Chapter 15 Flashcards
Why did the Devyse fail?
Northumberland’s plans failed for a number of reasons. He had attempted to interfere with the legitimate succession and had compounded this by promoting the claims of his son’s wife, thus leading many people to draw the conclusion that the whole business was simply a sordid attempt to hold on to power. His behaviour was, moreover, illegal and upset even some of his more committed supporters on the Council. Although Northumberland had generated less enmity than Somerset among his colleagues, he had little positive support. Mary, on the other hand, had acted bravely, decisively and quickly, gathering support from nobility, gentry and ordinary folk.
Events of failure of Devyse?
On learning of Northumberland’s intentions to proclaim Lady Jane
Grey queen, Mary had gathered together Catholic supporters, including members of the nobility, in Norfolk. Northumberland immediately summoned troops and sent a naval squadron to wait off the coast by Great Yarmouth to intercept Mary should she try to set sail. However, there was Title love for Northumberland in Norfolk because of the cruelty with which he had put down Kett’s Rebellion and the ships he sent proved disloyal to him and declared allegiance to Mary. At this, other members of the Counci decided to proclaim Mary as queen on 19 July 1553. Northumberland realised his plan had failed and proclaimed Mary as queen in the marketplace at Cambridge on 20 July.
Histiography of Mary’s accession
Until recently it was widely assumed by historians that the people of England were well disposed towards religious reform. It was therefore argued that the popularity of Mary’s accession was a reflection of the regard that the English people had for the legitimate succession. However, Christopher Haigh has asserted that the scale of Mary’s popularity reflected the considerable devotion to the Catholic faith held by most English people.
Indeed, he suggests that confiscations of church goods ensured that religion may now be recognised as one of the elements of Mary’s appeal.
How was Mary’s accession received by the people and why?
It is undeniably the case that Queen Mary’s accession was, on the whole, greeted favourably by the English people, though it has been debated whether this was primarily because the English people supported the legitimate succession or because they welcomed England’s probable return to the Catholic faith. Certainly, from Mary’s point of view, the restoration of the Catholic faith took priority over all other issues of government.
Problems facing Mary on accession (4)
• She inherited a kingdom that had fundamental religious divisions.
• She was Catholic in a kingdom which had a substantial Protestant minority.
• She had not been brought up to rule, and had little in the way of political instinct to help her cope with the challenges with which she was confronted.
• Her loyal and trusted supporters, such as Robert Rochester, Edward Waldegrave, Sir Henry Jerningham and Sir Henry Bedingfield, had no serious experience in government.
• Mary would have to rely on those who had served her half-brother and were therefore implicated in the introduction of religious reforms that were distasteful to her.
Key councillors at start of reign
•Bishop Stephen Gardiner, who had been her father’s secretary and had been a steadfast upholder of religious conservatism during Edward’s reign in which he had suffered imprisonment
• other churchmen, who had been excluded from influence during Edwards
reign
° some of the more conservative councillors who had at various times served
Edward, most importantly Lord Paget.
How many councillors did Mary rely on
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Mary appointed to councilrs during her brief reign. This has led some historians to assert that such a large number of councillors inevitably led to neficient and faction -ridden government, and to back this claim with die fact that Mary’s most important decision - to marry Philip of Spain - was never discussed formally in Council. However, this is misleading. Mary sems to have regarded councilor as an honorary title; the working council board was much smaller and was dominated by such experienced figures as Cardiner, Marquis of Winchester and Paget. In any case, her trusted group ofadvisers included Cardinal Pole, who was never a member of the Privy
Council.
Why did Mary have to rely on the advice of two foreigners?
Mary was never quite at ease with her key councillors. She lost confidence in Paget on account of his opposition to her religious programme, and she never fully trusted Gardiner, who had failed to support her mother, Catherine, at the time of the break with Rome. She did, however, regard him as indispensable, and his death in 1555 left a gap in government that was never satisfactorily filled, particularly as Cardinal Pole distanced himself from secular issues.
Which two foreigners’ advice did Mary have to rely on?
Her husband from 1554, Philip of Spain, and Simon Renard, the ambassador of her cousin and father-in-law, Charles V. She trusted their judgement implicitly.
Relationship with Parliament and examples of conflict
The relationship between Mary and Parliament was usuall one of cautious cooperation. A substantial minority of MPs (about 80) opposed the reversal of the Edwardian religious legislation, and there were other examples of opposition to Crown policies. Concern for property rights, doubtless motivated by self-interest in many cases, ensured that ex-monastic property would not be restored to the Church, and Mary did not press the point. Moreover, a bill in 1555 to allow the seizure of property of Protestant exiles was defeated. Mary also quarrelled with Parliament over the issue of the succession. In 1554 Parliament rejected a bill that would specifically have included Philip along with Mary in a proposed new law on treason and in 1555, it prevented Philip’s coronation as king.
Opposition against changing of succession
Delegation persuading against marriage
Why was succession a problem for Mary
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Mary’s overthrow of Northumberland and Edward’s Devse had restored Henry VIIP’s will, as established under the Succession Act of 1544, as the legal mechanism for determining the succession. Under its terms, Mary would be succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth, should she die childless.
This created an immediate issue for Mary, as Elizabeth was known to be This created and ins hare fore like via move religious policy back in a Protestant direction
Mary had no love for her half-sister, who personified the reason for the breakdown of her mother’s marriage to Henry VII. Indeed, she could never believe that Elizabeth was other than illegitimate and had therefore no moral right to succeed to the throne. However, to deny her the right of succession would require either parliamentary legislation to overturn the 1544 Act or Elizabeth’s disqualification through treason.
Why Elizabeth’s claim remained
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Following Wyatt’s Rebellion of January 1554, Elizabeth had been confined in the Tower of London. However, although Mary suspected that Elizabeth was implicated in the rebellion, she had no proof, and was more reluctant than her father to pursue treason charges where there was no compelling evidence. Elizabeth was therefore released from the Tower after two months, though she was in effect kept under house arrest in a succession of country residence.
Although Philip was a committed
yeanwhile, attempts to change the succession through Act of Parliament came to nothing.
The childless Mary was thus forced reluctantly to accept that Elizabeth the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, would be her successor. Philip had also decided that, from a Spanish perspective, Elizabeth was the least unacceptable option. As Marys health worsened, Elizabeth came to realise that all she required was the patience to wait for her inheritance. By the later stages of Mary’s reign, Elizabeths Confinement at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire had become fairly comfortable.
Few restrictions appear to have been placed on visitors and therefore she was well acquainted with the details of Mary’s final illness. Mary formally named Elizabeth as her successor on 6 November 1558. She died 11 days her knowing that her kingdom would fall into the hands of the sister whose religion she despised.
Why was Mary anxious to get married?
Once queen, Mary was anxious to get married. She regarded it as essential that tie produce an heir so that a Catholic succession might be guaranteed and her atively advanced age (37) required that the marriage take place as soon as posible.
Who was Gardiner’s preferred suitor and why didn’t Elizabeth like him?
There was one English candidate for marriage, Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon, who was Gardiners choice - Possibly to prevent a foreign marriage. However, this caused problems. Marriage to an Englishman brought with it the threat of factional rivalry as the husbands family would inevitably become more powerful and influential. Moreover, Courtenay lacked courtly skills and was therefore seen as an unsuitable candidate by many, including Mary herself, who never took him seriously as a potential husband.
Who was Mary’s preferred suitor?
Mary’s personal preference for Philip of Spain was clear, and her view was easily reinforced as her main adviser on this issue was the ambassador Simon Renard, who was himself a Spanish subject, Catholic and politically experienced. Philip’s father, Charles V, had offered advice, guidance and moral support throughout Mary’s years of unhappiness and was more keen on the match than was his son, although Philip was prepared to ‘do his duty.