Queen Mary And The Armada

Question 1

How was Queen Mary of Scots related to Queen Elizabeth?

Answer 1

They were cousins

Question 2

What happened to Mary when Protestants deposed (removed) her from the Scottish throne?

Answer 2

She came to England in 1568, hoping for Elizabeth’s help

Question 3

What did Elizabeth do when Mary arrived in England?

Answer 3

Elizabeth kept Mary in comfortable captivity, but regularly moved her so that no one could plan her escape

Question 4

Who created the Throckmorton Plot of 1583?

Answer 4

The Pope, Phillip II of Spain and a French Catholic army devised a plan with Francis Throckmorton

Question 5

What was the aim of the Throckmorton plot?

Answer 5

The aim was to replace Elizabeth with Mary on the throne

Question 6

What did Walsingham and his spies do to Throckmorton and Mary when they discovered the plot?

Answer 6

After Walsingham and his spies discovered the plot they arrested Throckmorton but spared Mary, as they could not prove she was involved

Question 7

After the Throckmorton plot a Bond of Association was enforced. What did this mean?

Answer 7

A Bond of Association meant that anyone who plotted or who could gain from a plot to kill Elizabeth would be executed

Question 8

How did Anthony Babington communicate with Mary?

Answer 8

He put coded messages in barrels, where she was being held

Question 9

What was the Babington Plot?

Answer 9

Anthony Babington plotted to kill Elizabeth, so that Mary could take her throne. It is unclear if Mary agreed to this

Question 10

How did Walsingham find out about the Babington Plot of 1586?

Answer 10

One of his spies decoded a message, that stated the plot to kill Elizabeth

Question 11

What happened to Mary?

Answer 11

Mary was put on trial, found guilty of treason and was executed at Fotheringay Castle on the 8th of February 1587

Question 12

How did Elizabeth react to Mary’s execution?

Answer 12

She had singed Mary’s death warrant but had asked for it not to be sealed. She was furious when the execution had gone ahead anyway

Question 13

Why was Elizabeth reluctant to kill Mary?

Answer 13

• She was her cousin
• Could cause Catholic rebellion
• Could cause war with Catholic countries from Europe
• Monarchs were believed to be appointed by God. Killing Mary is arguably going against God’s orders.

Question 14

Who was King Phillip II of Spain?

Answer 14

He was a Catholic who viewed Elizabeth as a heretic. He had been married to her elder sister and wanted to restore Catholicism in England

Question 15

What happened between Phillip II and Elizabeth in 1559?

Answer 15

Elizabeth rejected Phillip’s offer of marriage. This angered him

Question 16

What did Elizabeth do against Spain in the 1570s?

Answer 16

Elizabeth supported pirates who attacked Spanish treasure ships in the New World

Question 17

What did Phillip do against Elizabeth in 1583?

Answer 17

Phillip supported the Throckmorton Plot to depose Elizabeth

Question 18

What did Elizabeth fear in 1584?

Answer 18

The Dutch Rebel Leader, William of Orange, was assassinated by a Catholic subject of Phillip II. Elizabeth feared this could happen to her

Question 19

What did Elizabeth do against Spain in 1585?

Answer 19

Elizabeth sent an army to help Dutch rebels fight against Spanish rule

Question 20

What did Phillip II do against England in 1587?

Answer 20

Phillip II prepared a fleet of ships- the Armada- to invade England. When Mary Queen of Scots was executed, Phillip was even more determined to succeed in his crusade against England

Question 21

Why did the Armada fail?

Answer 21

The Armada failed due to bad planning, bad luck and skilful English tactics

Question 22

What was the bad planning that made the Armada fail?

Answer 22

The Armada was supposed to pick up troops in the Netherlands and take them to invade England. But communication between the Armada and troops was impossible, so this never happened.

Question 23

Why did the Armada fail due to bad luck?

Answer 23

Strong winds drove the Armada Northwards, so that the English could attack.

Question 24

Why did the Armada fail due to skilful English tactics?

Answer 24

English vessels changed direction more easily. The English set ships alight and over night they drifted towards Spanish ships, causing them to catch on fire. These ships drove Spanish ships into the open sea. At the battle of Gravelines, English guns were reloaded more quickly.