Mary, Queen of Scots

How was Mary related to Elizabeth?

Cousin

Where did Mary spend most of her early life and why?

France - There was Violence and instability in Scotland

What was her religion?

Catholic

When did Mary return to Scotland? Why was she seen as a foreigner?

1561 (after Francis II died) - Scotland was going through a Protestant Reformation

Why did Mary pose a threat to the English Throne?

Elizabeth had no heir, so Mary was a potential heir. Mary was very keen to assert her claim - Liz suspicious of her.

Who did Elizabeth suggest Mary she marry? Why?

Dudley - Elizabeth would have more control over her.

Who was Mary’s 2nd husband and why did this infuriate Elizabeth?

Married her cousin, Lord Darnley (also descendent of Henry VII). It was deigned to strengthen Mary’s claim to the Throne.

Why did Mary’s marriage to Darnley fail? What was the result of this?

• He was a violent drunkard

• When murdered after 2 years, suspicion rose that Mary had a hand in the crime

• Rumours strengthened when Mary promptly married Earl Bothwell (who was also suspected of arranging murder)

• Civil war broke out - Mary was forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son (James VI Scotland)

When did Mary flee to England?

May 1568

Why didn’t Elizabeth want Mary in England?

• pro-French

• Catholic

• potential heir

• Those who questioned Elizabeth’s legitimacy considered Mary to be rightful Queen

• Mary could act as focus for Catholic resistance

Where did Elizabeth keep Mary in order to limit any threat she might pose?

House Arrest in the Far North and Midlands, far away from coast, London and Scotland

What rebellion did Mary’s arrival in England trigger?

The Northern Rebellion, 1569

Give an account of the lead up to The Northern Rebellion:

• Plot started as Court Conspiracy

• Duke of Norfolk resented William Cecil’s power as Elizabeth’s Chief Minister - felt his political talents were under-rated by Elizabeth. Also Catholic sympathiser and disapproved of Cecil’s unfriendly policies towards Spain.

• Norfolk planned on marrying Mary in order to set her up as heir and as a way of gaining more influence and weakening Cecil’s position

• At this stage, there were no plans of removing Elizabeth as Queen

• He enlisted the help of some courtiers and 2 of Liz’s councillors: Sir Nicholas Throckmorton and Robert Dudley (he was keen to reduce Cecil’s power)

• Dudley felt guilty and confessed to Elizabeth and Cecil - once this happened, Norfolk fled court

• He was captured and imprisoned and begged for forgiveness.

• Despite Norfolk ordering his fellow conspirators not to carry out the plan, there were still rumours of an uprising.

• Therefore, Elizabeth summoned Earl of Northumberland and Earl of Westmoreland to court as they were catholic and she suspected them of disloyalty.

• This actually pushed the Earls into rebellion

In what ways did the rebels succeed during the Northern Rebellion?

• 9 November 1569 - Northumberland and Westmoreland join forces in Brancepeth Castle and church bells rang out to call people to rebel

• The rising involved nearly 5000 rebels who moved through the north of England

• They illegally heard mass in Durham Cathedral on 14 November

• They then headed south and soon most of the land east of the Pennines was in rebel hands

• Earl of Sussex (president of the Council of the North) struggled to raise an army on Elizabeth’s behalf in order to deal with rebellion

• By December, the rebels had captured Barnard Castle, as well as port of Hartlepool, where they expect Spanish reinforcements to arrive, as promised by Spanish Ambassador.

How and why did the rebellion collapse?

• Spanish help never appeared as they weren’t keen on pro-French MQS.

• Earls poorly planned the rebellion - never reached the south - didn’t mobilise their forces properly and they had no coherent strategy

• Most English Catholics and nobility remained loyal to Elizabeth - Pope hadn’t yet issued the Papal Bull (excommunication of Elizabeth) - had this already happened, English Catholics may have gotten more involved.

• Key northern towns - Berwick, Pontefract and York - were held by the government.

• Rumours of strength of royal army moving north encouraged rebels to retreat.

• 19 December - after short battle, rebels retreat to Scotland.

How were the Rebels punished?

• Elizabeth strengthened control by reorganising Council of the North and confiscating the lands of rebels.

• Around 450 rebels executed

• Westmorland escaped to France

• Northumberland betrayed by a Scottish clan - beheaded at York in 1572.

• Privy Council ordered execution of Norfolk, but (out of family loyalty) decided to have him imprisoned in Tower of London for 9 months.

What was the Ridolfi plot and what made it dangerous?

1571:

• Robert di Ridolfi - catholic Italian banker from Florence who lived in London

• Plot aimed to restore catholicism in England - dangerous as in 1570 Elizabeth was excommunicated by the Pope, meaning that English Catholics were free to rebel

• Plot involved MQOS, the Pope, Phillip II and Duke of Norfolk.

• Elizabeth would be assassinated and replaced by Mary, Queen of Scots:

  • 6000 Spanish troops would land at Harwich, Essex, Led by Duke of Alba.

  • This would hopefully prompt a rebellion - Ridolfi optimistically estimated that half English nobles would be catholic and around 40,000 men would be assembled

  • Once Elizabeth murdered, Mary would marry Duke of Norfolk - Mary agreed to this as she knew Liz wouldn’t release her and Norfolk accepted as he was keen to regain power after being in power

How was the plot uncovered and what were the consequences of it?

Elizabeth’s intelligence network discovered the conspiracy:

• Ridolfi was abroad when this happened so escaped persecution

• De Spes, Spanish ambassador, expelled from England

• Norfolk arrested and found guilty of treason - Parliament pushed for his execution - after much reluctance and indecisiveness (Norfolk was England’s only Duke and her cousin) Elizabeth signed Norfolk’s death warrant, and he was beheaded in TOL June 1572.

• Parliament pushed for Mary’s execution - Elizabeth refused to consider it

What was the Throckmorton Plot?

1583:

• Plan hatched for a French Catholic force, backed by Spanish and Papal money, to invade England

• MQS again central to the plot - she was to be freed from house arrest and there was to be a Catholic uprising involving the Jesuits, seminary priests and English Catholic population

• Elizabeth would be captured and murdered - Mary would be installed as Queen

• Francis Throckmorton acted as the intermediary between Mary and the Spanish ambassador

• Walsingham discovered the plot and tortured Throckmorton into confessing after surveilling him for 6 months

What was the significance of the plot?

• Bond of Association was established - anyone associated with a plot against Elizabeth wouldn’t be able to benefit from her death in any way

• Throckmorton convicted of high treason and executed in 1584

• De Mendoza expelled from England - no more spanish were to be in England from that point onwards

• Lack of evidence meant that Mary was relatively unscathed

• Walsingham determined to find some hard evidence against Mary in order to deal with her for once and for all

Give an account of the lead up to the Babington Plot

• Mary moved to Tutbury Castle then Chartley hall

• not allowed any visitors and her letters were checked - Paulet was a very strict jailor

• These harsh conditions not only acted as further security measures - they were intended to spur her to rebel - she was cut of from the world, lost her social life, her son, her health was deteriorating and she was obese

What was the Babington Plot?

• Mary began a secret correspondence with French ambassador Sir Anthony Babington

• He had been recruited jesuit priest John Ballard to help organise a new plot

• Letters were written in code and were smuggled in and out of Chartley - Walsingham knew all about them

• Walsingham allowed the letters to be sent in order to let the plan pan out - double-agent Gilbert Gifford intercepted letters, which were sent to be deciphered by Thomas Phelippes

• The letters would be sent to the destination

• 17 July 1586 - Mary wrote coded letter approving of the plot - following month Babington was arrested - 1586 he and 6 other conspirators were hung, drawn and quartered

When did Mary go on trial for treason?

October - found guilty

When did Elizabeth sign Mary's death warrant?

February 1587 amid rumours of spanish landing in Wales and Mary's escape

What was Elizabeth's response to Mary's execution?

\-She was furious at her council and secretary (William Davison) as she had not given permission for the warrant to be sealed.

\-Also was wracked with guilt as she had committed regicide

What were the consequences of Mary's execution?

\-She was a martyr to English catholics (although no Catholic rebellion followed)

\-caused displeasure abroad - annoyed King Phillip II, James VI Scotland and brother in law King of France