Depth Study 4 - Queen takes Queen? The revolt of the northern earls, 1569–70 Flashcards
How did Mary Queen of Scots pose a threat to Elizabeth (causes) (4)
-Mary, Queen of Scots had a legitimate claim to the Scottish and English claim (She was H8’s great grandaughter)
-She was a potential catholic figurehead for catholics at home/abroad, who wanted to end protestant rule in England
-She grew up in France, with french mum Mary of Guise
-She ended up in England in 1568, kicked out of Scotland by the protestant government accusing hur of murdering her second husband Lord Darnley
Why had anglo-spanish relations deteriorated (causes) (5)
-Protestant led rebellion had broken out against spanish rule in the Netherlands, put down brutally by the Spanish from 1567-68
-Spanish forces stationed in Netherlands increased fears of invasion
-Many blamed William Cecil for the decrease in relations with spin, nobility resentment leading to a court plot aiming to remove him from power
-Cecil ordered the bullion (gold/silver) on Spanish ships taking refuge on England to be sieged
-Phillip II’s Spain were more powerful than England
Who were the key figures/aims of the court based plot (causes) (4,2)
-Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk was nominally protestant, but had catholic sympathies, and the most senior noble in the land
-Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland and Charles Neville, Earl of Westmoreland were both catholic and help personal grudges against Cecil/Elizabeth
-Northumberland was against the Marriage, as Howard was protestant, but Westmoreland supported it expecting patronage, being Norfolk’s brother in law
-Queen’s favourite Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester supported, despite being protestant and liking cecil, but hoped MQOS would turn protestant
-The plotters wanted to marry the Duke of Norfolk to MQOS, and make MQOS Elizabeth’s heir, securing the succession
-However, Elizabeth felt naming a successor would undermime her position and open her up to assassination
Who was Thomas Howard (causes) (6)
-Thomas Howard, the 4th Duke of Norfolk was the grandson of the Duke of Norfolk who negotiated with POG rebels (significant family)
-TH was brought up protestant, but had catholic leanings
-TH served Elizabeth loyalty in the 1560s, even leading the English army against French catholic intervention in Scotland
-He was the most powerful noble and chief beneficiary of the plot to marry MQOS and remove Cecil, and therefore was potentially dangerous
-He had links with Northumberland and Westmoreland which put him under suspicion, and in September 1569 he left court for Norfolk, to decide what to do
-In October, he decided to remain loyal, tolld Westmoreland not to rebel, returned to court at the Queen’s summon and was imprisoned in the tower
Why did government intervention in the north lead to the revolt of the northern earls (causes) (6)
-Protestant outiders were appointed to key posts in the north, leading to discontent amongst catholic earls (the main cause)
-Mary appointed traditional northern nobility to posts, and now Elizabeth deprived these people of their posts, wanting key posts to be protestants to enforce her changes
-Protestant outsider Lord Hunsdon was made Warden of the East March, as Elizabeth wanted to extend royal control in a region which could challenge
-Elizabeth’s loyal Sir John Forster was the Warden of the Middle March, but him being a rival of Northumberand created tension
-Protestant Thomas Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, ran the council of the north
-All these appointments extended royal authority in the north, leading to growing religious and political tensions
How did religious concerns lead to the revolt of the northern earls (causes) (6)
-The northern earls were catholic
-Despite the reformation and settlement, manu in the north still practised catholicism
-Catholicism was able to survive partly due to settlements compromise, but also church papists and recusancy
-The government feared a catholic uprising following the deterioration of spanish relations and fears of dividing localities
-Elizabeth responded with a hardline approach, enforcing the settlement up north with appointments such as protestant James Pilkington to the Bishop of Durham
-However, the settlement was 10 years prior to the revolt, so although religion underpinned, this wasn’t the main factor
How did economic concerns lead to the revolt of the northern earls (causes) (4)
-Appointing rivals to key positions caused the earls to lose the income that these posts brought
-These earls were already struggling financially, shown through the Earl of Northumberland asking for £1,000 from the Earl of Pembroke, and te Earl of Westmorland asking for £80 from Sir George Bowes
-In 1568, Copper mines were found on Northumberlands land, but the crown refused to pay him anything
-Financial worries added to the grievances felt but weren’t enough on their own to cause a rebellion
What happened in the revolt of the northern earls from September-Earl November (RNE) (10)
-In September 1569, Norfolk went to Norfolk, and by the time he surrendered, the earls (W+N) were well planned to rebel
-Rumors of an uprising reached the Earl of Sussex, who called his council to question the earls
-In October, Elizabeth called the earls to court, despite Sussex’s warnings, who claimed their innocences through his court interrogation
-In November, the earls finally rescheduled, fearing what’d happen if they went to court
-The earls weren’t alone in their resentment of Elizabeth’s religious policies, supporters of Westmorland gathering at Bracepeth, and Northumberland convinced to join the rebellion by his disgruntled followers
-Gentry loyal to the queen gathered at Barnard Castle, led by Sir George Bowes, who remained loyal despite pressures
-The rebels then marched to Durham cathedral, where they celebrated catholic mass
-As the rebels moved south, they issued proclomations claiming to be loyal subjects freeing Elizabeth from Cecil
-At Bramham Moor, the rebels strategically controlled the unction connecting London, York and Newcastle
-The rebels could also march 40 miles south to rescue MQOS from Tutbury Castle
What happened in the revolt of the northern earls from late november to its end (RNE) (11)
-By late november, the rebels had attracted 3,800 footsoldiers and 1,600 horsemen
-Sussex was trapped in York with 400 horsemen, failing to raise gentry support for a 1,500 army
-However, Hunsdon managed to send a message to Cecil advising him to move MQOS from Tutbury to Coventry, which he did
-Rebels heard rumours of the Earl of Warwick’s large army, and how they had less support down south, so they retreated to Brancepeth
-They also hoped to raise Cheshire and Lancashire, but the Earl of Derby remained loyal
-But the rebels were still strong, besieging Barnard Castle in December with 3,200 footmen
-Another group captured Hartlepool, but the anticipated Spanish support never came
-A large royal army reached the river Tees, rebels fled and the were challenged at Hexham by John Forster, and the earls escaped north
-Westmoreland fled to europe, Northumberland fled to Scotland but was handed back in 1572 by the Earl of Moray and executed
-In January, Lord Dacre gathered 3,000 men after convincing authorities he was loyal
-In February, Hunsdon was sent to arrest Dacre, then Dacre attacked Hunsdon, but 500 rebels were killed and Dacre fled to europe
Why did failures in leadership/government responses lead to the northern rising failing (RNE) (5,5)
-The leaders lacked clear coordination and objectives
-Northumberland wasn’t committed, needing persuading to join
-Earls retreated up north, giving up strategic junction Bramham Moor
-Duke of Norfolk was in the tower and bailed on the plans
-Northumberland died, Westmoreland and Dacre fled to europe
-Lord Hunsdon told Cecil to move MQOS to Coventry from Tutbury
-Elizabeth appointed key protestants to influential positions (John Forster, George Bowes), who helped her restore order
-Rebel earls disbanded their army and fled when the large royal army reached the river Tees
-The tudor government was strong enough to restore order
-However, it was a slow response, as the earl of Sussex struggled to dampen rebels
How did a lack of widespread/international support contribute to the rebellions failure (RNE) (5,5)
-5,000 from earls own estate, but no wider support beyond Yorkshire/Durham
-Commons didn’t want to explicitly rebel for fear of treason
-The rebels failed to raise any support down south and thus fled up north
-The earl of Derby and local gentry led by Sir George Bowes still backed the queen
-Henry Clifford helped defend Carlisle, Bowes and Gentry defended Barnard Castle
-Elizabeth hadn’t been excommunicated, so the pope hadn’t authorised a rebellion
-Spanish troops didn’t arrive at Hartlepool
-Phillip II was reluctant to help MQOS, due to her french connections
-The french didn’t get involved
-Pro english regent (Earl of Moray) prevented Scotland’s involvement
How dangerous was the revolt of the northern earls (RNE) (6)
-Power/effectiveness of rebel leadership was fairly dangerous, as there were powerful men who could raiser troops, but they weren’t great leaders and Northumberland wasn’t fully committed
-Aims of rebels were fairly dangerous, they didn’t want to overthrow Elizabeth and were ambigouous, but wanted MQOS on succession
-Extent of English support fairly dangerous, as they had support in Yorkshire/Durham, but none elsewhere
-Chances of rebels plans succeeding slightly dangerous, rebels were uncoordinated and lacked support to move south, where MQOS was
-Foreign support not dangerous, no one helped (spanish didn’t want to support a french queen)
-Elizabeths reaction not dangerous, useed her well placed protestant nobles to stop the rebels and move MQOS
What was protestantism in england like after the northern rising (consequences) (4)
-As a reaction to the northern earls, Elizabeths council became strongly protestant rather than mixed (Robert Dudley, Francis Walsingham, Ambrose Dudley (earl of warwick), Walter Mildmay)
-The protestant councillors tried to ensure the growth of Protestantism as a way to improve loyalty to Elizabeth
-Dudley supported radical preachers such as Thomas Cartwright
-Some councillors, including Dudley, favoured sending an army to help dutch protestants against Catholic spain, but Elizabeth favoured a more moderate approach
What were the consequences of the northern rising for different religious groups in england (consequences) (5)
-Moderate protestants were in a good position
-Puritans were OK, as long as not too radical
-Moderate Catholics were Ok if loyal, but couldn’t be openly catholic
-Recusants were punished
-Elizabeth and her council became tight and loyal
What was the 1570 Papal Bull, and how did it make Catholics a threat (consequences) (6)
-Following Elizabeth executing 450 people in the aftermath of the rising, the pope issued a papal bull in 1570, Excommunicating Elizabeth and encouraging catholics to rebel against her
-The majority of catholics chose loyalty to the queen > foreign powers, but some catholics were still obedient to the pope
-The bull released English catholics from obedience to Elizabeth, and threatened excommunication to those who’d still obey her
-As tensions mounted, a variety of plots emerged to assassinate Elizabeth and put MQOS on the throne, leading to a suspicion of recusants (people not going church)
-800 catholic/Jesuit priests arrived from 1574, such as Cuthbert Mayne, supported by Catholic recuants
-These highly trained men, and those who sheltered them, where harsly dealt with when caught
