The marriage of Mary Tudor and Philip Flashcards
What was the first major political issue of Mary’s reign?
the question of whom she should marry
Who were the only two realistic candidates for Mary to marry?
Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon, supported by Gardiner
Philip of Spain, who was supported by Paget
Why was Courtenay a candidate?
he was descended from royal blood, as he was related to the Plantagenets, argued that this would have further helped to strengthen the Tudor Dynasty
Why was Mary’s preference for Philip?
marrying him would bring England closer to the Habsburgs, the family her mother was related to
When did Mary announce to the council that she wanted to marry Philip?
27th October 1553
Why could it be argued that the marrying Philip would benefit England?
he was powerful + would be able to protect Mary
Why were there concerns about the marriage?
serious concerns that the marriage would drag England into the Habsburgs wars –> bringing no benefit to the country
When was the marriage treaty approved by the council?
January 1554
When did the Wyatt’s rebellion break out?
January 1554
Why is the date of the Wyatt’s rebellion significant?
it broke out only six months after the defeat of LJG
can be used as further evidence of the unrest caused by a female ruler
Who were involved in the plotting of the Wyatt’s Rebellion?
members of the political elite
led by Sir James Croft, Sir Peter Carew and Sir Thomas Wyatt
these men all held offices under Henry VIII + Edward, but now feared they would lose influence & be replaced by Spaniards
What was the initial plan of the Wyatt’s Rebellion?
initial plan was for a four-pronged rising based in Devon, Leicestershire, the Welsh borders + Kent
only the one in Kent rose
What does Wyatt’s proclamation suggest the reasons for the rebellion were?
to prevent the marriage between Mary and Philip
protect liberty and the commonwealth
to give the queen better advice, but seek no harm
Why can the proclamation be viewed as not representing the real cause of the rising?
doesn’t mention religious motivations
Wyatt was a committed Protestant + the other conspirators had links with the reformed religion
Who wrote the only contemporary account of the rising, and why should it be treated with caution?
John Proctor
he was writing for the gov, who wanted to portray the rising as religiously motivated + divert attention from the unpopularity of the marriage
What was the rebels’ plan?
to marry Princess Elizabeth to Courtenay
Why was Wyatt forced to raise his force earlier than he had planned?
Courtenay disclosed the plan to Gardiner + planning was disorganised
How many men was Wyatt able to raise?
3000 men
Why was the situation serious for Mary?
Challenging her Royal Prerogative
not sure who to trust eg a royal force sent under Duke of Norfolk to confront the rebels deserted + joined Wyatt
(Whitecoats)
What was Mary advised to do?
advised to leave the city but she refused, rallied troops, speech at Guilford
What gave the government time to prepare?
Wyatt diverted to Cooling Castle on his way to London
What happened once the rebels reached the gates of London?
bound to fail
rebels were halted at both London Bridge and Tower, so crossed the Thames at Kingston
finally stopped at Ludgate where Wyatt surrendered
What did Mary do after the rebellion?
executed less than 100 of the commoners (cautious + fearful of further unrest or didn’t view it as a threat?)
Wyatt, Suffolk, LJG + her husband was executed
Croft was imprisoned but later released, Carew flew to France
Mary interrogated + imprisoned Courtenay + Elizabeth, later released
What is it important to remember when assessing the impact of Mary’s marriage on political stability?
the marriage didn’t take place until 12 months after Mary came to throne
after the marriage, Philip spent more time abroad than in the country–> at best Philip was a distant confidant
