Challenges to the rule of queen Elizabeth Flashcards
(23 cards)
Why did Mary pose a threat to Elizabeth?
A minority of Catholics supported the idea of Mary replacing Elizabeth as Queen of England, because they thought:
- Elizabeth was illegitimate and so felt she had no right to be on the throne. (Her father, Henry VIII, had divorced his first wife. Catholics didn’t recognise divorce and so viewed his second marriage to Elizabeth’s mother as illegal.)
- Mary would restore the supremacy of the Catholic Church and reverse Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement.
Mary’s connections to France, both through her mother and her first husband, also made Mary a potentially dangerous threat to England.
What should Elizabeth do with Mary?
- Getting Mary out of the country - sending Mary back to Scotland or France could backfire, allowing her to gather more support to challenge Elizabeth.
- Keeping Mary imprisoned – this would reduce the risk of Mary gathering more support back in Scotland or France and allow Elizabeth to keep tight control. But unlawfully imprisoning Mary could provoke international outcry and attacks anyway.
- Executing Mary – whilst this would remove the figurehead for Catholic challengers, it could also provoke international attacks and set a precedent for killing a queen.
In the short term Elizabeth decided to keep Mary as a closely guarded royal ‘guest’, moving her from castle to castle so she would not be the focus of plots.
what was Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary’s execution ?
- Elizabeth believed executing Mary, Queen of Scots, could lead to international backlash.
- Despite Mary being found guilty of treason, Elizabeth hesitated to sign her death warrant.
- Eventually, Elizabeth signed the death warrant but refused to submit it herself.
- Elizabeth’s secretary secretly submitted the death warrant.
- When Elizabeth found out, she was furious and had her secretary imprisoned in the Tower for 18 months.
- Elizabeth wrote a letter to King James apologising for the execution of his mother, Mary.
what were the consequences of Mary’s death ?
- France – fearing the might of Spain, they wanted to maintain their alliance with England.
- Spain - were already at war with England due to the action of the ‘Sea Dogs’ and events in the Netherlands.
- Scotland - King James VI was on the throne of Scotland, he was Elizabeth’s heir and so he took no action.
- English Catholics - remained loyal to Elizabeth.
How did the religious differences between Spain and England contribute to the tensions between the two countries?
Spain was a Catholic country and England a Protestant country – meaning that the two rulers had conflicting spiritual outlooks.
What role did Elizabeth’s rejection of King Philip’s marriage proposal play in escalating tensions with Spain?
King Philip of Spain had been married to Elizabeth’s sister, Mary I. When Mary died he offered to marry Elizabeth but she rejected him.
How did English piracy, particularly by Hawkins and Drake, contribute to the conflict with Spain?
English sailors like Hawkins and Drake attacked and stole treasure from Spanish ships in the New World. King Philip was furious but Elizabeth encouraged and rewarded adventurers.
How did the civil war in France affect the relationship between England and Spain?
- France was the traditional enemy of both England and Spain, meaning that they united together against the country.
- Now France was in civil war it was preoccupied with its own issues and no longer posed a threat – so the alliance between Spain and England was not necessary anymore.
How did Spain’s support for Catholic plots against Elizabeth contribute to the growing conflict?
There was evidence of Spanish support for plots to restore Catholicism to England, particularly involving getting Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne and Elizabeth off.
How did Elizabeth’s support for the Dutch rebels affect Spain’s relationship with England?
- Protestants in the Netherlands began a revolt against Spanish rule in 1572.
- Elizabeth secretly supported the Dutch rebels because she knew the Dutch revolt would keep the Spanish too busy to threaten England.
What was the significance of Elizabeth sending an army to help the Dutch rebels in the context of the England-Spain conflict?
Elizabeth sent an army to help the Dutch rebels fight Spain. For the first time English and Spanish armies were fighting each other. England and Spain were now at war.
Why were the Netherlands so important?
- Dutch Under Spanish Rule: The Netherlands was controlled by Spain, but England saw it as a key location for trade.
- Protestant Spread: By 1572, Protestant ideas had spread through the Netherlands, leading to the Dutch Revolt for independence from Catholic Spain.
- Spanish Response: King Philip II of Spain sent an army to crush the Dutch rebels.
- Elizabeth’s Involvement: After the death of Dutch rebel leader William of Orange, Elizabeth was asked to become Queen of the Dutch but refused. However, she sent an English army to assist the Dutch rebels in their fight against Spain.
- Dutch Victories: Throughout the 1590s, the Dutch gained several victories over the Spanish.
- Dutch Success: By 1609, after Elizabeth’s death, the Dutch Protestants succeeded in gaining control of Holland, securing their independence from Spain.
What led to the Spanish Armada’s invasion of England in 1588?
Religious differences: Spain (Catholic) vs. England (Protestant).
English interference in Spanish affairs, including piracy and supporting Dutch rebels.
King Philip of Spain aimed to overthrow Elizabeth due to these tensions.
Spanish Armada sailed towards England on 29 July 1588.
How did the Spanish and English fleets compare in size and strength during the Spanish Armada?
Spanish Fleet:
- 130 ships (64 battleships, 22 galleons, 45 merchant ships).
- 30,000 men on board and 20,000 soldiers on land.
- 2,000 large cannon (slow-loading, short range).
- Supplies for 6 months, no fresh food.
English Fleet:
- 200 ships (54 battleships, 140 merchant ships).
- 14,000 men on board and 20,000 soldiers on land.
- 200 smaller cannon (quick-loading, long range).
- Fresh food supplied daily.
How did the tactics of the Spanish Armada differ from those of the English fleet during the battle?
Spanish Tactics:
- Attempted to get close to enemy ships for boarding and capturing.
English Tactics:
- Used long-range cannon fire to destroy enemy ships from a distance, avoiding close combat.
What were the financial differences between Spain and England during the Spanish Armada campaign?
Spain:
- Annual income of £3 million.
England:
- Annual income of £300,000.
- Parliament granted taxes to boost England’s resources for the Armada defense.
what are the key dates of the armada campaign in chronological order ?
- 28 May 1588: Armada leaves Lisbon but delayed by storms.
- 21 July 1588: Armada re-sets sail for England.
- 29 July 1588: Armada sighted from Lizard Point, Cornwall – warning beacons lit.
- Chase through Channel: English ships follow, little damage to Armada.
- Anchors at Calais: Armada waits for Parma’s army; English send fire ships, causing chaos.
- Battle of Gravelines: English attack scattered Armada at close range – heavy Spanish losses.
- Retreat: Armada forced north around Scotland and Ireland – storms wreck many ships.
- Return to Spain: Fewer than half of the ships make it back – disastrous for Spain.
What were the casualty and ship losses for both Spain and England during the Spanish Armada?
- pain lost 51 ships and around 20,000 men.
- England lost 0 ships and only 100 men in direct fighting.
Despite this, thousands of English sailors later died from illness and poor conditions.
What were the consequences of the Spanish losses in the Armada for England?
- Huge Spanish losses were seen as a major English victory.
- Boosted Elizabeth’s image as a strong Protestant ruler.
- Reinforced belief that God was on England’s side (e.g. “Protestant Wind”).
- Increased national pride and weakened the image of Spain’s invincibility.
What leadership and planning weaknesses led to the failure of the Spanish Armada?
- The Spanish commander, Duke of Medina Sidonia, was inexperienced in naval warfare.
- His poor planning and leadership led to critical tactical errors.
- The crescent formation plan failed when English fire ships broke it up.
- The Armada failed to pick up reinforcements from the Duke of Parma’s army.
How did English strengths and weather contribute to the Armada’s defeat?
- English ships were faster and more manoeuvrable than the Spanish.
- English cannons could fire from a distance and reload quickly.
- Spanish ships were slower, had short-range, slow-firing cannons, and struggled in bad weather.
- The “Protestant Wind” (storms) scattered the Spanish fleet — seen as divine intervention.
Why was France a threat to Elizabeth early in her reign, and how did this change over time?
- Elizabeth inherited poor relations with France due to Queen Mary I’s alliance with Spain.
- England had lost Calais under Mary I — weakening English security and giving France full control of the northern coastline.
- France supported Mary, Queen of Scots, who had married the French king, creating a potential Catholic threat to Elizabeth.
- Elizabeth feared French retaliation if she executed Mary, Queen of Scots.
- A civil war in France (1562–1598) between Catholics and Protestants kept France too distracted to threaten England.
- Relations improved, and Elizabeth even considered marrying the French Duke of Alençon to strengthen ties.
- Despite Mary’s execution in 1587, France did not retaliate, and peaceful relations remained intact.
What caused the Essex Rebellion of 1601 and what happened?
- Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was once a close favourite of Elizabeth and became a Privy Councillor in 1593.
- Gained fame after successfully attacking Cadiz in 1596.
- His relationship with Elizabeth broke down when she promoted Cecil over him.
- Essex was sent to Ireland to crush a rebellion but disobeyed orders by making peace with the rebels.
- As punishment, he was banned from court and became financially ruined.
- In desperation, Essex attempted a rebellion in London in 1601 to overthrow Elizabeth’s government.
- He failed to gain support, was arrested, and executed for treason.
