Marian Government Flashcards
When was Mary proclaimed Queen by the Council? When was she proclaimed Queen by Northumberland? - Marian Government
Mary was proclaimed Queen by the Council on the 19th July 1553, with Northumberland proclaiming her as queen a day later on the 20th July 1553.
What arguments exist around Mary’s popularity upon her ascension to the throne? - Marian Government
It had previously been argued that Mary’s widespread popularity among the public upon her ascension was largely due to her being the legitimate monarch as part of Henry VIII’s succession. While this may be partly true, it is also the case that much of the population would have welcomed her on account of her religious beliefs (given the country was mainly Catholic).
What was the Devyse? Why did it fail? (2) - Marian Government
The Devyse was Northumberland’s plan to interfere with the succession and install his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. This failed due to the unpopularity of the idea to interfere with the correct succession, while any attempt to place his daughter-in-law on the throne was a deeply corrupt and nepotistic move.
Who did Mary gather support from in her attempt to take the throne? Where were the majority of these people based? - Marian Government
Mary gathered support from common folk, the nobility and the gentry, with much of this support coming from East Anglia, where she had been based.
What problems faced Mary upon her accession to the throne? - Marian Government
Mary inherited a kingdom with religious divisions (between a Catholic majority and Protestant minority), she had little political training and few monarchical qualities, her supporters had no experience in government, hence meaning she would need to rely on some of Edward’s advisors.
Who was Bishop Gardiner? What were his beliefs? - Marian Government
Bishop Gardiner was a churchman who had been Henry VIII’s Secretary and was a staunch religious conservative. He had undergone imprisonment during Edward’s reign and was likely to support the return to Catholicism.
Who was Sir William Paget? - Marian Government
Paget was a diplomat and administrator under Henry VIII who later served in the governments of Somerset, Northumberland and lastly Mary. He was a conservative and would therefore advocate for a reduction in radicalism that had risen under Edward.
How many councillors did Mary appoint during her reign? What allegations could be made about her government on account of this? - Marian Government
Mary appointed 50 councillors during her reign, which could lead to allegations that her government was faction-ridden and inefficient on account of its bloated size.
How did Mary’s Council operate in reality compared to its supposed oversized and inefficient nature? - Marian Government
Mary’s Council actually operated rather better than its oversized nature would suggest, with it believed that Mary regarded the term ‘Councillor’ as an honorary title and as such operated with a far smaller and tighter circle of ministers than initially suggested.
Why did Mary frequently lose confidence in Paget and Gardiner respectively? - Marian Government
Mary lost confidence in Paget due to his opposition to her religious programme, whereas she never fully trusted Gardiner due to the lack of support extended to her mother, Catharine of Aragon, by him.
Which 2 foreigners did Mary often rely on for advice? - Marian Government
Mary often relied on her husband, Philip of Spain, despite his distance from her for advice, while she also depended on Simon Renard, a Catholic Spaniard who was the ambassador of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
How many MPs consistently opposed Mary’s religious legislation? What was the significance of this? - Marian Government
80 MPs showed consistent opposition to Mary’s attempts at religious reform, and although this was a minority and not enough to block her reforms, it was a substantial minority, indicating widespread discontent with her policy.
What issues did Mary struggle to pass legislation on as a result of Parliamentary opposition? - Marian Government
Mary struggled to pass legislation on the property rights of Protestant exiles, the status of ex-monastic land (and its potential restoration to the church) and the succession.
Who were Mary’s 2 candidates to marry? What were the issues with each of them? - Marian Government
Mary was lined up to marry both Edward Courtenay and Philip of Spain. Courtenay was English and any marriage to him would strengthen internal factional rivalry in England and potentially grant excessive influence to his family. Philip was Spanish, and hence any marriage there created fear that Spain would exercise control over England, with the country eventually becoming a Spanish satellite.
Why did Mary eventually opt to marry Philip of Spain? - Marian Government
A marriage to Philip was desirable as this would secure an alliance with the Spanish/HRE, both countries or major significance. Furthermore, it offered an opportunity to work closely with Charles V, whom Mary was very fond of for his support of her and her mother.
