Mary Queen Of Scots Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the power of the nobles in Scotland around 1542 (4)
A
- rich and powerful land owning families of Scotland
- most important of them had noble titles such as Earl or Lord
- less important nobles were ‘barons’ (Sir) - often followers of more powerful nobles
- Usually married into other noble families and created family groups. The bigger the group the more power they had
- the nobles owned land. Ordinary people depended on them for work
- Nobles were in charge of law and order. They judged and punished local criminals
- in their areas, nobles influenced whom the Church chose as priests, abbot and bishops
2
Q
Describe the organisation of the church in Scotland around 1542 (4)
A
- there were 2 archbishops and 13 bishops. The archbishop of St Andrews was the senior archbishop and was given the title ‘primate’. The bishops were in charge of the bishoprics and parishes within their area
- Scotland had a large number of monasteries and convents for monks and nuns.
- bishops, priests, friars, monks and nuns were all church people who had taken vows of commitment to the religious life which made them different from ordinary people. For example, church people did not pay ordinary taxes and they had their own law courts where they could be put on trial if they broke the law
3
Q
Explain the reasons why many people believed that the church needed reform around 1542 (6)
A
- monarchs gave top jobs to relatives and nobles who wanted the money but the religious duties. These duties were often neglected or somebody was paid a small salary to do the work.
- some churchmen were given several jobs. These ‘pluralists’ collected several salaries but could not do all the work properly
- the church was forced to pay taxes. To raise the money, the church had to rent out its land to local nobles. They were often descendants of people who had originally given the land to the church.
- senior position in the church, which commanded huge incomes, were being taken by nobles whose main interest was not religion.
- some clever clergymen were reluctant to become parish priests because the work was poorly paid
- So, the quality of parish preist declined. Some were accused of not knowing enough to take the services
- While some parish priests worked hard for the people in their parish, other earned a bad reputation for squeezing money out of people
4
Q
Explain the reasons why Protestantism grew in Scotland up to 1560 (6)
A
- some Scots began to question the teachings of the Catholic Church
- resentment at churchmen who were wealthy while everyone else worked hard
- criticisms of the wealth of the church in Scotland and its concerns with money
- shortages of parish priests and poor quality of the rest drew criticism
- resentment of French Catholic influence on Scotland
- presence of Protestant preachers from England widespread (John Knox)
- Criticism of the severity of treatments some Protestant preachers
- Resentment over money spent to decorate Roman Catholic Churches
5
Q
Describe the rough wooing (4)
A
- Henry VII was angry with the Scots for re affirming their French alliance. He tried to force them into the English marriage
- At first he encouraged a revolt to replace Arran with someone who would support the English marriage
- Henry reached an agreement with the Earl of Angus and some other Scottish nobles that they would encourage Protestantism, put Mary into his hands and make him protector of Scotland
- Henry bribed other Scottish nobleman. The revolt, however, was a failure
- he then sent an army to Scotland to do as much damage as possible
– In May 1544, The Earl of Hertford invaded Southeast Scotland to destroy as much of it as he could. He spent two days burning Edinburgh
– The army returned in November to burn the border abbeys
– Aaron and Beaton became unpopular in Scotland because they had failed to stop the invasion - Mary of Guise used French money to offer a bigger bribes and Henry VIII. She persuaded the Earl of Angus to change sides and lead the Scottish army. They defeated the English at Ancrum Moor in 1545
- Despite that defeat, Henry VIII did not give up. His army returned in the autumn of 1545 to burn freshly harvested crops
6
Q
The assassination of Cardinal Beaton at Saint Andrews in 1546 (6)
A
- Henry blamed Cardinal Beaton for the failure of his plans. He was behind several unsuccessful attempts to assassinate the Cardinal.
– Beaton was unpopular with some Scots because his government had failed to protect them from Hertfords invasions. He was particularly unpopular with the Scottish Protestants because he was a pluralist, he used this money to provide for his family although, as a priest, he should not of had children and he was persecuting a Protestants he had recently executed the popular preacher George Wishart - In May 1546, some Scottish Protestants broke into Saint Andrews castle and murdered Cardinal Beaton
- They claimed they were avenging Wishart
– they hung the Cardinals mutilated body out of the window where he had watched Wishart burna few months earlier
– they then pickled the corpse in salt and kept it in the castle’s Bottle Dungeon
7
Q
Why Mary moved to France in 1548 (6)
A
- English wanted Mary to marry Edward, son of Henry V III, Treaty of Greenwich
– Scots cancelled their agreement for Mary to marry Edward, this angered Henry
– Henry VIII sent armies to destroy Scottish cities/punish the Scots - aka the Rough Wooing - English armies tried to capture Mary
- English armies and Edinburgh/borders abbeys, Saint Andrews etc
- Scots needed French help/French agreed if Mary married the French Dauphin
8
Q
Problems Mary faced when arriving back in Scotland (5)
A
- Which nobles should help her govern Scotland?
- What to do about Protestants/ her being a Catholic?
- What to do about the property of the Church?
- How would Elizabeth treat Scotland?
- Who would she Mary?
9
Q
Problems caused by the marriage to Darnley (4)
A
- He was unpopular with many Scots
- He discredited Mary with his behaviour (drinking/gambling)
- Darnley insulted James Stewart and most of the important Scottish nobles which lost Mary support
- Most of Marys trusted officials resigned and rebelled against him
10
Q
Why Riccio became unpopular with Darnley and the nobles (6)
A
- Nobles persuaded Darnley that Riccio was too friendly with Mary/ implied they were having an affair
- Riccio was humiliating the Scottish nobles by making them ask him to see Mary.
- Riccio was boasting about his influence over Mary
- Riccio was dressing and behaving like a nobleman which angered the nobleman as he was below them in status
- Darnley thought that Riccio had persuaded Mary not to give him the crown matrimonial, which angered Darnley
- Some nobles thought that he was a spy sent by the pope so were suspicious of Riccio
11
Q
The murder of Riccio (4)
A
- A plot was hatched by Darnley’s aides, Morton, Lindsay and the Ruthvens to kill Riccio
- in March 1566, in the presence of a pregnant Mary, the murders burst into Mary’s chambers and stabbed Riccio to death
– Mary looked on helplessly and in fear of her own life later escaped with her husband
– Darnley’s dagger, the murder weapon, was found at the scene incriminating its owner. Mary never forgive him for his part in this plot
12
Q
The effect of the murder of Riccio (6)
A
- the estrangement of Mary and Darnley
- distrust of Mary for the Scottish lords
- Mary turned to bothwell
- conspirators begged Mary for forgiveness
- Darnley wasn’t trusted by anyone
- Darnley moved to Glasgow
13
Q
Events surrounding Darnley’s murder (6)
A
- James was born on 19th June 1566 in Edinburgh Castle. Mary and Darnley were still estranged. Darnley spent his nights drinking and womanising
- on 9th February Darnley became unwell and went to stay at Kirk O’Field in Edinburgh
- Mary visited Darnley on the day of his death
- At 2am there was a massive explosion at Kirk O’Field which was felt throughout the city
- Darnley’s body was found in a neighbouring garden the next morning, beside a servant.
- They did not seem to have been victims of an explosion, but had been strangled
14
Q
The Battle of Langside
A
- Although Moray had fewer men, he had better leaders
- Mary’s army was lead by Argyll, but he collapsed at a key moment of the battle and his men didn’t join in the fighting
- Mary’s forces were routed, she had to flee
- the Lennox Stewart’s blocked her path to Dumbarton Castle where she could have awaited help from France
- Mary decided to go to Dumfries. She was told that many Catholics who lived there would help her in a new attack on Moray
- instead, Mary decided to go to England because she expected Elizabeth to help her
15
Q
Why Mary was forced to abdicate in 1567 (7)
A
- Mary was implicated in the murder of her husband
- Her marriage to Bothwell cast further suspicion on Mary
- Mary allowed Bothwell to prevent a fair investigation into the death of Darnley
- The Protestant Lords wanted her infant son on the throne
- Her half Brother Moray forced Mary to abdicate so he could become regent
- Military defeats
- Some objected to being ruled by a female
