Religious Settlement

• What was the two laws Elizabeth passed in 1559?

  • Act of Supremacy, Act of Uniformity


  When Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558 her people were divided by religion. Her sister, Mary, had made Roman Catholicism the official religion of the country, but many of the people were Protestant. There was also a growing number of Puritans . Elizabeth had to find a compromise.
• The Act of Supremacy

  • This made Elizabeth the Supreme Governor of the Church, this took power away from the Catholic Pope in Rome.
  • Elizabeth title as 'Governor' implied she would not be so dictational and woulbd be more tolerant then her father.
  • This appeased Catholics and Puritans who were uncomfortable with the monarch as head of religion as well as head of state
• The Act of Uniformity

  • This made Protestantism England's official faith and set out rules of religious practice ad worship in a revised prayer book
  • This retained some Catholic traditions which Elizabeth hoped would make a good compromise and keep her people happy
• Explain the Act of Uniformity

  Updated version made in 1559

  Those who refused to attend Church of England services were forced to pay a fine of a shilling a week for not attending church on Sundays or holy days
• Explain the Act to retain the Queen’s subjects in their due obedience

  • Made in 1581
  • Catholics who were stilll refusing to attend servics in the Protestat Church were forced to pay an even bigger fine
  • Anyone found to have persuaded someone to convert to Catholiism was guilty of treason and could be put to death
• Why was there still fear of Catholic plots?

  • In 1570 the Pope issused a Papal Bull of Excommunication and actively encouraged plots against her
  • The main figurehead for such plotters was Mary Queen of Scots. She had a claim to the English throne, and was seen as a potential replacement for Elizabeth.
• What were the four big plots against Elizabeth in the 1570s to the 1580s?

  • Northern Earls' Rebellion
  • Ridolfi Plot
  • Throckmorton Plot
  • Babington Plot
• The Northern Earls' Rebellion - 1569

  • The Cathoic Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland hatched a plan
  • The plan was to get Mary Queen of Scots out of prision and on the throne
  • They gatherwd an army of 6,000 soldiers to ther attempt to retern England to Catholicism
• Elizabeth's action to the Northen Earls' Rebellion

  • Elizabeth found out about the plan and sent a huge army to crush the rebellion
  • Elizabeth put 800 rebels to death and the two Earls fled to Scotland
• The Ridolfi Plot - 1571

  • Roberto Ridolfi, an Italian banker planned to assassinate Elizabeth and make Mary Queen.
  • He had the support of King Philip II of Spain, the Duke of Norfolk and Mary Queen of Scots herself
• Elizabeth's actions to the Ridolfi Plot

  • The plot was uncovered by Elizabeths advidor, Cecil
  • Ridolfi and the Spanish ambassador were arrested and expelled from the country
  • The Duke of Norfold was executed
• The Throckmorton Plot - 1583

  • A Catholic man, Fancis Throckmorton, organised a plan for a French army to invade England and replace Elizabeth with Mary Queen of Scots
  • This was paid by the Pope and King Philip of Spain
• Elizabeth's actions to the Throckmorton Plot

  • Throckmorton was executed
  • Mary Queen of Scots was moved to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire, where she was held in isolation and allowed no visitors