Mary QofS and Rising of the Northern Earls

Question 1

Why was Mary QofS a threat?

Answer 1

• claimant - Elizabeth resolved ‘never to marry’
• once a potential marriage between her and Edward was made possible by Treaty of Greenwich
• Catholic
• potentially could attract support from those wanting a Catholic monarch
• held securely at Carlisle Castle and then Bolton Castle

Question 2

Mary QofS’s arrival encouraged the re-emergence of the Catholic party at court - who were the three notable people?

Answer 2

• Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
• Earl of Northumberland
• Earl of Westmoreland

Question 3

As an early example of factional rivalry, what was suggested?

Answer 3

• Mary QofS should marry Duke of Norfolk who also had a claim

Question 4

What factional rivalry was there between Cecil and Dudley and why did this put Elizabeth in an awkward position?

Answer 4

• Dudley was prepared to support the marriage of Mary QofS to Norfolk in order to challenge Cecil at court AND would solve issues with France (Mary QofS had close connections with French court) and Spain (they would be happy with a strong Catholic queen in Scotland)
• Dudley was Elizabeth’s favourite but Cecil was a trusted advisor

Question 5

Why did the marriage plan unravel?

Answer 5

• Scots refused to restore Mary to throne (she would not be a strong Catholic queen in Scotland to provide a successor, in actuality, she would be a queen in England who had the strong potential to be a claimant)
• Leicester confessed to the intended marriage
• Norfolk disobeyed summons to attend Elizabeth at Windsor and fled

Question 6

What reasons have been given for the rising of the Northern Earls?

Answer 6

• having failed to promote cause of Mary Stuart as heir they aimed to achieve aims through military strength (would not be restored to Scottish throne)
• once powerful magnates using tenants to reassert authority over northern counties
• provoked by work of James Pilkington - attacked images, determined to challenge masses for the dead etc

Question 7

What were the main events of the rising?

Answer 7

• marched to Durham Cathedral - tore down all evidence of Protestantism, celebrated mass
• rebels were slow because they stopped to make proclamations and encourage others to join the cause

Question 8

How much support had the rebels managed to amass?

Answer 8

• 3800 footmen, 1600 on horseback

- Lord Hunsdon wrote that all country east of Pennines was in control of rebels

Question 9

However, in mid-November the rebels turned back - why was this?

Answer 9

• support from Lancashire and Cheshire hadn’t materialised
• rumours of government forces being assembled in south - land beyond Aire and Don = unknown to rebels, little guaranteed support
• plan to release Mary QofS abandoned

Question 10

Although the rebels started on retreat - how were they still able to mount a siege of Barnard Castle

Answer 10

• still had 1500 mounted soldiers etc