Mary I's Government

Question 1

what did Mary do on learning about N’s intention

Answer 1

On learning N’s intention to proclaim LJG as queen, Mary gathered together Catholic Supporters including members of the Nobility in Norfolk

Question 2

what did N do to stop Mary from gaining power

Answer 2

N sent Naval sqadron to wait off the coast by Great Yarmouth to intercept Mary should she try to set sail

Question 3

why did N fail to get rid of Mary - ships

Answer 3

There was little support for N in norfolk because of the cruelty with which he had put down the Kett’s rebellion, the ships he sent proved disloyal to him and declared allegaince to Mary with members of the council

Question 4

Why did N fail - other reasons

Answer 4

1. He attempted to interfere with the legitimate succession and made it worse by promoting his sons’s wife which lead many to draw the conclusion that devyse was an attempt to gain and hold power
2. He had little support from the council
3. Mary had acted bravely, quickly and decisively by gathering support from the Nobility, gentry and ordianry folk

Question 5

Problems facing Mary

Answer 5

1. Religious divisions in the country
2. She had not been brought up to rule and had little knowledge of government
3. Her loyal and trusted supoorters, such as Robert Rochester, Sir Henry Jenningham and Sir Henry Bedingfield had no serious experience of government
4. Her marriage
5. Crown finances
6. Many people profited from the sale of church land

Question 6

Mary’s aims

Answer 6

Secure Succession
Re-establish good relationship with spain
Make religion pre-1529
Restore Crown financies

Question 7

how were Mary’s councillors advising her

Answer 7

Many of her councillors had no skill and were advising her based on religious feeling

Question 8

Mary’s use of the dry seal

Answer 8

She did not use the dry seal but signed everything personally up until her death which meant that no one could rule in her name

Question 9

who was her privy council dominated by

Answer 9

Her privy council was dominated by key figures such as Gardiner, Paget and the Marques of Winchester

Question 10

how many councillors did she appoint

Answer 10

50

Question 11

did her councillors attend meetings

Answer 11

Few of the 50 appointed attended because it was regarded as an honourary title, the working council was much smaller and was dominated by experienced figures

Question 12

who was she influenced by

Answer 12

She was influenced by informal advisors such as Cardinal Pole who was never a member of the privy council and foreigners such as Simon Renard who was the Spanish ambassador

Question 13

who did she lose support for and why

Answer 13

She lost confidence in Paget as he opposed her religious reform, and she did not fully trust Gardiner as he failed to support her mother at the time of the break with rome but regarded him as indispensable

Question 14

what was her relationship with Parliament like

Answer 14

It was usually one of cooperarion but they clashed sometimes over religious change and she ignored them over her marriage

Question 15

key people - Stephen Gardiner

Answer 15

Catholic and experienced in government.
Henry VIII’s secretary at some point
Imprisoned under Edward VI and lost his post as Bishop of Winchester
Made lord chancellor under Henry VIII and Somerset
Died 1558

Question 16

Key people - Paget

Answer 16

Moderate
Experienced in government
Served in the privy council under Henry VIII and Somerset
Supported LJG but made peace with Mary

Question 17

key people - pole

Answer 17

Reginald pole was a catholic and cousin of Mary
Papal Legate in 1554 and then Archbishop of Canterbury
Abroad since 1532, meaning he was isolated from a lot of English political and religious opinion and had supported the Catholic cause from Abroad
Returned to England in 1554 to oversea the return of catholicism

Question 18

key issues facing Mary - marriage - why was she keen on getting married

Answer 18

Mary regarded it as essential that she produce an heir so that a catholic succession might be guaranteed.

Question 19

was her marriage discussed with the privy council

Answer 19

Her marriage was never formally discussed in the Privy Council, she choose Phillip despite opposition from the council who preferred Edward Coutenay

Question 20

how did Mary limit Phillip’s power

Answer 20

1. Phillip was to be given the title of King but not to exercise any power in England
2. No foreigners were permitted to hold English offices
3. If Mary died before Phillip he would not have a claim to the throne
4. If they have a child, they would inherit the English throne and not the Spanish throne
5. In 1555, parliament prevented Phillip’s coronation as king

Question 21

key issues facing Mary - church land - why were they an issue for Mary

Answer 21

When the monasteries were dissolved, a lot of land flooded the market, making it cheap. A lot of people had become rich by buying church land. They were an issue as she wanted to restore the physical outlook of the church

Question 22

what did Charles V convince the pope to do regarding Church land

Answer 22

He convinced the pope to give a dispensation allowing people to keep church lands prior to England becoming Catholic again. Mary got papal dispensation not to return Churchland

Question 23

What were the two issues at the heart of opposition to marriage?

Answer 23

1. Phillip was a staunch Catholic and protestants felt that he would add strength to Mary’s determination to reverse the Reformation
2. Phillp was the heir to the Spanish throne and its last empire in Europe and the New world. It was correctly assued that he would use England as a tool to further Spanish ambitions and would have little regard for the interests of England

Question 24

other reasons for opposition to the marriage - xenophobia

Answer 24

As a woman it was assumed that her husband would rule over her.
It was feared that he might drag England into foreign wars and foreigners might have English posts
If England and Spain drew closer by marriage, it might threaten relations with France and Scotland

Question 25

when did the marriage take place

Answer 25

Took place 15th July 1554 at Winchester Cathedral but Phillip was not welcomed by the English