Catholic Threat to Elizabeth Flashcards
What were Church papists?
Still loyal to the pope and maintained Catholic beliefs, but did nothing to challenge the Queen. A majority of English people could be classified as this, Church papists numbering millions.
Many exercised outward conformity (eg. attending church services) but celebrated Mass at home as they believed it was necessary for personal salvation.
Elizabeth was content with this and did not order JPs to enforce church attendance in strong Catholic areas eg. North and West
What were Recusants?
Catholics who refused to attend services and would not accept compromise, particularly on Latin Mass.
Grew in number in the 1580s and numbered 1,939 in 1582
Were influential as they were generally rich: estimated that one third of the peerage and a significant portion of the gentry were recusants
These were the people most likely to support religious plots and rebellion following the collapse of the Religious Settlement in 1570
What were Seminary Priests?
English Catholics trained for priesthood in Flanders and taught that it was their duty to return to England to re-establish Catholicism. Started arriving in 1574 and encouraged English catholics to risk their lives for their faith. Were supported by the Catholic gentry.
438 returned to England, 98 were killed
Who were the Jesuits?
Catholic missionary order (the society of Jesus) sounded in 1534 to destroy heresy (ie. Protestantism).
Opposed the reformation and any form of religious compromise and took a special oath of allegiance to the Pope.
Began arriving from Rome in April 1580 and insisted to all English Catholics that they should obey the Pope first and foremost.
How did Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement minimise the Catholic threat in the early years of her reign?
The 1559 Acts of Uniformity and supremacy were carefully worded to give hope to all her subjects.
The Act of Supremacy did not make her Head of the Church, allowing Catholics who believed that the Pope was the head of the Church on earth to accept her title
Made compromises:
- Royal Injunctions of 1559 allowed many old vestments to be worn during services
- 1560 Elizabeth restored a crucifix and candles to the altar in her chapel
- Book of Common Prayer omitted the Black Rubric of 1552, which denied the real presence of Christ during the communion service
What events caused an increase in the Catholic threat?
1568: Mary Queen of Scots arrives in England
1570: Papal Bull excommunicating Elizabeth
1571: Ridolfi Plot
1574: First seminary priests arrive
1580: Jesuits arrive
1583: Throckmorton Plot
1586: Babington Plot + Philip II begins planning an invasion of England
How did the government react to increases in Catholic threat?
1571: Three Acts provide that:
- It is treasonable to declare that Elizabeth is not Queen
- It is treasonable to introduce or publish any Papal Bulls
- All those who have fled abroad and who fail to return within 12 months are to forfeit their property
1577: Execution of Cuthbert Mayne, a seminary priest
1581: Parliament passes two severe acts against Catholics:
- Recusancy fines are increased to £20, and higher fines imposed for hearing or saying Mass
- Attempting to convert people to the Catholic faith is now a treasonable offence
1585: Parliament passes an act against Jesuits and seminary priests. Any priest ordained by the Pope’s authority is now guilty of treason once he sets foot in England
1588: Execution of 31 priests
1593: Large gatherings of Catholics made illegal and Catholics confined to a 5 mile radius of their homes - Stop recusants moving about to avoid fines and imprisonment
How much of a threat were the Spanish following the 1559 Religious Settlement?
Philip II was prepared to give Elizabeth leeway as he retained hope of securing her hand in marriage and therefore unwilling to offend her.
Philip had little to gain from supporting a Catholic rebellion as the Catholic claimant to the throne, Mary Queen of Scots, was pro- French.
Hence, acting against Elizabeth may bring England into a Franco-Scottish alliance, which was not good for Spain as it would put the Channel into French hands and threaten Spanish control over the Netherlands
How much of a threat were the French following the 1559 Religious Settlement?
The French had religious problems of their own and were preoccupied with civil war, so were unlikely to invade.
In any case, one of Elizabeth’s first acts as Queen was to make peace with France in the 1559 Cateau- Cambrésis treaty
How much of a threat was the Pope following the 1559 Religious Settlement?
Pope was inclined to work with, rather than against, Elizabeth as re viewed the Settlement as a basis for discussion on the future direction of religion in England.
Pope Pius IV believed he could persuade Elizabeth to embrace the Catholic faith and so did not encourage Catholics to revolt
When was the Ridolfi Plot?
1571
Who was involved in the Ridolfi Plot?
Roberto Ridolfi
Pope Pius V
King Philip II of Spain
Duke of Norfolk
What was the impact of the 1570 Papal Bull?
Excommunicated Elizabeth from the Catholic Church MEANING English (and European) Catholics were free to rebel against the Queen, as it was acceptable in the eyes of God
Opened floodgates for plots + rebellion
What was the aim of the Ridolfi Plot?
Assassinate Elizabeth and put MQS on the throne
Planned for 6,000 troops led by the Duke of Alba to land in Essex, which would hopefully prompt rebellion and raise troops of ~40,000
Plan to marry MQS to the Duke of Norfolk
How was the Ridolfi Plot uncovered?
Discovered by Elizabeth’s intelligence network
A man named Charles Bailey was arrested and sent to the tower of London, where William Cecil placed an informant who discovered the Spanish government were passing letters to people in England
In the letters, the person with codename 40 was discovered to be the Duke of Norfolk
