Plots Elizabeth Flashcards
The Ridolfi plot, 1571
Roberto Ridolfi was an Italian banker from Florence
living in England. He was also one of the pope’s spies. In 1571, he arranged a plot to murder Elizabeth, launch a Spanish invasion and put Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne. This plan was interupted due to william cecli getting ahold of the letters and was found the duke of norfolk guilty
Ridolf’s significance
• Coming so soon after the papal bull excommunicating
Elizabeth, the Ridolfi plot reinforced the threat posed
by Mary and Catholics, both at home and abroad.
Because of the threat from Spain, Elizabeth focused
on improving relations with France.
The Throckmorton plot, 1583
The Throckmorton plot planned for the French Duke
of Guise, the cousin of Mary, Queen of Scots, to invade
England, free Mary, overthrow Elizabeth and restore
Catholicism in England. Philip Il would provide financial
support. A young Englishman, Francis Throckmorton,
was to act as a go-between with Mary. The pope also
knew, and approved, of the plans.
How The Throckmorton plot, 1583 was intercepted
Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s Secretary of
State from 1573, uncovered the plot. His agents
found incriminating papers at Throckmorton’s house.
Throckmorton was arrested in November 1583,
tortured, confessed, and was executed in May 1584.
Throckmorton’s significance
• Throckmorton’s papers included a list of Catholic
sympathisers in England, suggesting that the
government’s fear of English Catholics as ‘the enemy
within’ was real.
The Babington plot, 1586
The Babington plot once again centred on the murder
of Elizabeth I, and also encouraged English Catholics to
rebel. It was similar to the Throckmorton plot: the Duke
of Guise would invade England with 60,000 men and put
Mary on the throne. Both Philip Il of Spain and the pope
supported this plot.
How The Babington plot, 1586 was discoverd
Anthony Babington, a Catholic with links to the French,
wrote to Mary, Queen of Scots, in July 1586 about the
proposed plot. However, Mary was being closely watched
and her letters were being intercepted and read by
Sir Francis Walsingham. Once he had sufficient details
about the plot, including the names of six Catholics
prepared to assassinate Elizabeth, all involved were arrested
Babington’s significance
• Mary’s execution ended any hope of replacing
Elizabeth with a Catholic heir.
The Revolt of t h e Northern
Earls, 1569
The north of England was far away from London, and
therefore Elizabeth I and her court. The majority of
people living in the north of England remained loyal
to the old religion, Catholicism, and the ancient noble
families who had governed the north for centuries.
Both came under threat during Elizabeth l’s reign: she
introduced Protestantism and promoted ‘new men’
from the gentry and lower ranks of the nobility to some
of the most important government positions. In 1569,
Elizabeth faced a serious threat when some northern
earls led Catholic northerners against her.
Who was involved in the northen earls revolt
Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland
Charles Neville, Earl of Westmorland,
Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk,
Mary, Queen of Scots,
Jane Neville
Ann Percy,
The key events of the revolt
Shows how there was still a strong sense of catholism up north due to hosting a mass
From james pilkington
