The Catholic Threat Flashcards
What/when were the four main Catholic plots against Elizabeth?
- Ridolfi Plot (1571)
- Throckmorton Plot (1583)
- Jesuits (1580s)
- Babington Plot (1586)
What were the events of the Ridolfi Plot? (1571)
- Ridolfi (an Italian banker) planned for Spain to invade England
- Mary QoS would marry the Duke of Norfolk and overthrow Elizabeth
What were the events of the Throckmorton Plot? (1583)
- Throckmorton carried letters between French ambassadors and Mary QoS
- Planned to start an uprising in the north simultaneously to a French invasion
What were the events of the Babington Plot?
- Planned to kill Elizabeth and replace her with Mary
- Walsingham’s spies intercepted a letter from Mary QoS agreeing to the plot
What were the two consequences of the Throckmorton Plot?
- Evidence discovered after searching Throckmorton’s house
- Was unknown if Mary was aware of it or not
What were the three consequences of the Ridolfi Plot?
- Phillip II refused to invade before Elizabeth was overthrown
- Ridolfi and Norfolk were executed
- Mary Queen of Scots put under closer guard
- Elizabeth implemented harsher policies against Catholics
What were the two consequences of the Babington Plot?
- Mary was executed
- This angered Spain enough to send the Spanish Armada
What were Jesuits?
- Catholic missionaries who tried to persuade English people to convert
- Were smuggled into the country and hid in people’s houses (‘priest holes)
What were the two consequences of the influx of Jesuits into England during the 1580s?
- Increased recusants
- Increased opposition to Elizabeth
What were recusants?
Catholics who refused to attend Church to protest Elizabeth’s religious settlement
Why did all Catholic plots fail?
4 reasons
- Walsingham’s spy network
- Elizabeth’s policies
- Punishments
- Lack of foreign support
- Lack of a good alternative
Why did Elizabeth’s policies prevent Catholic plots from succeeding?
3 things
- Treason Act (1571) meant anyone who opposed Elizabeth as Governor or encouraged Catholicism would be punished by death
- In 1585 becoming a priest was punished by death
- In 1593 large gatherings of Catholics was illegal and they couldn’t travel more than 5 miles from their homes
Why was Elizabeth reluctant to execute Mary Queen of Scots?
Three reasons
- Divine Right of Kings (fellow Queen)
- Reaction from Catholics in England
- Foreign invasion (Spanish Armada)
When was Mary Queen of Scots executed?
1587 (one year after the Babington Plot)
Why did punishments prevent Catholic plots from succeeding?
- The punishments for treason was being hanged, drawn, and quartered
- These were often public, so everyone knew the consequences of opposing Elizabeth
- She even executed Mary Queen of Scots
- So people were too scared to rebel
Why did Walsingham’s spy network prevent Catholic plots from succeeding?
- All plots were discovered quickly by Walsingham
- Spy networks of thousands of people informed to him
- Interrogation (tortured on the rack)
- Intercepted letters (Babington Plot)
Why did the lack of a good alternative prevent Catholic plots from succeeding?
- Even people who were unhappy with Elizabeth, she seemed the best option
- Catholics were reluctant to have a foreign ruler like Philip or Mary Queen of Scots
- Few wanted to return to her sister Mary’s rule (burning Protestants)
Why did the lack of foreign support prevent Catholic plots from succeeding?
- France and Spain were reluctant to invade England
- The Pope tried to incite rebellion by excommunicating Elizabeth in 1570
What/when was the Treason Act?
- 1571
- Anyone who denied Elizabeth’s supremacy could be punished by death
What policy did Elizabeth implement in 1581?
Recusants paid £20 fine
Conversion to Catholicism considered treason
What policy did Elizabeth implement in 1585?
Becoming a priest considered treason
What policy did Elizabeth implement in 1593?
Large gatherings of Catholics illegal
Catholics couldn’t travel more than 5 miles from their homes
What was the trend with Elizabeth’s policies against Catholics over time?
Became increasingly anti-Catholic
