Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad 1569-88: Plots and revolts at home

Question 1

Reasons for the revolt of the northern earls

Answer 1

• Earls and followers wanted to make England catholic again. resented appointment of protestant James Pilkington as Bishop of Durham 1561
• Earls lost influence under Elizabeth, resenting the ‘new men’ like William Cecil, John Forster and Robert Dudley
• Elizabeth’s refusal to name an heir or marry and have a child, created uncertainty. Earls feared civil war and loss of power and wealth under another protestant monarch

Question 2

The Rebels involved in the revolt of the northern earls

Answer 2

• Charles Neville- Earl of Westmorland major catholic northern landowner
• Jane Neville- Wife of Charles Neville and Duke of Norfolk’s sister
• Thomas Howard- Duke of Norfolk, senior noble nd protestant, family links to old northern catholic families. Planned to marry Mary QoS
• Mary QoS
• Thomas Percy-Earl of Northumberland major catholic northern landowner
• Ann Percy- Wife of Thomas Percy

Question 3

The marraige plan of the northern earls

Answer 3

• Mary would marry Duke of Norfolk, depose Elizabeth and become queen. Told Spanish Ambassador 1569 she “shall be Queen of England in three months” and that “mass shall be said all over the country”
• Robert Dudley told Elizabeth of plot leading to Norfolk’s arrest and imprisonment in The Tower

Question 4

Events of the continued revolt of the northern earls

Answer 4

• Northumberland and Westmorland with their wives’ support, continued revolt. Took control of Durham cathedral, celebrating mass there, as well as other northern churches before going south
• Elizabeth moved Mary to Coventry to stop her escaping to join rebels
• Though Rebels captured Hartlepool support from Spain never arrived

Question 5

Why the revolt of the northern earls failed

Answer 5

• Support from Spain never arrived
• Many northern landowners especially those in Lancashire and Cheshire remained loyal
• many Landowners didn’t want to risk wealth gained from dissolution of monasteries under Henry VIII by backing a failed revolt

Question 6

Significance of the revolt of the northern earls

Answer 6

• Showed Mary QoS couldn’t be trusted
• Pope excommunicated Elizabeth and called loyal catholics to depose her encouraging further catholic plots aginst her
• Loyalty of catholics in doubt forcing government to take harsh steps against them
• Elizabeth’s control over north of England strengthened

Question 7

Background of the Ridolfi plot

Answer 7

• failure of revolt of the northern earls and Papal Bull of 1570 meant Elizabeth and her privy council treated catholics suspiciously
• Earl of Huntingdon, committed protestant, led council of the North. implemented laws against Catholics in north of England. Angered catholics who were now prepared with pope’s backing to plot against Elizabeth

Question 8

Events of the Ridolfi Plot

Answer 8

• Roberto Ridolfi Italian banker living in England, worked as spy for pope
• 1571 Ridolfi plotted to murder Elizabeth, start Spanish invasion and put Mary QoS on throne, Mary would marry Duke of Norfolk
• March 1571 Ridolfi travelled to Spanish controlled Netherlands to discuss plot with pope, Phillip II and Duke of Alba. Ridolfi had letter signed by Duke of Norfolk in which he declared himself catholic and would lead the rebellion with Phillip II’s support
• Phillip II instructed Duke of Alba to prepare 10000 troops to send across English Channel in support of revolt
• Sir William Cecil discovered plot. Autumn 1571, able to prove Norfolk guilty of high treason. Ridolfi remained abroad forever.
• Parliament reconvened May 1572, demanded execution of Norfolk and Mary QoS. Elizabeth signed Norfolk’s death warrant, executed June 1572. Elizabeth reluctant to punish Mary, refused to remove her from succession

Question 9

Significance of Ridolfi plot

Answer 9

• Reinforced threat from Spain, Phillip II would support plots against Elizabeth
• Threat from Spain meant England needed to improve relations with France, England couldn’t fight both countries at once
• Government began monitoring catholics closely, treated more severely. 2 laws passed 1581 fining families for sheltering Priests and charged for treason if converted people to catholicism
• Confirmed English Catholics and Mary QoS remained threat to Elizabeth

Question 10

Overview of The Throckmorton plot

Answer 10

1583
French Duke of Guise, cousin of Mary QoS, plotted to invade England, overthrow elizabeth, free Mary, and make England catholic
Phillip II offered to help pay for revolt, pope approved.
Francis Throckmorton, young englishman, would pass letters between plotters and Mary QoS

Question 11

How the Throckmorton plot failed

Answer 11

• Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of state, discovered plot May 1583.
• November 1583 Wasingham’s spies found papers at Throckmorton’s house revealing his part in conspiracy
• Throckmorton arrested and tortured, confessed and excuted May 1584

Question 12

Significance of Throckmorton Plot

Answer 12

• Revealed extent of threat from foreign Catholic powers, English Catholics and Mary QoS
• Showed potential threat from France and Spain. Elizabeth had to take care they didn’t unite
• Throckmorton’s papers included list of Catholic sympathisers confirming government’s fears of ‘enemy within’
• Government treated English catholics with greater suspicion. Many fled England. Up to 11000 imprisoned, under surveillance, or under house arrest. An Act of parliament 1585 made helping or sheltering catholic priests a capital offence

Question 13

Events of The Babington plot and execution of Mary QoS

Answer 13

• Duke of Guise would invade England, murder Elizabeth, & put Mary QoS on throne. Phillip II and pope supported
• Anthony Babington, Catholic, wrote to Mary July 1586 about conspiracy
• Sir Francis Walsingham intercepted and read Babington’s letters to Mary, clearly demonstrated her awareness of, support for, and involvement in the conspiracy
• Babington and plotters hanged, drawn, and quartered
• October 1586 Mary sentenced to death. Elizabeth delayed, but signed Mary’s death warrant February 1587. Mary beheaded shortly after

Question 14

Significance of Babington plot

Answer 14

• Elizabeth’s situation more precarious than previously
• By 1585 England and Spain virtually at war
• Elizabeth’s government became determined to crush Catholic threat
• Persecution of Catholics intensified. 31 priests executed 1586
• Plot led to execution of Mary QoS ending any hope for replacing Elizabeth with catholic heir

Question 15

Importance of Sir Francis Wasingham

Answer 15

• Walsingham’s actions provided intelligence that defeated plots, such as Throckmorton and Babington plots
• Unmasked activities of Mary QoS, put pressure on Elizabeth to execute her until Mary’s execution in early 1587
• Actions also deterred further plots

Question 16

Walsingham’s spy network

Answer 16

• Walsingham had network of spies and informants in every town
• Some of Walsingham’s agents paid and trained by government
• Others paid informants. Often people who knew or were likely to know potential plotters. Sometimes catholic priests, such as John Hart, who turned informant for a royal pardon
• Walsingham also used spies abroad. had agents in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and North Africa

Question 17

Walsingham’s use of ciphers

Answer 17

used ciphers for all correspondence. Meant letters written in code and translated out of code once received.
Walsingham could also decode codes of plotters. Hired specialists like Thomas Phelippes

Question 18

Walsingham’s use of torture and execution

Answer 18

• Some priests tortured to deter others, force them to give up information. Under him 130 priests and 60 of their supporters put to death
• Threat of execution and torture often more effective, as it could provide more informants for him to use
• Walsingham only used torture and execution in most serious cases, since he didn’t want ordinary people to sympathise with plotters

Question 19

Role of Agents provocateurs

Answer 19

Walsingham employed these to encourage those seen as a threat against Elizabeth to plot against her. justified their arrest and execution.
For example, walsingham used Gilbert Gifford to open communications between Mary and babington plotters, encouraging hr to get involved leading to her execution

Question 20

Reasons for Mary QoS’ execution

Answer 20

• Mary invloved in many plots against Elizabeth
• Walsingham’s spies found evidence involving her in the plots, led to her trial and conviction under the Act for Presrvation of the Queen’s safety
• Spanish threat real by 1587, rumours of invasion. Phillip II invloved in previous plots with Mary, heightening Mary’s threat and reasons to get rid of her
• Mary rallying point for dissgruntled Catholics, saw her as legitimate Queen
• Pope excommunicated Elizabeth 1570, making Mary alternative catholic monarch

Question 21

significance of Mary QoS’ execution

Answer 21

• Mary annointed monarch, executing her set precedent, Elizabeth in wrong circumstances could be treated same. made Elizabeth and heirs more vulnerable
• Execution angered Spain giving Phillip II further reason to attack, Mary left claim to throne to Phillip on death
• Made successsion more uncertain, increased likelihood of civil war on Elizabeth’s death
• Removed threat to Elizabeth as Mary was focus of many catholic plots against her