Mary I, Government & Religion

Question 1

According to Christopher Haigh, how did Mary come into power?

Answer 1

Through a ‘revolution’

Question 2

Why was Mary so popular when she ascended to the throne?

Answer 2

1. Succession - Mary was rightful heir and England was a traditional country.
2. Northumberland - was hugely unpopular by 1553 due to his attempts to seize power.
3. Leniency - at the beginning of her reign Mary showed leniency towards her opponents.
4. Religion - desire from the public to return to Catholicism.

Question 3

What were the issues of Mary I ascending to the throne?

Answer 3

She had a lack in training.

Her staff lacked in experience.

England at the time was divided over the issue of religion.

Question 4

How many councillors did Mary have?

Answer 4

Over 50

Question 5

How many times did Mary attend meetings with her council?

Answer 5

0 times. She had little confidence in her council. (Lack of trust - partly due to her mothers treatment).

Question 6

Who were Mary’s two main choices for marriage?

Answer 6

Philip II of Spain

Englishman Edward Courtenay (Earl of Devon)

Question 7

Why did the public not want Mary to marry Philip II of Spain?

Answer 7

Marriage to a foreigner was unpopular due to xenophobia - people didn’t like foreign interference.

There was a concern that Mary would allow Philip to govern the country.

Question 8

Opposition to Mary’s marriage to Philip was a major factor in which rebellion?

Answer 8

Wyatt’s Rebellion in 1554

Question 9

Where did Mary encounter opposition from her Parliament?

Answer 9

1. Church land - many members of Parliament owned the Church land, and didn’t want to return it.
2. Protestants - parliament refused to pass laws allowing seizure of land and property from exiled protestants.
3. Elizabeth - wanted her to stay in the line of succession after Wyatt’s rebellion.

Question 10

What were the two main aspects of returning to Catholicism?

Answer 10

1. To return to traditions and practices of Catholicism.

2. To allow the Pope to be the head of the Church in England.

Question 11

Why did people not want to return to papal authority?

Answer 11

Papal authority was seen as interference by foreign powers. Seen as controversial.

Question 12

How did Mary restore Catholic Masses?

Answer 12

Using her royal prerogative

Question 13

What was the Statute of Repeal and when was this passed?

Answer 13

October 1553, it removed all the religious legislation implemented during Edward’s reign.

Moved everything back to the way it had been at the end of Henry VIII’s reign.

Question 14

By when, did England return to the pre-reformation condition of papal authority?

Answer 14

November 1554 when Parliament issued the Second Act of Repeal

Question 15

How did Mary repress Protestants?

Answer 15

Heresy laws 1554/5 - Being a practicing protestant carried the risk of execution.

Executions 1555 - Senior protestants were burned at the stake.

Question 16

Re-establishing the Catholic Church had many problems, name two.

Answer 16

1. Finance issues - years of instability and the sale in the 1530s of Church land meant that by 1553 the Church was short of funds.
2. Paul IV - the new pope despised Reginald Pole (one of Mary’s favourite ministers) and ordered him to leave England.

Question 17

Why did Pope Paul IV’s actions towards Reginald Pole in 1555 (forcing him to leave the country) create tension in England?

Answer 17

This action convinced many that returning to papal authority was a mistake.

There was more criticism that foreigners were interfering with English affairs.

Question 18

When did Mary I and Pole die?

Answer 18

On the same day in November 1558.