rebellions against elizabeth Flashcards
Northern earls rebellion
The Northern Earls were also strong Catholics and were upset at the interference of Elizabeth in their affairs from distant London. These factors, and the arrival of Mary, Queen of Scots in England in 1568, pushed them to the brink of rebellion. In 1569, Charles Neville (6th Earl of Westmoreland) and Thomas Percy (7th Earl of Northumberland) began to gather their forces. In November they rode into the fortress city of Durham with over 4,500 men, stormed the cathedral and destroyed the English Bible and Protestant communion table. A Catholic Mass was then celebrated – an act that was illegal in England and Wales.
Ridolfi
In 1571, Roberto di Ridolfi, an Italian Catholic banker, was accused of trying to arrange the marriage of Mary to the Duke of Norfolk, an English noble who was also Elizabeth’s cousin. The plan was for English Catholics to overthrow Elizabeth with help from Spain, for Mary to marry Norfolk and the country to be returned to Catholicism.
However, Cecil and Walsingham’s discovery of the plot led to the execution of Norfolk in 1572.
throckmorton
In 1582, Walsingham heard rumours of a plot involving some Scottish
Jesuits, the Spanish Ambassador de Mendoza and Mary. He discovered the link between them was a young English Catholic, Francis Throckmorton. Throckmorton was arrested and under torture confessed to a plot in which France and Spain would invade England, release Mary and make her queen. He was executed and Mary was moved to more secure accommodation at Tutbury Castle, being guarded by a strict
Puritan, Sir Amias Paulet.
babington
Walsingham’s spy network had been busy for over 15 years and in 1586, he was able to provide Elizabeth with proof of Mary’s direct involvement in a plot. A young English Catholic nobleman, Sir Anthony Babington, became the centre of a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and place Mary on the throne. Coded letters were discovered between Babington and Mary, offering to kill Elizabeth and keeping her informed of the progress of plot. Mary’s replies of acknowledgement were the proof Walsingham needed to directly implicate Mary in the plot.In August 1586, Babington was arrested and under torture confessed to the plot. He and six other plotters were executed, despite his offer of £1,000 to Elizabeth to spare him.
