Failure of Rebellions Against Elizabeth

• Spies:

  • huge network quickly identified threats
  • Walsingham as spymaster
  • network dealt with threats quickly
• Unconvincing alternatives:

  • most people preferred the rule of Elizabeth over a foreign catholic, like MQoS or Phil
  • Mary was not generally trusted, having been widely blamed for her husband's death
  • Phillip showed little interest in the country
  • lack of a popular alternative monarch meant that most rebellions could not gain wide support
• A skilled politician:

  • Elizabeth was good at making sure she got her own way
  • Dealt with parliament with great skill, making sure MPs felt that had influence while maintaining that she had the final say
• Religious settlement:

  • religious policies kept most of the country happy
• punishment:

  • E rarely showed mercy to those who disobeyed her
  • even executed her cousin MQoS and her former favourite, the Earl of Essex