The Catholic Threat

Question 1

Why and when does Elizabeth’s toleration towards Catholics end?

Answer 1

Early 1570s as they became more of a threat

Question 2

What were Jesuits?

Answer 2

Part of the ‘Society of Jesus’, they tried to destroy Protestantism and arrived in England in 1580

Question 3

Why did Elizabeth make the fine £20 to convert others to Catholicism

Answer 3

To stop the spread of Seminary Priests

Question 4

Who was William Allen?

Answer 4

He set up a college for priests in Douai
The priests (438) were sent to England
in 1585, they were ordered to leave and 98 were sentenced to death

Question 5

When was the Excommunication?

Answer 5

1570

Question 6

What did Parliament do in response to the Papal Bull?

Answer 6

They passed the 1571 Treason Act, made any reference to the Papal Bull illegal and took property away from Catholics that went abroad for longer a than year

Question 7

What were recusants?

Answer 7

Catholics who refused to attend church services

Question 8

What and when was the first Catholic Plot against Elizabeth?

Answer 8

The Rebellion of the Northern Earls (1569)

Question 9

What and when was the first Catholic Plot against Elizabeth?

Answer 9

The Rebellion of the Northern Earl (1569)

Question 10

When did Mary Queen of Scots arrive in England?

Answer 10

1568

Question 11

Who was Prince Francis of France?

Answer 11

Mary QoS first husband, died in 1560

Question 12

When was Mary QoS sent to France?

Answer 12

1548, she was educated in Catholic France

Question 13

When did Mary QoS return to Scotland and what happened?

Answer 13

She returned in 1561, Scotland had become mostly Protestant
In 1565, she married Henry Stuart who later fell sick
On the 9th of February 1567, Mary attended a wedding and the house was blown up yet Stuart’s body was strangled
Mary married the Earl of Bothwell 3 months after Stuart’s death
Protestant Lords thought this was too far and imprisoned her at Loch Leven castle
She escaped and arrived in England in 1568

Question 14

What was the cause of the Rebellion of the Northern Earls?

Answer 14

The arrival of Mary QoS in England
North of England was mostly Catholic
Wanted to marry Mary to the Duke of Norfolk

Question 15

Who led the Rebellion of the Northern Earls?

Answer 15

Earl of Northumberland and Earl of Westmoreland

Question 16

What happened during the Rebellion of the Northern Earls?

Answer 16

In November (1569), Earl of Westmoreland and Earl of Northumberland marched into Durham with 4600 men and held a Catholic mass in the Durham cathedral and tore up the Protestant prayer book
Elizabeth's troops marched north

Question 17

Why did the Rebellion of Northern Earls fail?

Answer 17

Elizabeth acted quickly
It was poorly planned
Many people still supported Elizabeth
Lacked foreign support

Question 18

What was the aftermath of the Rebellion of the Northern Earls?

Answer 18

Northumberland was caught and beheaded
Westmoreland fled to Flanders where he died in poverty
800 rebels were executed

Question 19

What and when was the Ridolfi Plot?

Answer 19

1571
Organised by Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine merchant who had settled in England
It involved Mary QoS, Robert Ridolfi, De Spes, the pope, Duke of Norfolk and Philip II of Spain
Planned to have a Spanish army invade England and overthrow Elizabeth and for Mary QoS to marry Duke of Norfolk

Question 20

Why did the Ridolfi plot fail and what was its aftermath?

Answer 20

William Cecil and Francis Walsingham foiled their plan
Norfolk was executed
Ridolfi and De Spes were expelled from England

Question 21

What and when was the Throckmorton Plot?

Answer 21

1583-4
Organised by Francis Throckmorton, French and Spanish Catholics wanted to free Mary
Throckmorton acted as the messenger between Mary and the Spanish ambassador, De Mendoza

Question 22

How did the Throckmorton Plot fail and what was the aftermath?

Answer 22

Plot discovered by Elizabeth’s secret service
Mary was moved to Tutbury Castle (further south away from Catholic north), banned from receiving visitors and her mail was checked
Throckmorton was arrested, tortured and executed
Mendoza was expelled from England

Question 23

Who was De Mendoza?

Answer 23

The Spanish ambassador

Question 24

What and when was the Babington Plot?

Answer 24

1586
Organised by Anthony Babington
Wrote in a code to Mary, informing her about the plot to kill Elizabeth and replace her with Mary with the help of Spain
The letters were intercepted by Walsingham and in August 1586 Babington was arrested and confessed

Question 25

What was the aftermath of the Babington plot?

Answer 25

Walsingham had proof to put Mary to death

Babington and 6 other plotters were executed

Question 26

When did Mary QoS trial take place?

Answer 26

October 1586 (found guilty)

Question 27

When did Elizabeth sign Mary’s death warrant?

Answer 27

1st February 1587 (she did not release it yet)

Question 28

When was Mary QoS executed?

Answer 28

Privy Councillors went behind her back and convinced Elizabeth’s secretary (William Davison) to take the death warrant to Fotheringhay
8th of February 1587 (it took 3 blows to sever her head)

Question 29

What were the consequences of her death?

Answer 29

Domestic Catholic threats stopped
France did nothing
Spain was already planning an invasion
King James VI blamed the Privy Council instead of Elizabeth and did not act