really a threat?
Jesuits like Campion claimed to not want rebellion but just to spread their religious message. Elizabeth and many others, however, saw them as a genuine threat to the stability of England, even if they were not directly involved in any plots against her.
How serious was the Catholic threat to Elizabeth?
- the Pope has made it very clear with his papal bull that he wanted Elizabeth’s rule to end. He said it was the duty of Catholics to challenge her rule
- European Catholic rulers like Phillip II of Spain, were encouraged by the Pope to challenge her authority
- Jesuits and other missionaries were another serious threat as they could undermine the stability of her religious settlement
- English Catholics were inspired by the papal bull to rebel
What anti-Catholic laws were introduced in 1571?
Recusancy fines for Catholics who did not take part in Protestant services were introduced. They could be fined or have property taken away. However, the rich could afford to pay and Elizabeth did not enforce the law too harshly; when Parliament tried to increase the fines, she resisted. It became illegal to own any Catholic items such as rosary beads.
What anti-Catholic laws were introduced in 1581?
Recusancy fines were increased to £20 - more than most could afford; this law was strictly enforced. It became high treason to convert to Catholicism.
What anti-Catholic laws were introduced in 1585?
Any Catholic priest who had been ordained after 1559 was considered a traitor and he, and anyone protecting him, faced death. It became legal to kill anyone who attempted to assassinate the queen.
What anti-Catholic laws were introduced in 1593?
The ‘statute of confinement’ - Catholics could not travel more than five miles from their homes without permission from the authorities
How did Elizabeth deal with the Jesuit threat?
Campion was arrested in 1580 and he was brutally tortured and dragged through London before being hanged, drawn and quartered. The 1585 Act Against Jesuits and Seminary Priests called for them to be driven out of England. Many were executed.
