Mary and marriage

Question 1

Why did Mary have to seek permission from the council to marry?

Answer 1

1. She is a woman
2. According to Henry’s will she had to.

Question 2

Who were Mary’s two options for marriage?

Answer 2

1. Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon;
2. Phillip of Spain

Question 3

What were the strengths and drawbacks of Edward Courtenay?

Answer 3

+ Decended from royal blood - Plantagenet
- No alliances with other nations
- Potential alienation of jealous nobles

Question 4

What were the strengths and drawbacks of Philip of Spain?

Answer 4

+ Can unite treaty/alliance with Hapsburgs
+ Familial ties
+ Catholic links
- Risk of losing crown - merging with Spain
- Drag into expensive foreign wars
- Unpopular with nobles and laymen - race issues.

Question 5

Who did Mary decide to marry and how did she do it?

Answer 5

She was determined to marry Philip of Spain. She ignored the opposition from the House of Commons and on December 7th 1553 a marriage treaty was presented to the council and approved in January.

Question 6

What are the strengths to this proposed marriage -for the Prince?

Answer 6

+ Prince shall enjoy jointly the style and honour of the king - shall happily administer England - preserving rights, laws, privileges and customs.

Question 7

What are the strengths of this proposed marriage - for the Queen?

Answer 7

+ The queen shall have total control of all offices, lands and revenues, and grant them to natural born Englishmen.

Question 8

What concerns were revealed from this Treaty?

Answer 8

• Phillip will control Englands land and money
• Phillip will only reward Spanish
• Money/armaments to be kept in England
• War - ‘not entangle in war’ - links to French peace
• Won’t uphold English traditions
• Could exploit marriage to advantage

Question 9

Why was it suggested that female rulers created unrest?

Answer 9

Rebellion broke out in January 1554, only 6 months after the Jane Grey affair was defeated.

Question 10

What did the rebels plan to do?

Answer 10

Marry Princess Elizabeth to the Earl of Devon. When the rebellion took place only Kent rose.

Question 11

What is the purpose of Thomas Wyatt’s proclamation?

Answer 11

It was an explanation of cause and request for help.
He achieves it by: ‘armed spaniards’, ‘seek no harm to the queen’ ‘intends to marry a foreigner’ ‘our health and wealth depends on it.’

Question 12

What did Wyatt’s proclamation suggest?

Answer 12

That the rebellion was about trying to prevent the marriage taking place. However there has been debate over this. Wyatt and others involved in the rebellion were Protestant.

Question 13

What did John Proctor suggest was the main motive behind the rising?

Answer 13

Restoration of protestantism but hidden by the arguments about ‘advancing liberty.’

Question 14

Proctor was writing for the government, who wanted to portray the rising and religiously motivated. Why might they want to do this?

Answer 14

To make Mary believe that if she reverts back to Catholicism then she will continue to experience uprising.
Aiming to avoid religious reform.

Question 15

How did Mary show her leadership skills?

Answer 15

Wyatt tried to raise the troops to defend the city and persuade Mary to flee the city but she refused.

Question 16

What did the contemporary’s record of Mary’s reaction suggest about Mary’s actions in defending Wyatt?

Answer 16

Non aggressive approach - to avoid giving him further support;
Heroic - pivotal in defending Wyatt;
She appoints Lord William Howard as Captain General.

Question 17

Why did the rebellion fail?

Answer 17

Mary persuaded the people of London to protect her, and although the rebels were able to get to London Bridge and the Tower of London, they were stopped at Legate and Wyatt surrendered

Question 18

Who did Mary execute?

Answer 18

Less than 100 laymen, Lady Jane Grey, her husband, Wyatt and Suffolk.

Question 19

How was this rebellion seen as a threat to Mary?

Answer 19

• Execute leaders of the rebellion as an example
• Executes LJG - fear of potential other rebellions and doesn’t need another figurehead
• Reach London
• Direct challenge to the Queen

Question 20

How was the rebellion not seen as a threat to Mary?

Answer 20

Her punishment of relatively few people; Not enormous force; Backed by the Londoners.

Question 21

What did the sources (Spanish Courtier letter and Simon Renard) show about the English attitudes to the Spanish?

Answer 21

Strong dislike of the Spanish; ‘The English hate us Spaniards worse than they hate the devil, and treat us accordingly.’

Question 22

What are the similarities in views about Spaniards?

Answer 22

• Mistrust of Phillip in relation to his appointment of Spanish men;
• Different religion (i.e Catholicism)

Question 23

What are the differences in views about the Spaniards?

Answer 23

• ‘Enslaved’ v control
• Protestant v ‘fearing God so little’ - no religion
• V - poor treatment of Spanish, W no detail on the Treatment of the Spanish

Question 24

What did Mary fail to secure and who did instead?

Answer 24

Failed to secure a Catholic succession, but next heir Elizabeth, did manage to successfully inherit, without challenge, upon Mary’s death.

Question 25

What divisions in the Privy Council created instability?

Answer 25

Divisions in the Privy Council about who Mary should marry; Gardiner - Earl of Devon and Paget - Philip of Spain.

Question 26

How did Mary increase the effectiveness of the Council?

Answer 26

1. Creating committees excluding casual councillors
2. Establishing an inner council (1555)
3. Paget’s domination post 1555 and the creation of the concillar government.