revolt of the northern earls

• the revolt of northern earls

  1569-70- key turning point in elizabeths reign
• why did the northern earls rebel

  • they wanted to make england catholic
  • they had lost most of there influence at court under Elizabeth resented Cecil and Dudley and Forster
  • elizabeths refusal to name an heir or marry and have a child created uncertainty
• the rebels

  • earl of northumberland (Thomas Percy and his wife)
  • earl of Westmoreland (Charles neville and his wife)
  • Duke of Norfolk (Thomas Howard )-planned to Mary queen of Scots
  • Mary queen of Scots was involved
• the plan


  Mary would marry Duke of Norfolk dispose of Elizabeth and become queen

  she told the Spanish ambassador in 1569 that she shall be queen in three months and that mass shall be said all over the country
• Robert Dudley told Elizabeth of the plot 


  leading to the Duke of Norfolk (Thomas Howard) arrest and imprisonment in the tower
• Northumberland and Westmoreland with there wives support continued with the revolt

  they took control of durham cathedral
• Elizabeth moved Mary to coventry to stop her escaping to join the rebels 


  support from spain never arrived
• why did the revolt fail

  • Support from Spain never arrived
  • many northern land owners stayed loyal
  • many landowners didn't want to risk wealth loss from backing a failed revolt
• the revolts significance


  • it showed Mary couldn't be trusted
  • the pope excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged further plots
  • the loyalty of English Catholics was in doubt and Elizabeth was harsher on them