elizabeth part 3

Question 1

plots due to religion

Answer 1

Religion (the most common cause): for example, the Northern
Rebellion and the Babington Plot. These were usually based on the
belief that Elizabeth had no right to be queen, and had the aim of
replacing her with Mary, Queen of Scots.

Question 2

plots due to power and influence

Answer 2

Power and influence: for example, the Essex Rebellion. This was
the result of rivalries within the Privy Council and the battle for
influence over the queen.

Question 3

why did plots fail- spies

Answer 3

Elizabeth's huge network of spies was
able to quickly identify threats and deal
with troublemakers.
Sir Francis Walsingham, one of the
queen's most trusted advisors, was also
her spymaster.

Question 4

why did plots fail- a skilled politician

Answer 4

Elizabeth was good at getting her
own way.
She dealt with Parliament with
great skill, allowing MPs and lords
to feel that they had influence
while still showing who had the
final say.

Question 5

why did plots fail- unconvincing alternatives

Answer 5

Most people, even Catholics, preferred the
idea of an English queen to a foreign ruler
like Mary, Queen of Scots, or Philip Il of Spain.
Mary was not generally trusted, having
been widely blamed for her husband’s
death, and Philip, who had been crowned
King of England after marrying Elizabeth’s
sister, Mary, had shown little interest in
the country. His wife had sent hundreds of
Protestants to be burnt at the stake.
The lack of a popular alternative monarch
meant that most rebellions could not gain
wide support.

Question 6

why did plots fail- punishment

Answer 6

Elizabeth rarely showed
mercy to those who
betrayed her.
Rebels were tortured and
brutally executed.
Elizabeth even executed
her own cousin, Mary,
Queen of Scots, and her
former favourite, the Earl
of Essex.
For potential rebels, the
consequences were clear
to see.

Question 7

why did plots fail- religious settlement

Answer 7

Elizabeth's religious
policy kept the
majority happy.
Although there
were crackdowns
on Catholics and
Puritans later in
her reign, religious
differences were
mostly tolerated.

Question 8

who was mary queen of scot’s

Answer 8

Elizabeth’s cousin. Her grandmother was Henry
VIll’s sister.
•
A Catholic.
•
Became Queen of Scotland in 1542, at only
eight-days-old.
Married the heir to the French throne in 1558 and
was briefly queen of two countries.
As Elizabeth had no children, Mary was also heir
to the throne of England, some believed she was
in fact the rightful queen.
After her husband’s death, she returned to Scotland
but became increasingly unpopular. Scotland had
become increasingly Protestant in her absence.
•
In 1567, having been accused of the murder of
her second husband, Lord Darnley, Mary fled to
England. Her young son, James, was crowned
King of Scotland in her place.

Question 9

the ‘threat’ of mary queen of scot’s

Answer 9

Mary’s arrival in England concerned many Protestants. They were worried that she might
directly lead, or simply inspire, a rebellion against Elizabeth. The idea that she could ever
become queen reminded them of the horrors of Mary I’s reign. Parliament and a number of
privy councillors called for Mary’s execution, but Elizabeth was hesitant. She did not want
to kill a fellow queen. Mary was kept under close guard and moved around England for the
next 19 years. Although she was not directly involved in plots against Elizabeth, she was
certainly an inspiration for several. One final plot in 1586 did seem to involve Mary directly.

Question 10

the plotter of the babington plot

Answer 10

In 1586, a rich young Catholic named Anthony Babington planned to kill
Elizabeth, rescue Mary and place her on the throne.

Question 11

the plot of the babington plot

Answer 11

Babington needed to know if Mary supported his plan. He managed to get
Mary’s servants to hide coded messages within beer barrels that were sent to her
room. The messages reached Mary and she replied, giving her backing to the plot.

Question 12

the babington plot uncovered

Answer 12

Unfortunately for Mary, the servants were spies for Sir Francis Walsingham,
Elizabeth’s spymaster. The original message and Mary’s reply were decoded
and taken straight to Elizabeth. It was clear that Mary was plotting to kill
the queen.

Question 13

the aftermath of the babington plot

Answer 13

With such clear evidence, Elizabeth had little choice but to act. Although
still hesitant, she ordered that Mary should go on trial for treason.

Question 14

the trial of mary queen of scot’s

Answer 14

In October 1586, Mary was put on trial before a court of 36
noblemen including Sir Francis Walsingham and Sir William
Cecil, two of Elizabeth’s closest advisors.
Mary defended herself strongly. She criticised the fact that she had not
been allowed to see evidence against her and claimed that as she was
not English, she could not be guilty of treason. She refused to accept
that the court had any right to pass sentence on her.
She was found guilty and sentenced to death on 25 October.

Question 15

the execution of mary queen of scot’s

Answer 15

Elizabeth was reluctant to sign Mary’s death warrant. She
feared
that executing a fellow monarch might inspire her enemies, or that
Mary’s son James might want revenge.
She was also concerned about the reaction of the Catholic powers:
France
and Spain.
Despite this, she signed the death warrant on 1 February 1587.
Mary was executed, in private, seven days later at Fotheringhay Castle.
The Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent were the official witnesses.

Question 16

the impact of the death of mary queen of scot’s

Answer 16

Without Mary, Catholics had no clear alternative monarch.
The new heir to the English throne was Mary’s son James - a
Protestant.
Even in death, Mary remained an important figure. Many saw her as
a martyr to her faith and her execution as proof that Elizabeth was a
wicked heretic.
Elizabeth’s concern about the reaction abroad was unwarranted - there
was outrage but no action from France or Spain. King James of Scotland
accepted Elizabeth’s apology for the death of his mother.

Question 17

conflict between england and spain- issue of marriage

Answer 17

King Philip Il of Spain had been
married to Elizabeth’s sister, Mary I.
During this time, he had been joint monarch
of England. The plan was that their child would
unite England and Spain under one Catholic
king or queen. When Mary died childless in
November 1558, so did the plan.
Philip proposed to Elizabeth in 1559, but,
as with many other suitors, she kept him
waiting for an answer. As it became clear that
the marriage would not take place, tensions
between the countries grew.

Question 18

conflict between england and spain- papal bull

Answer 18

In 1570, the Pope excommunicated
Elizabeth and called for all Catholics to
challenge her rule. As a Catholic, Philip was keen to
follow the Pope’s instructions.

Question 19

conflict between spain and england- religious difference

Answer 19

Elizabeth had returned England
to the Protestant faith after the
Catholic years of Mary I (1553-58). Spain
had remained Catholic throughout all the
religious changes of the Reformation. Such
opposing religious ideas led to conflict.

Question 20

conflict between spain and england- action of sailors

Answer 20

Sir Francis Drake and other English
sailors had spent years raiding
Spanish ports and ships, and stealing
treasures from Spanish colonies in South
America and closer to home. The most notable
example was in 1587 when Drake led a raid
on the port of Cadiz. He destroyed dozens
of Spanish ships in what became known as
“singeing the King of Spain’s beard’
Elizabeth encouraged these acts by granting
licences in exchange for sharing the
treasures with the country.

Question 21

conflict between spain and england- the netherlands

Answer 21

As well as Spain, Philip also ruled the Netherlands. In
1566, there was a Protestant uprising in the country.
Philip sent troops to restore order but this led to even
greater resistance from the rebels.
Although she wanted to avoid war with Spain, Elizabeth
agreed to send money to support the Protestants and
allowed English volunteers to go and help in the fight. She
also let rebel ships use English ports. All of this angered
Philip greatly.
William of Orange, the Dutch rebel leader, was
assassinated in 1584. In December 1585, Elizabeth
finally agreed to send English troops to support her fellow
Protestants. She sent her trusted friend Robert Dudley
with 7000 soldiers. Dudley and his men had very little
impact but it was a clear act of war against Spain.

Question 22

naval warfare- size of fleet

Answer 22

Henry Vill had spent a fortune building a huge navy to protect his island
nation. Before 1500, ships had simply been a way to get to battle, but Tudor
ships were designed to fight. During Elizabeth’s reign, under the command of John
Hawkins, England’s navy continued to grow. At the same time, Philip of Spain spared
no expense in trying to make his navy the largest and most powerful in the world.

Question 23

naval warefare- tactics

Answer 23

When full scale battles were fought, a tactic called the line of battle was
sometimes used. Ships formed into a single line and fired together on the enemy.
The aim was to sink as many as possible.
Raids were a common form of attack. They took enemy ports by surprise and
destroyed as many ships as
possible before the enemy
had the chance to fight
back. This kind of attack also
allowed for treasure to
be stolen.
Fireships were an effective
tactic used in the sixteenth
century. An old ship would be
set alight and sent into the
middle of the enemy fleet.
This would send panic across
the wooden ships and cause
great damage at little risk to
the attacker.

Question 24

naval warefare- technology

Answer 24

A new type of triangular sail, known as a lateen, allowed for much faster
travel and new ships allowed for greater speed and manoeuvrability. Ships
could therefore travel greater distances and perform better in raids and battles.
New, more powerful, cannons meant it was now possible to fire at enemy ships
from a distance. Previously, sailors would try to board enemy ships. Ships were built
specifically for battle and for use in the line of battle tactic.
New inventions like the astrolabe allowed for greater accuracy when planning
voyages and working out locations. This helped sailors prepare much better for
long voyages, particularly if they had to pass through hostile waters.

Question 25

plan of the spanish armada

Answer 25

In 1588, Philip I of Spain launched his great
Armada: 151 ships, 7000 sailors and 34,000
soldiers would sail to the Netherlands and collect
more men before invading England.
They would sail in an unbreakable crescent
formation.
Philip was so confident that he would defeat the
English navy that he filled the ships with weapons
for land battles that would follow once the fleet
arrived in England

Question 26

the english strike first- spanish armada

Answer 26

By 6 August the Armada was anchored off the
Nutch coast.
They were delayed for several days waiting for
additional soldiers to arrive.
At this moment the English, commanded by
Sir Francis Drake, chose to strike. Early on
7 August, eight fireships were sent into the
Spanish fleet. There was mass panic and the
well-organised Armada was plunged into chaos.

Question 27

the storm- spanish aramada

Answer 27

A great storm blew the retreating Armada way
off course.
Their food rotten, their water polluted and with
no maps for the waters around northern Britain,
many ships were wrecked. Survivors who made
it to shore were slaughtered by the Scots or
the Irish.
Of 151 ships, only 65 returned to Spain.

Question 28

the battle- spanish armada

Answer 28

On 8 August the Battle of Gravelines began.
The English fired constantly from a distance
of 100 metres. The Spanish ships were badly
damaged but none were sunk.
Recognising how bad the situation was, the
Spanish commander, the Duke of Medina-
Sidonia, tried to lead his battered ships home.
The English gave chase.

Question 29

how was the armada defeated- english tactics

Answer 29

The fireships broke the formation of the fleet and
made individual ships vulnerable to attack.
The bombardment by the English cannons made
regrouping impossible.
The English had faster ships and more
experienced and skilled commanders.

Question 30

how was the armada defeated spanish mistakes

Answer 30

Spanish ships were designed for the
Mediterranean and could not cope with the harsh
conditions of the English Channel and the North Sea.
They were delayed in the Netherlands because the
soldiers were not ready to board.
Their weapons were mostly for land use, leaving
them almost defenceless at sea. They had also
brought many of the wrong cannonballs.
The commander of the fleet was inexperienced.

Question 31

how was the armada defeated- the weather

Answer 31

Storms caused great destruction to the Spanish fleet.
The storms delayed their return to Spain, meaning that
their food and water went off or ran out. Many sailors
became too sick to sail.

Question 32

the consequences of the defeat of the armada

Answer 32

The Armada’s defeat was a great victory for Elizabeth. It proved
that England was a major naval power. The country could not
rest, however. Invasion remained a concern and Philip quickly
began planning a second attempt, but he never actually tried
again. Elizabeth continued to strengthen her navy.
The Armada had brought England together. Under threat of
foreign invasion, most Catholics had declared their total loyalty
to Elizabeth. It made Elizabeth even more popular and respected
as a leader, and helped boost the idea of the Golden Age’.