THIS IS FOR CATCH-UP NOTES / STUDENTS WANTING EXTRA SUPPORT AND IS NOT COMPULSORY OR EXPECTED.

1. Tudor England 1509-1603

□ 1.1 Growing criticism of the Church (Martin Luther)

The Medieval ChurchThere was only one religion in England: Catholicism. The head of the Catholic Church was the Pope, who lived in Rome (Italy). Religion was the most important part of people’s lives in England. People believed that their actions of Earth determined how long they would suffer in purgatory, before being sent to heaven or hell.

The Church was hugely powerful, both economically and politically. It owned over a quarter of England’s land and everyone paid a tax to the Church called a tithe. Those who could afford to would pay large amounts of money, called indulgences, to the church in an attempt to secure their place in heaven. Many clergymen also worked for the king and gave him advice. However, for the king, the Church would always remain a threat; their ultimately loyalty was to the Pope in Rome rather than the king of England.

Martin Luther

The process of criticism reached a turning point in 1517. A German monk and theologian called Martin Luther made a list of ninety-five reasons why he objected to the Catholic Church and its teachings. He nailed this to the door of a church in Wittenberg in Germany and it became known as ‘The Ninety-Five Thesis’.

Luther’s main criticism was of the way in which people were allowed to buy indulgences. Catholics believed that after death, their soul went to a place called purgatory, where it was purged or cleansed of its sins that had been committed on earth. If this process was successful, your soul would advance to Heaven. If this was not successful, went to hell. To speed up this cleansing process and ensure it was successful, people believed that they could ask the church to intervene on their behalf, either by saying prayers for them or by granting them an indulgence. What Luther objected to was the fact that the Catholic Church would allow people to buy these indulgences with money, rather than grant them based on good behaviour.

As Luther developed his ideas, others joined the debate. The movement became known as Protestantism, because Luther and his followers had protested against the teachings and behaviour of the Catholic Church.

King Henry VIII was a devout Catholic, attending Church three times a day. In the face of mounting criticism of the Church, in 1521, Henry wrote ‘The Defence of the Seven Sacraments’, which attacked Martin Luther and defended the teachings of Catholicism. Henry VIII also knew that as King, he was God’s representative on earth. The Pope rewarded him with the title ‘Defender of the Faith’. British coins still contain the letters FD to show that the monarch still holds this title.

How different were the beliefs of Protestants and Catholics?

Relationships with God: The Catholic Church taught that priests mediated between God and ordinary people, and that the Pope was God’s chief representative on earth. Protestants believed that it was up to individuals to find their own relationship with God.

The Bible:Differences in beliefs about relationship with God meant that Catholics and Protestants also differed in their beliefs about the language of the Bible. Both the Bible and church services had been in Latin for thousands of years. Priests could read Latin and would therefore act as an interpreter for ordinary people. Protestants believed that both the Bible and church services should be in English, so that everyone could understand them. This would reduce the power of priests.

Forgiveness of sins:Differences in beliefs about relationship with God meant that Catholics and Protestants also differed in their beliefs about who could forgive sins. Catholics said that the Pope and his clergy were the only ones who could forgive sins in exchange for a gift to the church. Protestants believed that only Jesus and God could forgive sins.

Saints:Catholics believed that saints could intervene on their behalf and help them get to heaven. Praying to saints, therefore, was important to Catholics. The Church could exploit this by charging people money to pray at certain places associated with saints, where their relics (bones, clothing etc) might be held. Protestants believed that saints were important but had no place in the relationship between people and God.

The appearance of churches:Differences in their beliefs about the role of saints also led to different beliefs about how churches should look. Catholics thought that churches should be decorated with paintings and statues of saints to help people worship them. Protestants, felt churches should be plain so that people concentrated on their own personal relationship with God.

Appearance and lifestyle of the priests:Because Catholics placed so much importance on the role of the priest as an intermediary between man and God, Catholics said that priests should wear special elaborate clothes to emphasise their importance and link with God. Priests had to remain unmarried and devote their lives to God. Protestants argued that priests were less important, because people should find their own relationship with God. Thus, if priests were ordinary people, they should wear ordinary robes and get married if they wanted to.

Church services: The Catholic mass and eucharist (communion) were very important services in Catholicism. Catholics believed that, during the Eucharist, the bread and the wine was transformed in the actual body (the bread) and blood (the wine) of Christ in a process called transubstantiation. Protestants argued that the bread and wine acted as a symbol of Christ’s body and blood, rather than turning into it.

□ 1.2 Henry VIII’s Break with RomeFactors:H = The desire for an annulment and male heirM = MoneyP = Henry’s desire for power (Royal Supremacy)R = Religious beliefs (Anti-clericalism and Protestant ideas)A = The influence of his advisors (including Anne)B = Factors beyond Henry’s control

Revision Task:

1) Who had Catherine of Aragon previously been married to?2) How was the marriage between Henry and Catherine agreed?3) Why was Henry worried about succession (who is going to succeed him to the throne)?4) Which quote from the bible did Henry use to support his fears about his lack of a male heir (a son)?5) What did Henry believe was the only way to end his marriage and have a son?6) Why was Henry not able to gain the support of the Pope for his annulment?7) Who did Henry fall in love with?8) Where and when was the case for annulment heard (and failed)?9) What event in 1532 meant that Henry needed to marry Anne as soon as possible?10) Who was Thomas Cranmer and what did he do?11) How did the Pope respond?12) What did Henry start to believe?13) Why was Henry disappointed in September 1533?

Challenge: In 1534, Henry declared himself Head of the Church of England, rather than the Pope. This was the start of the English Reformation (split between Protestant and Catholic). How far was Henry VIII’s desire for a male heir the main reason for Henry’s ‘break from Rome’ (split from the Pope)?

Paragraph 1 – PEE – One reason why Henry broke with Rome was because he wanted a male heir…. For example…. As a result…..

Paragraph 2 – PEE – Another reason why Henry broke with Rome was his infatuation with Anne Boleyn. For example…. As a result…..

Paragraph 3 – PEE - Another reason why Henry broke with Rome was growing criticism of the Catholic Church, also known as Protestantism and anti-clericalism. For example (Martin Luther) …. This helped Henry to justify his actions because…..

Paragraph 4 - PEE – A final reason why Henry broke with Rome was the role and intervention of his advisors. For example, in 1929, Wolsey failed to…… Then, Thomas Cranmer….. Church, also known as Protestantism and anti-clericalism. For example (Martin Luther) …. This allowed Henry to…..

Conclusion – I agree / disagree that the main reason for the ‘break with Rome’ was Henry’s desire for a male heir because……

The English Church was very wealthy, and most of its income went to the Pope in Rome. Henry, on the other hand, had spent most of his money fighting costly wars in France. If Henry were Head of the English Church, he could destroy the monasteries and take their wealth.

There was growing criticism of the wealth and practices of the Catholic Church, known as Protestantism. Specifically, some people were anti-clericals, who believed that members of the clergy and the Pope, were abusing their powers.

Henry needed a male heir to continue the Tudor dynasty. The Tudor claim to the throne had always been weak. His wife Catherine of Aragon had 6 miscarriages and 3 still-born children. Their only surviving child was a daughter, Mary. The last time that a woman inherited the throne (Matilda), there was a civil war!In 1525, Henry met a young lady at court named Anne Boleyn, who he became infatuated with. She refused to become his mistress, only his wife. Anne promised Henry that she could produce a son. Catherine was 40 and therefore unlikely to have any more children.

Henry became convinced that his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was sinful in the eyes of God, as she had previously been married to his brother. A verse in the Bible (Leviticus) says that anyone married to their brother’s widow will not have any children. He wanted to use this verse to ask the Pope for an annulment of his marriage.Catherine of Aragon refused to agree to an annulment, knowing that this would make her daughter Mary illegitimate. So, in 1527, Henry sent his Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey to see the Pope to ask for annulment on the grounds that it was illegal and that the previous Pope should not have issued a dispensation in the first place. The Pope refused his request to annul the marriage.Catherine asked her nephew, Charles V of Spain, for help. He was the most powerful king in Europe at the time. Charles V did not want to see his aunt embarrassed or treated unfairly. In 1527, Charles took invaded Rome (where the Pope lives) with his army. As a result, the Pope was highly unlikely agree to Henry VIII’s request for an annulment.Henry sought advice from his advisors, many of whom were sympathetic to Protestant ideas. Two of these advisors rose to power very quickly: Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer. In 1530, Henry become impatient; he arrested Wolsey for failing to get the annulment and replaced him with Cromwell.In 1530, Thomas Cranmer told Henry to seek advice from universities in Europe about the best way to achieve his annulment. Most university scholars were critical of the Church and suggested that Kings should have ultimate power rather than the Pope, since Popes were not mentioned in the Bible, only Kings. This was an appealing idea to Henry; if Henry made himself head of the Church in England then he could give himself an annulment and marry Anne.It is believed that Anne Boleyn gave Henry anti-clerical books that argued that the King should be the Head of the Church. Apparently, she even highlighted the exact pages for him!

In May 1532, Henry passed a law that forced all bishops to sign ‘The Submission of the Clergy’, making it illegal to argue that the Pope was more powerful than the Pope in England. This meant that Henry could get an annulment without having to ask for the Pope’s permission.

Anne Boleyn became pregnant in 1532. This sped up the need for an annulment. He married Anne in secret on 25th January 1533. On 23rd May 1533, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, granted the annulment.In May 1534, Henry passed the ‘Act of Succession’, declaring his marriage to Catherine illegal and therefore making his daughter Mary illegitimate. Only Anne’s children would be able to inherit the throne.

In November 1534, Henry passed the ‘Act of Supremacy’, which made himself ‘Supreme Head of the Church of England’ instead of the Pope. Anyone in England who denied this would be tried for treason (punishable by death).

Although Henry made himself Head of the Church, he did not change many Catholic practices. Services remained in Latin, for example, and he didn’t introduce an English Bible until 1538. For ordinary people, the way they worshiped didn’t change much.

□ 1.3 The Dissolution of the Monasteries

1. What was Cromwell’s job from 1535?

2. Describe Cromwell’s inspection of the monasteries.

3. What did his report to Parliament say about the monasteries?

4. Why were certain inspectors and lawyers chosen by Cromwell? (what were their views?)

5. How did Parliament respond to the report in 1536?

6. What do historians agree about the report and why?

7. What do many historians think is the ‘real reason’ for the dissolution of the monasteries?

KNOWLEDGE QUIZ1) What percentage of the English population lived in the countryside in 1500?[ ] 80[ ] 70[ ] 95[ ] 902) There was only one religion in medieval England until 1533. What was this religion called?[ ] Islam[ ] Protestantism[ ] Lutheranism[ ] Catholicism3) What is the name for the Head of the Roman Catholic Church (and therefore the Head of the Church inEngland until 1533)?[ ] Emperor[ ] Martin Luther[ ] The Pope[ ] King4) In 1517 Martin Luther openly criticised the Catholic Church in his 'Ninety- Five Thesis'. What was hismost important criticism of the Catholic Church?[ ] The fact that they were selling indulgences, rather than granting them for good deeds.[ ] The power of the Pope[ ] The worshipping of saints5) What is the name for the place in the afterlife (after you have died), where Catholics believed that theirsins would be purged or cleansed of their sins?[ ] Heaven[ ] Purgatory[ ] Hell6) Where does the Pope live?[ ] Barcelona, Spain[ ] Paris, France[ ] Rome, Italy[ ] London, England7) "The Tudor family had a strong claim to the throne when Henry VII (Tudor) took power in 1485". True orFalse?[ ] True[ ] False8) What was the name of the Civil War that took place in England between 1455 and 1485, as a result of asuccession crisis (when it's not clear who should be king)?[ ] The Battle of Bosworth[ ] Lancaster vs York[ ] The Wars of the Roses[ ] The Wars of the Banners9) Henry VIII was a physically- impressive, cultured and well- educated king who wanted to relive theglories of previous warrior kings and show off his wealth. What is the term we use to describe this kind ofking?[ ] A Tudor King[ ] A reckless King[ ] An ambitious King[ ] A Renaissance King10) Henry VIII's wife, Catherine of Aragon, had previously been married to his brother (who died). It wasagreed that Henry and Catherine could marry after the Pope had given his permission. What is the termused to describe the Pope's special permission?[ ] Indulgence[ ] Papal dispensation[ ] Purgatory[ ] Clergy11) How many living children had Catherine of Aragon given birth to by 1520?[ ] 1[ ] 6[ ] 3[ ] 2

12) What did Henry need to continue the Tudor line of succession (or Tudor dynasty)?[ ] A male heir[ ] A female heir13) Which book (section) within the Bible contained a passage that said that a man who married hisbrother's wife would be punished by not being able to have children?[ ] Leviticus[ ] Matthew[ ] Luke[ ] John14) In 1527, Henry asked the Pope to declare his marriage to Catherine legally invalid, so that he was freeto marry Anne Boleyn and have another child. What is the term used to describe what Henry asked for?[ ] An annulment[ ] A divorce15) Why was the Pope unlikely to grant Henry VIII the annulment in 1527?[ ] He was under the control of Charles V (Catherine's nephew!)[ ] He was morally opposed to the idea of annulment[ ] He didn't like Henry16) What did university scholars and Henry's advisers argue was the best way to achieve the annulment?[ ] For Henry to become 'Supreme Head of the Church' instead of the Pope.[ ] To go to war with Charles V17) Which Protestant- sympathising adviser helped Henry to change English laws, so that he was now Headof the Church of England (and not the Pope).[ ] Anne Boleyn[ ] Oliver Cromwell[ ] Thomas Wolsey[ ] Thomas Cromwell18) What did the 1534 Act (law) of Supremacy say?[ ] That Henry and Catherine's marriage was invalid[ ] That his daughter, Mary, was illegitimate and could not inherit the throne[ ] That the king was 'Supreme Head of the Church', not the Pope19) From 1536, Cromwell and Henry closed down most monasteries in England so that they could absorbtheir wealth. What is the term used to describe the process of 'closing' the monasteries?[ ] Corruption[ ] Dissolution[ ] Anti-clericalism[ ] Purgatory20) One reason for the dissolution of the monasteries was because of their wealth. What was the otherreason, using precise terms?[ ] Allegations of corruption and and clerical abuses[ ] Monks and nuns were behaving badly

□ 1.4 Edward VI: Religious changes and succession crisis

(P) Changes to the Church of England

(E) Description of changes made to religious doctrine and the way in which people worshipped.

(E) Explanation of how this would affect ordinary people, most of whom still followed Catholic practices in their everyday worship.

The banning of Catholic rituals and ceremonies (list at least two)The Chantries Act of 1547

The Act of Uniformity and the introduction of the new Prayer Book, 1549The Book of Common Prayer, 1552. (Include Calvinism in your answer) The Forty-Two Articles, 1553.

□ 1.5 Mary I: Religious changes and succession crisis

Blood Mary (BM) Unlucky Mary (UM)

Mary immediately changed the religion of England back to Catholicism. The Pope was once again Head of the Church, services were held in Latin and Edward’s Prayer Book was made illegal.

Mary burned 284 people to death during her reign. Apart from 5 bishops, 21 ministers and 8 noblemen, the victims were ordinary people (farmers, shopkeepers etc) who refused to worship as a Catholic.

Mary’s actions were similar to those in other countries. Mary’s father-in-law, King Phillip I of Spain, burned, beheaded or buried alive 30,000 Protestants during his reign.

Mary believed that people in England felt that same way as she did and resented the changes that had been made to religious life by her father and brother. She was wrong.

Lady Jane Grey (a teenager) was named the heir to the throne by Edward VI on his deathbed. When Jane was made Queen in 1553, Mary ordered her troops to march into London and arrest Jane. Mary promised not to execute her. However, in 1554, Mary ordered the execution of Jane, her husband and family.

Executing people for crime was very common in the 16th century. The punishment for stealing was hanging.

In 1554, around 3000 people marched to London to try to overthrow Mary. This completely failed because they did not have the support of the rest of the public in London, who stayed loyal to Mary. 120 rebels were hanged.

In 1553, Mary reinstated a law that made the punishment for heresy burning at the stake. She believed that it was her duty to save Protestant heretics, and this meant burning their evil bodies to allow their souls to find mercy at God’s hands.

Mary never forgot the way in which his father (and Archbishop Cranmer) manipulated religion in order to annul the marriage to her mother, Catherine of Aragon. Still a child, Mary was then separated from her mother and prevented from seeing her, even at her death.

In 1554 Mary married her cousin, soon to be King Phillip II of Spain, and brought him to England. English people did not approve of the marriage because he was Catholic; if they had a son, he would inherit both the English and Spanish thrones, and so England would effectively be ruled by Spain.

It has been suggested that Henry VIII executed as many as 72,000 people during his 37-year reign, including 500 Catholics.

Mary was probably influenced by her advisers, particularly Cardinal Pole. He was appointed to his position in 1555 and this is when the burnings began.

During Edward’s reign, her brother and his advisors had tried to persuade Mary to abandon her Catholic beliefs. He refused and continued to worship as a Catholic.

Mary had far more support in 1553 that Lady Jane Grey. People rejoiced and cheered at Mary’s coronation.

In 1556, Archbishop Cranmer was publicly burned at the state as a heretic. He had signed the document that gave Lady Jane Grey the throne on Edward VI’s deathbed. Mary hoped that high-profile burnings like this would frighten ordinary Protestants, but it actually made them more prepared to stand up for their beliefs.

Desperate for an heir to the throne, in 1555, Mary believed that she was pregnant. Sadly, it turned out to be a phantom pregnancy, which is when the body mimics the symptoms of being pregnant. This happened again in 1557, and her stomach even swelled. This time, she had cancer. She died childless in 1558, leaving the throne to her Protestant sister.

Mary was Henry VIII’s eldest daughter but declared illegitimate in 1533. Henry VIII reconciled with Mary towards the end of his reign and renamed her as next in line to the throne after Edward. So, she felt that it was her right to inherit the throne when Edward died, regardless of whether Edward had tried to write her out of the line of succession.

Mary had her half-sister Elizabeth (Protestant) imprisoned and interrogated in the Tower of London for two months in 1554. She then sent her to a palace in Woodstock, where she remained a prisoner for a year.

One of the first priests to be burned was John Rogers, who had translated the Bible into English.

Mary was the last Catholic monarch in England. Mary’s history has therefore been written by historians living in a Protestant country, so it is unlikely that they would write about her favourably. The burnings, for example, were all recorded in gory detail in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, in 1563.

□ 1.6 Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement

Both France and Spain were strongly Catholic countries and very powerful. They both had the support of the Pope.

Up to 8000 members of the clergy were considered to be Catholic in their beliefs, although they remained loyal to the Queen.

Mary I had burned 284 Protestants as heretics during her reign. Many people were eager to see Protestantism fully restored.

London and areas in the South East were strongly Protestant.

Catholicism remained strong in the North and West of England.

It was thought that up to a third of the nobility were Catholic.

The House of Lords was largely Catholic, whilst the House of Commons was largely Protestant.

Some Protestants who had fled abroad to Mary’s reign now returned to England. These ‘Marian Exiles’ had strong reformist views and opposed any compromise with Catholicism.

Members of Elizabeth’s Privy Council (advisors) were Protestant.

When Elizabeth came to throne, most Catholics expected (and feared) retribution for the burnings under Mary I’s reign.

Henry’s reformation had changed little in reality. Yet, between 1547 and 1558, the country experienced drastic changes in the way they were expected to worship.

The Pope expected Elizabeth to marry Phillip II and convert to Catholicism.

Use the word bank to fill in the blanks and complete the comaprison.

Poverty - Poverty was especially high in the countryside, caused by harvest failures and rising prices.

Succession - No-one knew who would be the next ruler or if Elizabeth would 'give up' some of her power and marry in order to produce an heir.

Weak rulers - The monarchs before her were Edward, who was a child, and Mary, whose reign was full of problems.

Foreign Policy - Elizabeth inherited a recent defeat in a war against France and the loss of Calais in 1558.

Religion - There was a danger that England would fall into a 'war of religion'. There was brutal conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Europe at the time.

Protestant (P) Catholic (C)

Protestant (P) Catholic (C)

Indulgences normal Pope Latin God

What was Elizabeth’s ‘middle way’ between Catholicism and Protestantism?

Elizabeth was Henry’s second daughter (by AnneBoleyn) and had been brought up as a Protestant. She tried to find a balance between Catholic and Protestant, a ‘middle way’: She changed church services back to English (pleasing Protestants). She allowed priests to marry again (pleasing Protestants). She called herself ‘Governor’ instead of Head of the Church (pleasing Catholics). The new prayer book had prayers in English (pleasing Protestants).

What did Elizabeth change? Who would this please, Catholics or Protestants (or both)?

Elizabeth made herself Governor of the Church of England rather than ‘Head of the Church’Churches had to be kept clean and in good repair. They can be decorated. Churches could be decorated and there could be music.

Priests should wear special robes.

________

______________

__________

___________

________

Bishops were allowed to stay in their jobs

Priests could get marriedServices and the Bible should be in EnglishEdward VI’s new Protestant prayer book was replaced

The bread and wine remained a part of the ceremony, but they would represent (spiritually) by the blood and body of Christ rather than become his body and blood (transubstantiation, part of the Catholic mass)Recusants were only fined for missing Church services rather than severely punished

Task: Fill in the blanks in the table to describe the changes that each monarch (king or queen) made to religion during their reign. Use the key word bank at the bottom of the table to fill in the blanks. These words can be used more than once.

Challenge: Which monarch made the most significant changes to religion during their reign, in your opinion? Explain you answer.

Henry VIII (1509-1547)

He changed his religion from Catholic to Protestant. However, he was a

Catholic at heart and not much changed in terms of every day services.

Henry made himself Head of the Church, replacing the Pope.

He introduced the bible in English. But he did not change church

services. Priests were not allowed to marry. The ‘Lord’s Prayer’ was introduced in

English but most others stayed in Latin.

Edward VI (1547-1553)

Edward was strongly Protestant.

He introduced a new prayer book

with prayers in English. Church services in were now held in English. He allowed priests to marry He destroyed church decorations.

Mary I (1553-1558)

Mary was Henry’s eldest daughter and had been brought up as a Roman Catholic by her mother, Catherine of

Aragon. The Pope was made Head of the

Church again. Church services were in Latin.

Priests were not allowed to marry. They had to part with their wives.

Protestants were persecuted. Edward’s new prayer book was

banned but the Bible remained in English.

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

Elizabeth was Henry’s second daughter (by Anne Boleyn) and had been brought up as a

Protestant. She tried to find a balance between

Catholic and Protestant, a ‘middle way’.

She changed church services back to English.

She allowed priests to marry again (pleasing Protestants).

She called herself ‘Governor’ instead of Head of the Church.

The new prayer book had prayers in English.

□ 1.7 Threats to the Elizabethan Settlement, including from Mary Queen of Scots

extremist religious groups opposed (against) her changes:

Extreme Catholics: Extreme protestants:

Recusants: These were Catholics who would rather be punished than attend Elizabeth’s church. She only fined them and took away their land to begin with.

The Pope told all Catholics that anyone who tried to kill Elizabeth will be carrying out God’s wishes! The Pope excommunicated her in 1570.

Jesuits: Some English priests were trained abroad to return to England to spread Catholic beliefs and even kill for these beliefs! They were paid by foreign Catholic countries, for example, Spain.

Spain: Spain threatened that they would try to invade if England didn’t remain Catholic.

Puritans (Extreme protestants) refused to attend her Church because they said it was too Catholic.

They spread strongly worded letters advising people not to attend her Church.

Some Puritans even received the death penalty for this.

To begin with, Elizabeth punished Puritans who would not attend her Church severely; many were arrested, imprisoned and even put to death.

However, the Catholic threat was far more significant. Many Catholics opposed the changes made by Elizabeth and so she was forced to pass more severe laws. It became an act of high treason for a priest to say mass or hear confession, or to give shelter to such a person. Most catholic priests were forced from the country, into hiding. This lead to the building of PRIEST HOLES in many catholic households, where a priest could hide should the army come searching for him. These were cupboards built behind panelling, up chimneys, under stairs or under fireplaces.

When Priests were caught, they were normally imprisoned, a few were executed, some were tortured. However, Elizabeth preferred to punish by fines, imprisonment or exile, as she knew how unpopular executions had made her sister, Mary. Yet, Elizabeth became more anti-Catholic as her reign went on. 162 Catholics were executed between 1577 and 1603.

So why was Mary Queen of Scots a threat?

When Mary Queen of Scots came to England in 1568 there were a number of Catholic plots. The plotters wanted to remove or assassinate Protestant Elizabeth and replace her with Catholic Mary.

Elizabeth now hit a problem. Her cousin quite clearly posed problems for her. If Mary was sent back to Scotland, from where she had escaped, she may well have been killed and Elizabeth would not accept that a queen (and family) should be treated in such a way. But by being in England, Mary might act as a spur (incentive, encouragement, rallying point) for Catholics to rebel.

Elizabeth's solution was to keep Mary, Queen of Scots, in prison. For the next 19 years, Mary was kept in safe custody in various castles and manor houses. In all this time, Mary never met Elizabeth.

Mary, Queen of Scots, did not help herself. She made it clear to anybody who would listen, that she felt that she should be the queen of England. In 1570, she received the backing of the pope. This meant that there was no reason why a Catholic should not assassinate Elizabeth because it would not be a sin as the pope had said that Mary should be queen of England. Mary was clearly becoming a major problem for Elizabeth and her advisors.

It took many years for the government to build up a case against Mary - even if such a case actually existed! This work was carried out by Sir Francis Walsingham. His spy network kept a close eye on Mary.

In 1586, a man called Anthony Babington devised a plot to kill Elizabeth, rescue Mary and then see her as the next queen of England. Babington wrote in code to Mary to explain what he was doing. Mary wrote back, stating that she agreed with what he was doing. Walsingham's spies intercepted both letters, but, because we know that Walsingham used underhand methods, we cannot completely trust that Mary had written this letter. Babington was arrested and charged with treason. In September 1586, Babington was executed. Now the government had a case against Mary. She was put on trial in October 1586 for treason (a crime against the monarch / trying to overthrow them).

□ 1.8 The Spanish Armada

The story of the Spanish Armada

In 1558 King Philip of Spain was angry. He was King of the most powerful Catholic country in Europe and had asked the protestant Queen Elizabeth of England to marry him. Elizabeth declined. Philip wanted to make England a Catholic country again just like Queen Mary had done. Philip was also beginning to realise that English sailors were stealing gold and silver from Spanish ships. He decided to teach England a lesson.

On 2nd July 1588 170 ships called the Armada, left Spain and sailed for England in a crescent shape. His aim was to invade England and remove Elizabeth from the throne. As they approached, they were spotted off the coast of Cornwall and beacons were lit all along the coast of England to warn people of a possible invasion.

On the 5th August the Armada stopped off in Calais, to collect 20,000 French troops, however, none turned up. Sir Francis Drake attacked the armada with fire-ships and the Armada was scattered into ones and twos.

The Armada tried to flee and travelled north over Scotland and then back down towards Ireland. A storm battered their ships as they struggled home. 26 Spanish ships were wrecked or sunk and 35 simply disappeared. 1000s of Spanish soldiers are killed. Those that manage to reach the shore are attacked by the Irish and the Scottish. Philip had failed.