EARLY ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND REVISION
UNIT 2:
The FOUR plots against Elizabeth’s reign
(1569 - 88)
REVOLT 1: The Northern Earls [1569]
North of England = far from London, still CATHOLIC
A plan for Mary, Queen of Scots to marry the DUKE OF NORFOLK = depose Elizabeth, to
become queen + restore Catholicism - PROBLEM: members of nobility needed the queen’s
permission to marry.
WHO:
Earl of Northumberland [Catholic] - Thomas Percy
Earl of Westmoreland [Catholic] - Charles Neville
Duke of Norfolk [Protestant]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
Jane Neville and Anne Percy = wives of Earls, forced rebellion
Robert Dudley - told Elizabeth of the plot, leading to Duke of Norfolk’s arrest and
imprisonment in the Tower of London (1st November, 1569) = not killed
Progress of the Revolt
Duhram: took control of the Durham Cathedral, celebrated mass + destroyed any evidence of
Protestantism
Marching South: beared banners with religious symbols [5 wounds of Christ]
Elizabeth moved Mary, Queen of Scots to COVENTRY = stop her escaping and joining the rebels
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Support from Spain = never arrived, Elpizabeth raised an army of 14,000 men:
OUTNUMBERED
- Many Northern landowners, remained loyal to Elizabeth
- Earl of Northumberland - army began to desert = no pay, not wealthy = lost mine - Elizabeth
RESULT
450 rebels = EXECUTED - terrify the rest of England + prevent another rebellion
Earl of Westmoreland = escaped
Earl of Northumberland = beheaded
Duke of Norfolk = released from prison
Mary, Queen of Scots = kept in a prison [nobleman’s house] - cannot be trusted
Can’t kill her = QUEEN - “chosen by God”
SIGNIFICANCE
- 1570: POPE - signed a “Papal Bull” = excommunicating Elizabeth
encourages all Catholics = plot AGAINST her [commit treason]
- LOYALTY of Catholics is in doubt - forces GOVERNMENT to take harsh steps against them
- Elizabeth’s control over the North of England = strengthened
- Neville and Percy families = lost their power and influence
- Treason laws = harsher - extended to calling them “heretic”
It was the first and most serious, rebellious act by English Catholics against Elizabeth I.
How did the Revolt explain Mary’s execution? How did the Revolt NOT explain Mary’s
1587 execution? 1587
As long as Mary was held in captivity in England, The rebels did not come close to achieving their
there will be Catholics who would rebel against aims
Elizabeth, in order to free Mary and restore
Catholicism
Elizabeth must have felt threatened in order to Another 18 years before Mary was executed, not a
execute many of the people involved major part in explaining her execution
, REVOLT 2: The Ridolfi Plot [1571]
Arranged a plot to murder Elizabeth, launch a Spanish invasion in ENGLAND and put Mary, Queen of
Scots on the throne. - As the Revolt of the Northern Earls, plan: Mary to marry the DUKE OF
NORFOLK.
WHO:
Ridolfi = Italian banker from Florence, POPE’s spy [Catholic]
POPE
Duke of Norfolk [Protestant]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
King Philip II of Spain [Catholic]
Duke of Alba [Catholic]
1571: Ridolfi left England to discuss the plot with the POPE, King Philip II of Spain and Duke of Alba
With a letter signed by the Duke of Norfolk, declaring he was Catholic and would lead the
rebellion if King Philip supported it
King Philip told Duke of Alba to prepare 10,000 men to send to England if necessary
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Sir William Cecil: uncovered the plot and gathered enough evidence to prove Duke of
Norfolk was guilty of high treason, by Autumn 1571
Ridolfi was abroad + never returned
RESULT
Duke of Norfolk = executed [June 1572]
Mary, Queen of Scots = Elizabeth did not take action - executing Mary would further anger
English Catholics and possibly unite France and Spain [Europe’s two big Catholic
monarchies], against her
SIGNIFICANCE
- Confirms that English Catholics and Mary, Queen of Scots, remained a threat to Elizabeth
- Passes anti-Catholic laws, recusants = fired
- Reinforced that Spain was a threat, Philip II would support any plots against Elizabeth
England had to improve relations with France - couldn’t fight both at once
REVOLT 3: The Throckmorton Plot [1583]
French Duke of Guise, planned to invade England, free Mary, overthrow Elizabeth and restore
Catholicism. Throckmorton was to act as a go-between Mary. The POPE also knew, and approved.
WHO:
French Duke of Guise - Mary’s cousin [Catholic]
Francis Throckmorton [English Catholic]
POPE [Catholic]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
King Philip II of Spain [Catholic]
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Sir Francis Walsingham [Elizabeth’s Secretary of State] = uncovered the plot
Found incriminating papers at Throckmorton’s house [including a list of Catholic
sympathisers, fear of English Catholics was the real enemy]
RESULT
Throckmorton = arrested [1583], tortured, confessed + executed [1584]
Mary, Queen of Scots = moved to Tutbury Castle, held in isolation and was allowed NO visitors
SIGNIFICANCE
- GOVERNMENT treated English Catholics was greater suspicion
Up to 11,000 were imprisoned, kept under surveillance or house arrest
Many fled after the plot
- Act of Parliament 1585 - helping/sheltering Catholic priests are punishable with death
UNIT 2:
The FOUR plots against Elizabeth’s reign
(1569 - 88)
REVOLT 1: The Northern Earls [1569]
North of England = far from London, still CATHOLIC
A plan for Mary, Queen of Scots to marry the DUKE OF NORFOLK = depose Elizabeth, to
become queen + restore Catholicism - PROBLEM: members of nobility needed the queen’s
permission to marry.
WHO:
Earl of Northumberland [Catholic] - Thomas Percy
Earl of Westmoreland [Catholic] - Charles Neville
Duke of Norfolk [Protestant]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
Jane Neville and Anne Percy = wives of Earls, forced rebellion
Robert Dudley - told Elizabeth of the plot, leading to Duke of Norfolk’s arrest and
imprisonment in the Tower of London (1st November, 1569) = not killed
Progress of the Revolt
Duhram: took control of the Durham Cathedral, celebrated mass + destroyed any evidence of
Protestantism
Marching South: beared banners with religious symbols [5 wounds of Christ]
Elizabeth moved Mary, Queen of Scots to COVENTRY = stop her escaping and joining the rebels
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Support from Spain = never arrived, Elpizabeth raised an army of 14,000 men:
OUTNUMBERED
- Many Northern landowners, remained loyal to Elizabeth
- Earl of Northumberland - army began to desert = no pay, not wealthy = lost mine - Elizabeth
RESULT
450 rebels = EXECUTED - terrify the rest of England + prevent another rebellion
Earl of Westmoreland = escaped
Earl of Northumberland = beheaded
Duke of Norfolk = released from prison
Mary, Queen of Scots = kept in a prison [nobleman’s house] - cannot be trusted
Can’t kill her = QUEEN - “chosen by God”
SIGNIFICANCE
- 1570: POPE - signed a “Papal Bull” = excommunicating Elizabeth
encourages all Catholics = plot AGAINST her [commit treason]
- LOYALTY of Catholics is in doubt - forces GOVERNMENT to take harsh steps against them
- Elizabeth’s control over the North of England = strengthened
- Neville and Percy families = lost their power and influence
- Treason laws = harsher - extended to calling them “heretic”
It was the first and most serious, rebellious act by English Catholics against Elizabeth I.
How did the Revolt explain Mary’s execution? How did the Revolt NOT explain Mary’s
1587 execution? 1587
As long as Mary was held in captivity in England, The rebels did not come close to achieving their
there will be Catholics who would rebel against aims
Elizabeth, in order to free Mary and restore
Catholicism
Elizabeth must have felt threatened in order to Another 18 years before Mary was executed, not a
execute many of the people involved major part in explaining her execution
, REVOLT 2: The Ridolfi Plot [1571]
Arranged a plot to murder Elizabeth, launch a Spanish invasion in ENGLAND and put Mary, Queen of
Scots on the throne. - As the Revolt of the Northern Earls, plan: Mary to marry the DUKE OF
NORFOLK.
WHO:
Ridolfi = Italian banker from Florence, POPE’s spy [Catholic]
POPE
Duke of Norfolk [Protestant]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
King Philip II of Spain [Catholic]
Duke of Alba [Catholic]
1571: Ridolfi left England to discuss the plot with the POPE, King Philip II of Spain and Duke of Alba
With a letter signed by the Duke of Norfolk, declaring he was Catholic and would lead the
rebellion if King Philip supported it
King Philip told Duke of Alba to prepare 10,000 men to send to England if necessary
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Sir William Cecil: uncovered the plot and gathered enough evidence to prove Duke of
Norfolk was guilty of high treason, by Autumn 1571
Ridolfi was abroad + never returned
RESULT
Duke of Norfolk = executed [June 1572]
Mary, Queen of Scots = Elizabeth did not take action - executing Mary would further anger
English Catholics and possibly unite France and Spain [Europe’s two big Catholic
monarchies], against her
SIGNIFICANCE
- Confirms that English Catholics and Mary, Queen of Scots, remained a threat to Elizabeth
- Passes anti-Catholic laws, recusants = fired
- Reinforced that Spain was a threat, Philip II would support any plots against Elizabeth
England had to improve relations with France - couldn’t fight both at once
REVOLT 3: The Throckmorton Plot [1583]
French Duke of Guise, planned to invade England, free Mary, overthrow Elizabeth and restore
Catholicism. Throckmorton was to act as a go-between Mary. The POPE also knew, and approved.
WHO:
French Duke of Guise - Mary’s cousin [Catholic]
Francis Throckmorton [English Catholic]
POPE [Catholic]
Mary, Queen of Scots [Catholic]
King Philip II of Spain [Catholic]
WHY DID IT FAIL?
- Sir Francis Walsingham [Elizabeth’s Secretary of State] = uncovered the plot
Found incriminating papers at Throckmorton’s house [including a list of Catholic
sympathisers, fear of English Catholics was the real enemy]
RESULT
Throckmorton = arrested [1583], tortured, confessed + executed [1584]
Mary, Queen of Scots = moved to Tutbury Castle, held in isolation and was allowed NO visitors
SIGNIFICANCE
- GOVERNMENT treated English Catholics was greater suspicion
Up to 11,000 were imprisoned, kept under surveillance or house arrest
Many fled after the plot
- Act of Parliament 1585 - helping/sheltering Catholic priests are punishable with death
