Catholic Threat before 1570

Question 1

What external factors made the Catholics a threat?

Answer 1

1. Threat of Mary Queen of Scots - next heir & Cath. Arrival in 1568 a catalyst - revolt northern earls
2. Catholic exiles produced books attacking settlement in Louvin
3. Growing Spanish threat - worsened relations

Question 2

Leadership related factors showing a threat?

Answer 2

1. Elizabeth’s illegitimacy - cath church saw her as the illigit daughter of hated Henry VIII
2. Opposition of Marian bishops - nearly wrecked 1559 settlement
3. Catholic practices continued
4. Laws were not enforced

Question 3

Population threats?

Answer 3

1. Reign of Mary Tudor - return of persecution?
2. Conservatism among English - most of the population liked the traditional practices if Catholics
3. Catholicism was strong among regions
4. Lack of Protestant priests

Question 4

What reduced the threat of external factors?

Answer 4

1. Lack of Papal leadership
2. No obvious catholic leadership
3. Mary’s arrest - could not become an open leader due to close supervision
4. Phillip II’s pragmatism - Phillip feared Mary as queen of England

Question 5

What reduced population threats?

Answer 5

1. Time - laws were gradually enforced in regions
2. Indifference to religion - subjects had grown accustom to religious change
3. Desire to hold onto keep onto key jobs
4. English nationalism -

Question 6

Factors reducing leadership threats?

Answer 6

1. Lack of Martyrs - Eliz did not persecute bishops
2. Sensible enforcement of laws
3. Time

Question 7

Motives for revolt of Northern Earls and who was involved?

Answer 7

1. Religion - angry at protestant laws
2. Economic issues - the earls were practically bankrupt as Elizabeth had taken money making roles from them. Influence reducing
3. Mary Queen of Scots had just arrived in England - catalyst - overall want change

Thomas Percy Earl of Northumberland
Charles Neville Earl of Westmoreland
Leonard Dacre

Question 8

Strengths of revolt?

Answer 8

1. 6000 men and 1200 well armed horsemen - earls had strong leadership, discipline and order
2. Earl of Sussex the gov’s man in the north - ill informed about rebels movements
3. Rebels marched largely unopposed until the reached Bramham - quite far south

Question 9

Factors that reduced the threat of the rebels?

Answer 9

1. Elizabeth had been on the throne for 11 years - most people accepted her
2. Spain offered no material help to rebels
3. MQS removed to midlands - no figurehead
4. Gathered minimal support, even in catholic areas - unlike pilgrimage of grace
5. Poor communication between leaders and pope acted too late