Main Events of the Rebellion

Question 1

What happened in May 1568?

Answer 1

Mary Queen of Scots arrived and there was the plot to marry her to Norfolk

Question 2

What had to be abandoned on the 6th of October 1569?

Answer 2

Westmorlands and Northumberlands plans too rebel after Norfolk withdrew his support this lead their Earls to waver in their descion.

Question 3

Why did the Earl of Sussex call Westmorland and Northumberland to be questioned at the council of the north?

Answer 3

He himself had been friends with Norfolk and he had heard rumours of Westmorland and Northumberland so he was attempting to prove his loyalty to Elizabeth. The Meeting ended with the men being cautiously let go.

Question 4

What did Elizabeth order on the 24th of October 1569?

Answer 4

Elizabeth was still suspicious so she ordered Westmorland and Northumberland to come to court in London which she did against the advice of the Duke of Sussex.

Question 5

What happened on the 9th of November 1569?

Answer 5

The rebellion started.

Question 6

What had happened in the first week of November 1569?

Answer 6

Supporters of the Earl of Westmorland were beginning to meet at his castle at Brancepeth at County Durham. Many resented Elizabeth’s religious policies and his followers persuaded the reluctant Earl of Northumberland to join the rebellion as they said the Earl of Sussex was about to capture hi. The gentry who were loyal to Elizabeth began to gather at Barnard Castle.

Question 7

Who were the gentry opposed to the rebellion led by?

Answer 7

Sir George Bowes, the steward of Barndard Castle who remained loyal to Elizabeth during the rebellion despite coming from severe pressure from the rebels.

Question 8

What happened at the very start of the rebellion?

Answer 8

The rebels marched on Durham cathedral where they all celebrated Mass and destroyed all signs of protestantism. They then returned to Brancepeth where they could better defend themselves.

Question 9

What happened on the 15th of November 1569?

Answer 9

The rebels marched South the rebels aiming to raise the County of Yorkshire.

Question 10

What proclamations did the rebels issue as they marched South?

Answer 10

Ones saying that they were Elizabeth’s loyal subjects and that they were protecting her from advisors such as William Cecil who had persuaded her to attack Catholicism. This reinforced the idea that they were acting for the good of the country.

Question 11

What had happened by the 22nd of November 1569?

Answer 11

The rebels had marched to Bramham Moor.

Question 12

Why was Braham Moor such a strategic junction?

Answer 12

The road which joined York to towns such as Tadcaster was met by the roman road which linked London to the North. Gaining control of this meant that they could threaten York, a centre of northern goverment and they could block any troops marching north from London or South from Newcastle. They could also have marched South to rescue Mary Queen of Scots

Question 13

How far away from Bramham Moore was Mary Queen of Scots?

Answer 13

40 miles in Tutbury Castle.

Question 14

How many soldiers and horsemen had the rebels attracked by late November 1569?

Answer 14

3,800 foot soldiers and 1,600 horsemen. The horsemen were a particular threat as they showed that the rebels were well equipped.

Question 15

Why did the Earl of Sussex find himself trapped in York?

Answer 15

He only had 400 horsemen. He tried to raise a larger army of 1,500 footmen but was not able to gain the support of the local gentry. The rebels controlled so much of the North that Sussex stopped sending letters incase they’d be intercepted.

Question 16

What message did Lord Hudson manage to send to London?

Answer 16

He sent a message to William Cecil warning them of the rebels advance South and told him to move Mary from Tutbury which he did.

Question 17

What happened on the 24th of November 1569?

Answer 17

The rebels retreated from Bramham Moor and retreated to Brancepeth.

Question 18

What were the 4 reasons that the rebels retreated?

Answer 18

1. They had heard rumours that a larger army was being organised further South by the Earl of Warwick. 2. They may have heard mary had been moved from Tutbury to Coventry. 3. The rebels realised that Westmorland and Northumberlands support was only really located in the north. 4. The Earl of Derby remained loyal to Elizabeth so lancashire and Cheshire did not raise in rebellion

Question 19

What happened in early December 1569?

Answer 19

The rebels besieged Barnard Castle whilst another group seiged Hartlepool. They had received a message promising them support from the Spanish who they expected to land there but they never did.

Question 20

What city did the rebels manage to seize and how?

Answer 20

Durham in November 1569. It was an important administrative centre in the north but was not heavily fortified. It was also the centre of rebellion due to the religious and political tensions that had existed there.

Question 21

Of the recorded participants of the northern rebellion how many came from county Durham?

Answer 21

794

Question 22

What act had caused particular resentment by the Catholics or the Bishop of Durham?

Answer 22

The destruction of the banner representin St cuthbert

Question 23

What 2 factors prove the importance of Durham?

Answer 23

When the rebellion started they went destroyed the protestant symbols and had mass there. After the council of the North was reorganised in 1572, the city and its region were brought under the councils direct control.

Question 24

Why was seige of Barnard Castle such an issue for Elizabeth?

Answer 24

It guarded the river Tees and was one of the keys to guarding the surrounding region. As the rebellion progressed it had become a refuge for goverment supporters.

Question 25

How many rebels did Barnard castle come under seige by?

Answer 25

5000

Question 26

What did Bowes report on the 14th of December?

Answer 26

Supplies were so low within the fortress that they were reaching starvation.

Question 27

What fact showed how desperate the defenders of the castle were?

Answer 27

226 men lept over the walls to join the rebels. Another 150 turned on Bowes and opened the gates of the castle.

Question 28

What happened to Bowes after he surrendered the castle?

Answer 28

He was captured at first but allowed to leave with 400 of his men.

Question 29

What did the capture of Barnard castle show?

Answer 29

How weak and isolated Elizabeth’s supporters were. Bowes was not even able to control his own supposedly loyal men in the castle.

Question 30

What happened 2 days after the seige of Barnard Castle?

Answer 30

The rebels were forced to flee

Question 31

What fact demonstrates how peaceful the rebellion was meant to be?

Answer 31

The rebels did not want to cause any physical harm to the men like Bowes and like rebellion were more concerned with attacking places that symbolised her religious policies and the neglect of the traditional nobility.

Question 32

How was Westmorland related to Norfolk?

Answer 32

He was his brother in law.

Question 33

Why did Westmorland want Norfolk to marry Mary so much?

Answer 33

His close family relationship meant that he expected increased patronage and favour from Norfolk and Mary. This was especially appealing due to his recent decline of power in the north.

Question 34

Why was Northumberland never in favour of the marriage between Norfolk and Mary?

Answer 34

Although he was in contact witj both Mary and the Spanish ambassador, Northumberland was Catholic and did not want to she her married to the nominally protestant Norfolk who he did not see as devoted to Catholicism enough to restore the faith.

Question 35

Who did Northumberland suggest would be a better person to marry Mary?

Answer 35

Philip the second of spain

Question 36

Why did Philip the second of Spain not agree to marriage with Mary?

Answer 36

He didnt want to get involved with English affairs.

Question 37

What proves that Westmorland and Northumberland did not really not know what they were doing during the rebellion?

Answer 37

The original plans of rebellion were abandoned after news of Norfolks arrest. The rebels also moved North, then South then North again. This became particularly obvious after Mary Queen of Scots was moved.

Question 38

Why can it be said that the Earls did pose a threat to Elizabeth?

Answer 38

They had been in contact with the Spanish ambassador and Mary Queen of Scots and were attempting to restore Catholicism. Their leadership in local communities was well known and traditional loyaltys remained strong. The Earls were able to rely on the support of other Catholic gentry and were able to recruit their own tenants. They were able to control Yorkshire and Durham for over a month whilst Elizabeth’s local officials struggled to control anything.

Question 39

Who was Mary in contact with?

Answer 39

Westmorland and Northumberland but also her remaining supporters in Scotland and English members of the Catholic nobility

Question 40

How did the rebellion in the north show the failure of Elizabeth’s policies?

Answer 40

The religious settlement had been in place for 10 years but Catholicism remained the dominant belief between the gentry and nobility. Even though the council of the North had been reorganised in 1537, it members were not able to prevent rebellion from breaking out.

Question 41

How long did it take for the Royal army to reach Durham?

Answer 41

A month

Question 42

Why did it take so long for the army to reach Durham?

Answer 42

The army was so large and expensive to move it took too long. This was despite the fact that Sussex and Hunsdon had repeatedly asked Cecil for a small mobile force they had been ignored.

Question 43

Why was the fact that Norfolk had surrendered such a problem for Northumberland and Westmorland?

Answer 43

They were deprived of support in the south

Question 44

Why was it an issue that the rebels didn’t force a rebellion in November?

Answer 44

They had strengths in numbers then but by December Elizabeth had a much larger army so the rebel army dispensed.