Elizabethan challenges at home and abroad

Question 1

recall the events in order of the revolt of the northern earls

Answer 1

• at midnight bells are rung at the residence of Thomas Percy (the earl of Northumberland) In Topcliffe, north Yorkshire signalling start of rebellion. Charles Neville’s (earl of Westmorland) forces are already assembled on the outskirts of Durham
• Northern Earls seize Durham Cathedral, remove traces of Protestant worship and hold Catholic Mass for a fortnight. James Pilkington flees south until he reaches forces friendly to Elizabeth
• 13th-16th the earl of Sussex tries to raise an army in the North to fight for Elizabeth but on 16th writes a letter to Privy Council saying he is struggling to raise enough men
• as rebels pushed Southwards Elizabeth moved Mary to Coventry to prevent her falling into hands of rebels. By November 22nd the earls had control of land East on the Pennines and North of Leeds (Braham Moor)
• A part of the rebel army captures Hartlepool because they had arranged for Spanish troops to arrive as reinforcements at the port. These never came :( Other catholic earls considering joining the rebellion chose not to when they realised the Spanish were not coming
• rebels captured military stronghold on the coast, Barnard Castle after they realise Spanish not coming
• army of 14000 men loyal to Elizabeth marches from south and reaches the river tees. Knowing they are outnumbered the 5400 rebels fled further north
• earls of Northumberland and Westmorland fled north into Scotland. Shortly following end of rebellion over 450 of leading rebels were executed as they were captured in order to spread fear amongst population
• in year after rebellion pope issued a papal bull that excommunicated Elizabeth and called on all loyal Catholics to dispose her from power
• Elizabeth assembled parliament after papal bull was issued and had them pass a range of new laws and acts which made treason cover more things. to declare Elizabeth not real queen or claim she was heretic was treason and could be punished by imprisonment or death

Question 2

list 5 reasons the revolt of the northern earls failed

Answer 2

• on 1st November 1569 Elizabeth’s forces captured the Duke of Norfolk when the earl of Leicester made her aware of the plot to marry Mary
• the rebels were outnumbered 14000 to 5400
• Mary Queen of Scots was moved before she could be captured
• The rebels Spanish reinforcements never came
• 450 of leading rebels executed

Question 3

why did the Northern earls revolt in November 1569

Answer 3

• Elizabeth promoted Protestantism throughout the 1550’s and this had become dominant in the south of England. Most of North was Catholic. After introduction of religious settlement in 1559 Elizabeth appointed James Pilkington as archbishop of Durham in 1561. Even though he was the most powerful clergymen in the north of England his attempts at Protestantism failed and he was deeply unpopular. This is one of the reasons the earls chose to hold mass at Durham cathedral - as an act of defiance

Elizabeth had replaced many catholic members of privy council and court with protestants. Both earls of Northumberland and Westmorland had significant power under Mary I and worried power would be reduced under Elizabeth. This was proven when Elizabeth backed one of his closet rivals Sir John Foster in looking after Scottish boarders.

Earl of Northumberland was Catholic so made William Cecil see him as a natural political rival

many of these earls had families who ruled the north for hundreds of years whereas William Cecil and the earl of Leicester (Robert Dudley) were not from ancient families but due to abilities and connection had grown close to the queen. This caused resentment from many northerners whose families made great sacrifices to support the monarchy

Elizabeth also refused to name an heir to the throne and didn’t seem like she was going to marry anyone or have children and this created an uncertainty surrounding England’s future as well as creating the possibility of restoring catholic faith to the monarchy and country if a Catholic monarch replaced Elizabeth

MQS who has been under house arrest since 1568 was a Catholic claimant to the throne who was the most likely figure for any English or foreign Catholics to rally round

Question 4

discuss the Ridolfi Plot

Answer 4

1571

• Roberto di Ridolfi was an Italian banker who played a small part in the revolt of the northern earls
• In 1571 he used his Catholic contacts in England and Europe to develop a plot to overthrow Elizabeth
• Ridolfi planned to assassinate Elizabeth, marry Mary to Duke of Norfolk and make her queen
• supported by Pope and King Phillip II who agreed to provide troops for a Spanish invasion
• plot failed because Elizabeth’s allies passed the names of the main conspirators to her
• they also intercepted letters sent by Mary which implicated her involvement in the plot and the Duke of Norfolk’s too