Troubles at Home and Abroad

• Religious Differences (Belief):

  Catholic:

  • Authority of the Pope as the spiritual leader and ultimate interpreter of Christian Doctrine.
  • Salvation is achieved through faith, good works, and sacraments.
  • Seven sacraments

  Protestant:

  • Rejects authority of the Pope, the Bible is the sole source of authority.
  • Advocates salvation through faith alone.
  • Only achnowledges two sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist).
• Religious Differences (Worship):

  Catholic:

  • Use of Latin and rich visual symbols such as stained glass.
  • Believes in transubstunation (bread+water =body+blood)
  • Priests do not marry and wear distinctive vestments.

  Protestant:

  • Simpler worship services in English, focusing on preaching and scripture reading.
  • Views vary (consubstantion in Lutheranism, Symbolic interpretation in Puritanism.)
  • Often allow clergy to marry and wear only plain vestments.
• Religious Differences (Church Structure):

  Catholic:

  • Highly centralised structure led by the Pope in Rome.
  • Loyal to the Pope more than local monarchs.

  Protestant:

  • Decenteralised with lots of different views (Purital, Lutheran).
  • Aligned with monarchys independance from Rome, with the monarch as the head of the church (Royal Supremacy)
• The Act of Supremacy passed May 1559:

  • Re-established the break with Rome.
  • Elizabeth becomes the Supreme Governor of Church of England as she was a woman. Hoped Catholics would accept this as they would still consider the Pope the head. Puritans would not accept a woman as head of the church as women could not even be preists.
  • Church was to keep its structure of archboshops, bishops, preists, and monks.
• The Act of Uniformity passed May 1559:

  • Aimed to make belief clear to end quarrels between Catholics and Protestants.
  • A new Prayer Book was issued for all churches to use:
  • Plain bakers bread was to be used for communion, Mass was abandoned.
  • Elizabeth took out lines that denied the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist for Catholic.
  • Bible was written in English, servises were held in English.
  • Punishments were set up for clergy who did not use the new Prayer Book and fines established for those who refused to attend their parish church.
  • Clerical dress was to be as in the moderate.
• The Oath of Supremacy 1559:

  Elizabeth required all churchmen to swear an oath of loyalty to her as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, agreeing that 'no foreign power... ought to have jurisdiction in this realm'. All clergy had to swear to enforce the new prayer book.
• The Royal Injunctions issued July 1559 (Part 1):

  • Ordered clergy to preach against the Pope.
  • Called for the removal of all Catholic symbols from Churches.
  • Clergy had to wear Catholic Vestments at communion & a plain white surplice the rest of the time.
  • Condemned images, relics, and miracles associated with Catholicism.
• The Royal Injunctions issued July 1559 (Part 2):

  • 125 Protestant commissioners carried out inspections (visitations) pulling down images & replacing altars with communion tables. 250 Marian clergy were removed.
  • However, crosses & candles could be placed on the communion table
  • Wafers were to be used for the mass, not plain bread
  • The clergy could marry with the permission of the local bishop but Elizabeth was not comfortable with clerical marriage
  • Recisants were to be reported.
• Catholic Response:

  • Catholics who held public office were unwilling to accept Elizabeth as the Supreme Governor of the church were removed from office.
  • 250 (out of 9000) Preists refused to take the Oath of Supremacy and were removed.
  • There was no Catholic rebellion until the Northern Rebellion (1569)
  • The Pope Excommunicated ELizabeth in 1570, ordering all Catholics in England to refuse to follow her orders and remove her from the throne.
  • Most Catholics did not act on the Pope's orders, and remained loyal to ELizabeth.
• Threat of Puritanism (Religious Settlement):

  • Puritans, led by reformers like Thomas Cartwright (a professor at Cambridge in the 1570s), demanded the removal of Catholic rituals such as the wearing of vestments and the sign of the cross in baptism. They also criticized the hierarchical structure of the Church, especially the role of bishops.
  • Elizabeth refused to alter the settlement, arguing that it balaned unity and stability while affirming her control over religious matters.
• Threat of Puritanism (The Archbishop of Canterbury, Edmund Grindal):

  • Appointed in 1575, supported Puritan prophesyings. (informal clergy meetings for preaching).
  • Elizabeth suspended Grindal in 1577 for refusing to suppress these gatherings.
• Threat of Puritanism (Peter Wentworth):

  • A Puritan MP, delivered a bold speech in the House of Commons in 1576 defending freedom of speech for MP's, particularly on church reforms. In 1587, he attempted to introduce a parlimentary bill to reform the Church of England).
  • Wentwoeth was repeatedly imprisoned for his defiance.
• Threat of Puritanism (Separatists):

  
  

  The government passed an Act Against Seditious Secretaries (1593), enabling Elizabeth to crack down further on radical religious dissent.
• How did Puritans challenge Elizabeth?:

  • Robert Browne established a Separatist congregation in Norwich and Middelburg, Netherlands.
  • Barrow: Advocated for complete separation from the Church. He wrote inflammatory works, including A Brief Discovery of the False Church.
  • Greenwood: Helped establish illegal Separatist congregations in London.
  • Barrow and Greenwood were arrested in the late 1580s for their involvement in illegal religious gatherings and for publishing seditious writings.
  • Brown fled England but was allowed to return once he reconciled.
• Background of Mary Queen of Scots:

  • Infant Mary (6 days) was declared Queen of Scotland.
  • Mary was sent to live in the French Court in 1548.
  • At 15, Mary married Francis (Dauphin of France).
  • Mary returned to Scotland after Francis died (1561).
  • Married Henry Stuart in 1565 - Alienated Protestant nobles.
  • Gives birth to James.
  • Mary marries Earl of Bothwell.
  • Mary is foced to abdicate in favour of James VI.
  • Defeated at the Battle of Langside and seen as a threat to Elizabeth.
• The Northern Rebellion (1569):

  • 1559: Elizabeth made Protestantism the official religion in England. Angered Catholics.
  • 1568: MQS seeks refuge in England. Catholics see her as the rightful heir to the throne.
  • 1569: Northumberland and Westmoreland begin plotting to force Elizabeth to name MQS as her successor. Planned to marry MQS and Norfolk. - rebels march south but fail to get support. Elizabeths forces go north and rebels retreat.
  • Jan 1570: Northumberland is captured. Westmoreland flees to Scotland and later Netherlands. Norfolk is imprisoned for 9 months.
• The Ridolfi Plot (1571)

  • 1570: Pope exommunicated elizabeth. Enouraged Catholics to overthrow her.
  • (e)1571: Ridolfi begins plotting to replace Elizabeth with MQS. Secures support from MQS and Norfolk who agrees to marry Mary if succeeds. Phillip II agrees to send Spanish troops.
  • (m)1571: Cecil and Walsingham uncover the plot through intercepted letters and informants.
  • 1572: Norfolk is executed in June. Ridolfi escapes punishment but loses influence. MQS moved to custody of George Talbolt (Shrewsbury). Kept her at Sheffield Castle and later Manor.
• The Throckmorton Plot (1583):

  • Wider causes: Exommunicated Elizabeth. MQS captured.
  • (e)1583: Planned invasion of England by French financed by Phillip II and supported by Pope. Elizabeth would be captured and replaced by MQS.
  • April 1583: Throckmorton acts as messencher between MQS and Catholic conspirators abroad.
  • Nov/Dec 1583: Walsingham uncovers plot through interrogation. Throckmorton is arrested and confesses.
  • 1854: Bond of Association. Anyon who benefited from Elizabeths death wold be executed. MQS moved to Wingfield Manor.
• The Babington Plot (1586):

  • Wider causes: Bond of Association (1584).
  • June 1586: Babington begins conspiring to assacinate Elizabeth and place MQS on the throne. Babington writes letters to MQS detailing plot.
  • July 1586: MQS agrees to the plot. Walsingham intercepts and decodes letters.
  • Aug/Sept 1586: Babington is arrested and tortured into confessing. Are hung, drawn, quartered.
  • Oct 1586: Mary is put on trial.
  • Feb 1587: Elizabeth reluctantly signs MQS death warrant. Ordered Cecil not to execute her until final order. Cecil ignores and Mary is executed. Takes 3 blows of axe.
• Short Term Consequences of MQS execution:

  • International Backlash: Increased tension and lef to the Spanish Armada (1588).
  • Catholic Outrage: Portrayed Elizabeth as Protestant tyrant.
  • Elizabeths Guilt: Elizabeth claimed she was misled into signing Mary's death warrant.
  • Increased Threat of Rebellion: Hightened fears of further domestic rebellion. No large scale uprising.
  • Privy Council: W Cecil banished from court for 6 months. Led to R Cecil and Essex rivalry.
• Long Term Consequences of MQS execution:

  • Strengthened Protestant Rule. Mary's death removed a key catholic figurehead.
  • End of Catholic hopes for the Throne: Catholic aspirations for a Scottish-English Catholic monarchy faded.
  • Diplomatic Isolation: Increased reliance on Protestant allies.
  • Legacy of Regicide: Influenced future events like Charles I's trial.
• Conflict with Spain:

  • Religion - Philip wants to restore Catholicism in England.
  • Trade - Drake conquered Cacafuego and took 362,000 pesos.
  • New world - English expeditions clashed with Spanish forces.
  • Marriage - Elizabeth rejected Philip II's marriage proposal.
• Spain preparation:

  • Ships - Larger, slower, designed for boarding and close combat. Santa cruz had only 13 galleons among his Armada.
  • Leadership - Led by Duke of Medina Sidonia who lacked naval experience.
  • Resources - Approximately 8,000 sailors which was insufficient for the number of ships leading to slower and less effective operations.
• England's preparation:

  • Ships - Focused on long range artillery rather than boarding. By 1588, the navy was made up of 34 ships, (25 were streamlined galleons).
  • Leadership - Led by experienced naval commanders like Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, and Lord Charles Howard.
  • Resources - Around 14,000 experienced sailors, ensuring smooth ship operations and effective use of tactics.
• Events of the Spanish Armada:

  1. Armada spotted at Lizard Point. Chain of beacons to inform London.
  2. British stuck in Plymouth. Armada sailed past Plymouth.
  3. English left Plymouth and were ahead of Spanish.
  4. Spanish want to set up base at Isle of Wight but forced to keep sailing towards Netherlands.
  5. English set 8 ships on fire, forcing Spanish to scatter. Spanish able to reform and keep going.
  6. Battle of Gravelines. English won, Spanish forced to sail back around Scotland and Ireland.
  7. Spanish were running out of supplies. Less than 1/3 of armada made it back to spain.
• Reasons for Victory:

  Tactics:

  • English ships were faster and more manoeuvrable.
  • 8 fire ships make Spanish panic and scatter.

  Weather:

  • Storms lost Spain 14 ships as they had to return home.
  • Only 92/127 ships returned to Spain at the end.

  Leadership:

  • Santa Cruz died and replaced by Medina Sidonia who had little naval experience. Got sea sickness.
  • Drake and Howard had good knowledge of naval routes and weather and warfare experience.
• Consequences of Spanish Armada:

  • Seen as a triumph for Protestant England.
  • Foundation for British Empire.
  • Undermined Philip II's ability to maintain control.
  • Weakened Philip II's authority.
  • Reinforced Protestantism in England.
  • Worsened tensions between Protestant and Catholic powers.
  • Threat of invasion faded.