The Spanish Match Flashcards
Why was Mary so anxious to marry?
- only way to protect the future of Catholicism = produce heir
- she was 37 and so had few childbearing years left
What jurisdiction did the Privy Council have over the marriage and why were they so concerned?
- Third Act of Succession required any marriage to have agreement of Privy Council
- marriage to foreign prince risked the country becoming the province of foreign power if Mary died and was succeeded by a male heir
Why was Courtenay considered personally unsuitable?
- held in prison from age 12 so lacked public social graces
- English noble marriage was considered potentially divisive
Why was Philip II considered such a good candidate? What was another concern of the Privy Council?
- relative
- good Catholic
- Spanish (she herself was half Spanish)
- enthusiastic about match that would link her to Charles V
- Phil already had an heir to continental territories
- Antwerp was England’s major trading partner and was in Habsburg territories
(PC = concerned about potential for becoming involved in Habsburg-Valois conflict)
When the engagement was revealed to the PC in November - what were the reactions?
- number were supportive (eg. Paget)
- Gardiner still pressed for Courtenay
- within a short time - Mary was faced with a deputation from PC and MPs urging her to reconsider and marry Courtenay (rejected by Mary)
Who worked out the terms of the marriage?
- Mary
- Paget
- Gardiner
- Renard
What were the terms of the marriage?
Phil crowned sovereign but…
- no independent sovereign authority
- English laws were not to be changed
- no foreigners allowed to hold any offices
- not allowed to take Queen/ heirs out of country without permission of Privy Council
Eldest child of marriage would inherit but…
- if no children, Elizabeth would succeed
- England would not be involved in Philip’s wars against its will (eg. they rejected in 1557 to be involved with war in France because they were dependent on grain supplies from them)
What was the purpose of the marriage contract?
- protect the throne and constitution of England
- try and gain popular support
- relieve concerns that the authority/ influence of the English nobility would be superseded by a Spanish king
When did Mary change her attitude towards war with France?
- French naval attack on Scarborough Castle
- Protestant dissident Thomas Stafford seized castle with weapons supplied by French
- provided a motive for war
- Mary reminded her PC that England was tied to treaty to defend Netherlands should it be attacked
What were the initial successes of England in the war with France?
- Channel cleared of fleet
- town of St Quentin captured, border of Scotland defended to prevent joint attack
What was the huge failure for England?
- failure of 1600 men against 27,000 French troops to defend Calais
Who was blamed for the loss of Calais? Was this fair?
- Philip for not sending reinforcements when asked
- English commanders
- no, in reality the victory was based on unusual circumstances, rather than limitations of English
Why was the loss of Calais such a failure?
- last territorial position on mainland Europe
- major blow to prestige
- important port and trading centre for England
Was the loss of Calais such a failure?
- arguably not
- England was relieved of the costs of garrisoning it (particularly burdensome in times of low revenues and high inflation)
Other than the programme of burnings, the loss of Calais or Wyatt’s rebellion - what was the greatest threat to Mary ability to secure England as a Catholic country?
- failure of marriage to produce an heir
- false pregnancy
- 1555: Philip had to leave to command armies
- further conceptions seemed unlikely
