The Revolt of the Northern Earls and the Extent of Threat to Elizabeth

Question 1

What did Westmoreland and Northumberland do and why did they do it?

Answer 1

Planned a rising because they were confident that Norfolk would rebel but they abandoned their plans once they heard that Norfolk surrendered

Question 2

Why was the Earl of Sussex in a difficult position once rumours of a rising emerged?

Answer 2

Because he was friends with Norfolk who was now a disgrace, was worried that Elizabeth would question his loyalties

Question 3

How did Sussex prove his loyalty to Elizabeth?

Answer 3

He decided to call Westmoreland and Northumberland into questionning, they claimed they were innocent, Sussex still remained cautious

Question 4

What did Elizabeth do against the advice of Sussex after suspicians of Northumberland and Westmoreland?

Answer 4

She ordered them to come to court in London, Sussex thought this would provoke a revolt

Question 5

How did the Earls respond to being called to London?

Answer 5

They feated what would happen if they went so they rebelled, they gained support while beginning to mass at Brancepeth Castle in county Durham

Question 6

Who gathered at Brancepeth Castle as well as the rebels?

Answer 6

Loyal gentry under the leadership of Sir George Bowes

Question 7

What did the rebels do at Brancepeth Castle?

Answer 7

They marched to Durham Cathedral to gain Yorkshire support where they celebrated Catholic mass and destroyed all signs of protestantism and then returned to Brancepeth

Question 8

What did rebels say in their proclamations at the castle and what did they do?

Answer 8

They described themselves as loyal subjects, marched to Bramham Moor - a strategic junction, a road that joined York to other towns and also linked London to the North

Question 9

Why did being at Bramham Moor pose a threat to the government?

Answer 9

Control of this junction meant they were a threat to York, an important centre of Northern gov, blocking gov troops from marching to or from London, could have rescued Mary

Question 10

How well equipped were rebels by late November?

Answer 10

3800 foot soldiers, 1600 horsemen - well equipped, Earl of Sussex only had 400 horsemen and 1500 footmen

Question 11

Why did Sussex stop communicating with London?

Answer 11

He thought rebels may intercept but eventually Lord Hundson got a letter to cecil saying rebels were advancing South and that they should move Mary

Question 12

How did the luck of the gov change on 24 November?

Answer 12

Decided to move to Brancepeth, due to rumours of royal army heading South and Mary being moved, Mary was moved to Tutbury

Question 13

How did rebels respond to the gov moving Mary?

Answer 13

They realised they couldn’t march South due to lack of support because the Earls weren’t well known in the South

Question 14

Which Earl remained loyal?

Answer 14

Earl of Derby, presented support in Cheshire and Lancashire

Question 15

What did rebels do after turning back from marching to Bramham Moor?

Answer 15

They besieged Barnard Castle in country Durham, other rebels marched East to capture the Port of Hartlepool, rebels thought Spain would support but they didn’t

Question 16

Where did the royal army reach on the 16 Dec?

Answer 16

Royal army reached the river Tees but rebel earls had disbanded their army and fled

Question 17

What happened on the 19 Dec?

Answer 17

Sir John Forster challenged rebels in Hexham - brief conflict, Northumberland fled to Scotland but laned in the pro English Earl of Moray regent

Question 18

What happened to Northumberland and Westmoreland at the end of the rebellion?

Answer 18

1572 - Northumberland returned to England and beheaded in York
Westmoreland escaped and remained in excile

Question 19

What did Lord Dacre do?

Answer 19

Professed loyalty to Elizabeth but was setting up his own army and was in correspondance with Mary, gathered forces of 3000 men

Question 20

What happened to Dacre on 15 Feb?

Answer 20

Arrested, Dacre battled Lord Hundson, 500 rebels killed or captured, Dacre escaped to Scotland and remained in excile

Question 21

Why could Durham be easily captured?

Answer 21

Important adminstrative centre for the North but not heavily fortified

Question 22

What had the Bishop of Durham done in Durham do?

Answer 22

Upset Catholic gentry, 794 rebels in the rising were from Durham, destruction of the banner reflecting local Saint Cuthbert caused Catholic resentment, attack on their beliefs

Question 23

What happened to the Council of the North in 1572?

Answer 23

Reorganised, Durham was now under direct council control

Question 24

What happend when Barnard Castle was seiged in Dec 1569?

Answer 24

• Very alarming, it guarded the river Tees, crown property, looked after by George Bowes, rallying point for those loyal to Elizabeth
• 5000 rebels seiged it, loyals close to starvation, 226 lept over walls, 150 loyals turned to Bowes and let rebels in

Question 25

What did Bowes do at Barnard Castle in 1569?

Answer 25

Bowes surrendered and he and his 400 men left, showed weakness and isolation of Elizabeth’s support, only temporary success for rebels, forced to flee 2 days later

Question 26

Why was the rebellion threatening?

Answer 26

• MQS put pressure on royal succession, had contact with Scotland and Catholic nobility
• NR had intent to put Mary on the throne
• Threat from Phillip of Spain
• Exposed weakness of monastic control

Question 27

Why wasn’t the rebellion threatening?

Answer 27

• Elizabeth did survive the rebellion, last rebellion in mainland England during her reign
• Didn’t spread to Cheshire/Lancashire despite strong Catholic sympathies- Earl of Derby
• Little support from South after Norfolk’s surrender, news of royal army was enough to disband

Question 28

Why did the rising have poor leadership?

Answer 28

• Lacked coordination
• Westmoreland had to be convinced by his uncle into the Norfolk-Mary marriage
• Northumberland needed persuading to even join the rebellion
• Disagreements

Question 29

Why was the gov response good?

Answer 29

• Gave local office to loyal protestant outsiders - John Forster, George Bowes, Lord Hundson remained loyal and helped end rebellion
• News of royal army prevented rebels from marching south
• Slow initially but threatening enough to scare rebels

Question 30

Why was there a lack of widespread support for the Northern Rising in England?

Answer 30

• No support from within England or abroad
• Earl of Cumberland not prepared to support
• Earl of Derby loyal despite Catholic sympathies
• John Sayer defended Barnard Castle
• Didn’t gain support like POG, only 5000 commoners

Question 31

Why was there a lack of international support?

Answer 31

• Phillip reluctant to help Mary due to French connections
• Lacked legitmacy - Elizabeth not yet ex communicated by Pope
• Pro English region of Scotland prevented Scottish invasion

Question 32

What stance did Elizabeth take on the rebellion?

Answer 32

She was shaken and wanted revenge - 8 other ringleaders executed, 700 ordinary rebels executed, Puritan Henry Hastings appointed as president of CoN