KT2

• The Northern Earls Rebelled because...

  • They wanted England to be Catholic
  • Lost much of their influence under Elizabeth
  • Resented 'new men', such as Cecil, Forster & Dudley
  • Feared civil war and loss of power under a future Protestant monarch (as Elizabeth had no heir)
• Thomas Percy - Earl of Northumberland, major Catholic landowner
• Charles Neville - Earl of Westmorland, major Catholic landowner
• Thomas Howard - Duke of Norfolk, senior noble and Protestant with family links to northern Catholic families. Planned to marry Mary (as part of the plots)
• Revolt of the Northern Earls 1:

  1. Mary would marry D of Norfolk and become queen.
  2. Dudley informed Elizabeth of the plan
  3. 1st Nov 1569 D of Norfolk sent to Tower of London.
  4. The Earls created a rebel army (of workers on their land) and marched south
• Revolt of the Northern Earls 2:

  1. When they reached Durham, they stormed the cathedral, destroyed Protestant prayerbook and held Catholic mass.
  2. Failed to get more support from local nobles
  3. They went to York - Mary was moved further south.
  4. Elizabeth sent 10,000 men. The earls hoped that Spain would send troops (they didn't)
  5. Earls escaped to Scotland. Northumberland beheaded. 450 rebels excecuted
• The Revolt of the Northern Earls significance:

  • Mary couldn't be trusted
  • Pope excommunicated Elizabeth, 1570
  • Loyalty of England's Catholics in doubt
  • Elizabeth's control over north strengthened
• Roberto Ridolfi - Italian Banker who lived in England and was a spy for the pope
• Ridolfi Plot, 1571

  • Ridolfi arranged to murder Elizabeth, launch Spanish invasion & put Mary on throne
  • He discussed this with Pope, Phillip II & Dof Alba.
  • Dof Norfolk said he would lead rebellion if supported by Phillip II
  • Alba prepared army of 10,000 men.
  • Cecil uncovered plot, told Elizabeth & Ridolfi never returned to England.
• Ridolfi Plot Consequences:

  • Duke of Norfolk excecuted
  • Reinforced threat from Catholics
  • Reinforced threat from Spain
  • So, Elizabeth focussed on improving relations with France.
• Throckmorton Plot, 1583

  1. Plan was for French Dof Guise to invade, free Mary and overthrow Elizabeth.
  2. Funded by Phillip II. Throckmorton was a go between for Phillip & Mary.
  3. Walsingham uncovered plot by finding papers at Throckmorton's house.
  4. Throckmorton arrested & executed in 1584
• Throckmorton Plot Consequences:

  • TM's papers included list of Catholic sympathisers
  • Life became harder for Catholics - up to 11,000 were imprisoned/on house arrest.
• In 1585 an Act passed that meant helping/sheltering Catholic priests was punishable by death.
• Babington Plot, 1586

  1. Similar plan to Throckmorton plot
  2. Anthony Babington wrote to Mary with plans of the plot but the letters were intercepted.
  3. Babington & accomplices hung, drawn & quartered
  4. Mary found guilty by Privy Council (executed)
• Babington Plot Consequences:

  • Mass arrests of recusants - 300 in north London, 31 priests executed
  • Mary's execution meant no hope of Catholic heir
• Sir Francis Walsingham was Elizabeth's Secretary of State. He had a network of spies and informers which defeated plots and highlighted activities of Mary
• Walsingham has spies in every town as well as abroad - some were paid and trained by government or just people likely to know of plotters.

  He used ciphers (codes) for all correspondance
• Mary was executed because...

  • she was involved in many plots
  • Act for the Preservation of the Queen's safety - any action against Mary must be taken after she is found guilty & if E is assassinated M cannot be queen.
  • Rumours that Spanish troops had landed in Wales & Mary escaped were spreading
  • It was clear Phillip was planning an attack
• Mary's execution consequences:

  • large threat removed for Elizabeth
  • Phillip II had more reason to invade England
• Spanish policy in the Netherlands

  • The Netherlands had been Spanish since the

  1400s, but many Dutch became Protestant.

  • brutal campaign under Duke of

  Alba aimed to restore Catholicism.

  • Spanish Catholics executed many Dutch

  Protestants following the Council of Troubles

  (the ‘Council of Blood’) in 1568.

  • This angered many in E's government who now saw

  Spain as hostile and a threat to England & Protestants
• Sea beggars - Dutch rebel ships that were allowed safe passage in English ports
• Elizabeth provided financial support to those fighting the Spanish such as volunteers led by John Casimir.
• Elizabeth encouraged Sir Francis Drake to attack Spanish ships and colonies in the New World
• Elizabeth even proposed marriage to the Frenchheir, the Duke of Alençon, so he might bepersuaded to fight Spain in the Netherlands.
• By 1576, the Spanish government in the

  Netherlands found the war there unaffordable, which meant Spanish troops went

  unpaid. This resulted in the Spanish Fury,

  when Spanish troops looted Antwerp
• Pacification of Ghent (1576) - a document written up by all 17 Dutch provinces (Catholic & Protestant) that called for all Spanish troops to be expelled from the Netherlands
• However by late 1584:

  • Spanish control of Netherlands restored under the D of Parma

  • England’s allies, the Duke of Alençon and

  William of Orange, were dead

  • The Treaty of Joinville (1584) strengthened

  relations between Catholic France and

  Spain

  • Dutch Catholics were ready to make

  peace with Spain, strengthening Philip II’s

  position there.
• In the 1570s England and Spain were commercial rivals in countries such as Turkey, Europe, Russia, China and North Africa.
• In the early 1500s Spain conquered Mexico and Peru which meant they had control over tobacco and sugar cane as well as huge amounts of gold and silver.
• Those travelling to the New World required a license from Spain, however many English privateers went without one and traded illegally
• In one raid , in 1572, Drake captured £40 000 in Spanish silver.

  A second expedition between 1577 and 1580, involving Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe, resulted in the capture of a further £400 000 of silver and gold.

  Elizabeth knighted him in 1580 on the Deck of the Golden Hind
• Treaty of Nonsuch 1585 - promised to finance 7,400 soldiers to help the Dutch Protestant rebels fight the Spanish.
• Singeing of the King of Spain's Beard - on 19 April 1587 Drake attacked Spanish ships in Cadiz. In 3 days he destroyed 30 ships. Delayed Armada by 1 year
• Why did Phillip launch the Armada?

  • Religion (CvsP, Pope said anyone who takes part in Armada will be forgiven)
  • Provocation (Drake, Elizabeth's actions in Netherlands)
  • Politics (Treaties)
  • Circumstances (Acquisition of Netherlands & Portugal)
• Phillip's Fleet:

  • 130 ships
  • 30,000 men
  • Largest Fleet Europe had ever seen
  • Commanded by D of Medina Sidonia
• Elizabeth's fleet:

  • 24 Galleons - newer easier faster to manoeuvre
  • Canons mounted on smaller gun carriages (could fire more canons quicker)
• Spanish plan:

  Medina Sidonia's fleet would sail along the Channel to The Netherlands, where they would meet up with Parma's fleet and transport the troops to Kent. They would then attack London and establish a new Catholic government.
• The Armada:

  • 29 July – the Armada is spotted in the English Channel.
  • 31 July – Battle of Plymouth. Two Spanish ships are captured.
  • 3–4 August – Battle of the Isle of Wight. Spanish ships are outgunned by the English and forced to move further up the channel towards Calais.
  • 8 August – Battle of Gravelines. Fireships cause the Spanish to panic. The Spanish fleet never links up with the Duke of Parma and is scattered. Strong gales did most of the destruction.
• Why did the Armada fail?

  • English Naval Tactics
  • Poor communication of Spanish Dukes
  • Armada badly supplied
  • Superior English ships
  • Weather
  • Elizabeth listened to expert advice
• England's victory: consequences:

  • Great form of Propaganda
  • Elizabeth more popular
  • Encouraged Dutch rebels to renew their fight
  • Strength of English navy not in doubt