Elizabeth 2 Flashcards
Northern Rebellion, 1569
First rebellion Elizabeth faced as Queen. Earl of Northumberland and Earl of Westmorland.
Catholic earls from the North. They had been promised assistance from Catholic Spain.
Duke of Norfolk - Elizabeth’s cousin. Northern earls were mainly catholic. They hated Elizabeth’s religious changes (banned catholic mass, bible in English not Latin).
There was rivalry between Mary and Elizabeth as both were heirs to the throne. Mary was the great granddaughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth was the granddaughter. Mary had 2 claims: one through birth and one through marriage (she married her cousin).
Mary was accused of murdering her 2nd husband. She was going to be assassinated by the Scottish. She went to Elizabeth for help. Elizabeth imprisoned her to protect her but also because she felt threatened.
The northern earls protested against Elizabeth because they were catholic and she was protestant. Mary asked the Duke of Norfolk to marry her. He said no because Elizabeth said anyone who marries Mary is a traitor because Mary would have another claim.
The Duke of Norfolk and the Northern earls planned to free Mary and get her married to the duke of Norfolk, who would then overthrow the Queen and become king.
Norfolk wanted to cancel the uprising because he realised how dangerous it was. If the Queen found out, everyone would be executed.
Durham cathedral: The northern earls went to Durham cathedral and held a catholic mass and burned English protestant bibles.
When Elizabeth heard of this, she moved Mary to the south, coventry. She sent her army to the North; any rebel had to be killed or captured. The army succeeded.
Consequence:
- 700 men were put to death. - She ordered them to be hung, drawn and quartered. This is an action of humiliation.
This shows people what a traitor’s death is. - She had their lands seized; these were given to Elizabeth’s supporters (protestant).
The Duke of Norfolk was put under house arrest. Elizabeth couldn’t kill him as he was the only duke and her closest cousin.
Ridolfi plot, 1571
Ridolfi - Italian banker living in England.
With help from Catholi Spain (the most powerful country).
Elizabeth would be assassinated and Mary would be put on the throne.
Ridolfi and the Duke of Norfolk communicated through letters.
Sir Francis Walsinghan - Elizabeth’s secret service found the letters through spies.
These letters proved that the Duke of Norfolk was committing treason.
Elizabeth couldn’t bring herself to kill him: England’s only duke and Elizabeth’s closest male cousin.
In the end, she had him beheaded (less humiliating).
Essex’s rebellion
Earl of Essex - Robert Devereux - Queen’s favourite. Granted monopoly on sweet wine. (royal licences).
Irish rebellion - many Irish chiefs were fighting against English rule in Ireland, therefore in direct conflict with Elizabeth.
The earl of Essex had an argument and turned his back on the Queen (disrespectful). He drew his sword and slapped him. He went to prison. They made up and became friends again.
Elizabeth gave the earl of Essex the job of getting rid of the Irish rebellion. He deliberately disobeyed and defied her. He made a peace pact with the Irish.
Punishments: Dismissed him from privy council, get rid of his monopoly and stripped him of his title.
Earl of Essex’s response: Overthrow Elizabeth but not to harm or kill her but to protect her. He would execute Elizabeth’s councillors and become king.
Elizabeth’s response: Send her military to stop the rebellion and arrest the earl of Essex.
Earl of Essex’s actions: He knocked on people’s door for support. Nobody listened as the Queen was more powerful. In the end, he didn’t have enough support.
Elizabeth’s actions: The Queen’s men caught up to them and the earl of essex was outnumbered. He ran for his life as he was vulnerable without support. The earl burned some letters containing evidence of his plans to overthrow Elizabeth.
Punishments: - He said he was only trying to protect her from those who would betray her. - He surrendered and was sent to the tower to be executed. - He committed treason so should be hund, drawn and quartered but he was beheaded. - Elizabeth was close to him and wanted to spare him the humiliation.
Throckmorton plot, 1583
Francis Throckmorton, Mendoza and Mary QoS were involved.
Francis Throckmorton was born in 1554.
His father was the vice president of the council in the marches in wales.
His father was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1565.
They were catholics.
His father was suspended from office, fined and disgraced in 1579. He died a year later.
Francis got involved in catholic plans to overthrow the Queen.
Bernandino Mendoza, Spanish ambassador, helped Francis.
Mary QoS would become the Queen in place of Elizabeth. She
was a catholic.
Plot/plan: Overthrow Elizabeth and Mary would become Queen and England would become Catholic.
How was the plan discovered? Walsingham (secretary of state and secret service). He had suspicions and placed a spy in Throckmortons house. Spy alerted Walsingham and found evidence in the form of papers.
Consequence: He was tortured and put on the rack. Because he committed treason he was hung, drawn and quartered.
The execution of Edmund Campion, 1581
Edmund Campion was a Jesuit priest.
He left the Church of England to become a catholic. His mission was spiritual, to convert protestants to catholicism.
He moved to the south because the north was already mostly catholic.
The south was mostly protestant.
Campion held catholic masses, listened to people’s confessions and published pamphlets which challenged protestant faith.
At the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth said she would let the Catholics worship in whichever way they wanted.
Elizabeth offered him pardon and preference if he would recant.
Campion refused and reminded her of her catholic ancestors.
Elizabeth gave him a choice as they knew each other.
Elizabeth said revert to Protestantism and be forgiven or remain a catholic and be punished.
He was put to extract a confession of treason so punishment would be legitimate.
He was hung, drawn and quartered.
Campion was viewed as heroic and as a martyr.
The babington plot, 1586
Elizabeth imprisoned Mary because she felt threatened by her because she had 2 claims to the throne.
Elizabeth knew every stage of the babington plot as sir Walsingham (Elizabeth’s spymaster) had set up a trap. The slave giving and recieving Mary’s letters was under Walsingham’s pay. Thomas Phillip decoded the letters. Walsingham placed 2 spies in where Mary was staying.
Sir Anthony Babington was a young, rich catholic man who plotted to assassinate Elizabeth and make Mary the queen as he was in love with her.
Babingtons plan was to: - Assassinate Elizabeth. - Rescue Mary and make her Queen (catholic). - Spanish invade England.
Mary gave her consent and approval to this plot. Babington and his conspirators were arrested, tortured and tried for treason.
They were also hung, drawn and quartered.
Mary was put to trial. Mary did not want to be put to trial as she was not a subject but of royal blood. Mary was guilty and sentenced to death.
Elizabeth was reluctant to execute Mary as she would give the go-ahead to execute her as both were Queens.
Mary was beheaded.
Mary had to be struck with an axe twice (usually once) and when the executioner held her head up her wig fell off.
Elizabeth didn’t want to take responsibility as she didn’t want to be blamed by the catholics.
The council secretary met and decided not to tell Elizabeth that the death warrant had been dispatched to fotheringhay.
Elizabeth signed the death warrant but hadn’t sealeed ut. Told her advisor not to have it sealed.
They met in secret without Elizabeth’s knowledge and sealed the warrant.
The English celebrated Mary QoS ‘death.
Elizabeth grieved Mary’s death (outwardly she grieved, inwardly she was relieved).
Elizabeth reacted the way she did because she felt she had been rushed into taking action.
Mary’s death strengthened Elizabeth’s position as there was no other heir.
Catholics viewed Mary as heroic and as a martyr.
Impact of Mary’s death:
Regicide: killing of a king or queen.
Elizabeth’s successor:
James VI (Mary’s son, protestant, James VI of Scotland, James I of England).
No obvious alternative catholic threat to replace them.
Mary’s death rejuvenated the catholics, Elizabeth was seen as a wicked murderous heretic.
Catholic Spain was incensed. James VI was furious, his mother was dead. Elizabeth deflected blame by claiming innocence and blaming her secretary for not following instructions.
Puritans
Puritans practised prophesying.
Elizabeth ordered the archbishop to close down these meetings.
The archbishop, Grindal, refused so he was put on house arrest until his death.
John Whitgift, a strict anglican ended prophesying and replaced Grindal.
All clergy have to swear absolute acceptance of bishops and the common book of prayer.
300 ministers of the clergy were suspended from church.
A few puritans broke away from the anglicans to become separatists.
Separatists produced pamphlets criticising Elizabeth and ordering the reorganisation of the church and encouraging
people to persecute catholic sympathisers.
Their coarse language shocked the people and many turned against puritans.
In 1593, the government passed a law allowing authorities to execute anybody who is a separatist.
