To what extent were the Catholics a threat? Flashcards
(5 cards)
Catholics attitude towards the settlement
Many Catholics in England were not happy with Elizabeth’s Settlement. They had enjoyed religious freedom under Queen Mary, Elizabeth’s sister, and they were now being asked to change or deny their beliefs. Many couldn’t make this compromise and left to live in exile abroad. Others grudgingly accepted the new regime.
Papal Bull of Excommunication 1570
The pope had actively encouraged plots against her.
A formal proclamation issued by the pope, Pope Pius V declared that Elizabeth was a
heretic . However, the Pope had miscalculated. English and Welsh Catholics preferred to keep quiet about their religious beliefs and remained loyal to Elizabeth.
Parliament took no chances and in 1571 passed a series of Acts designed to protect Elizabeth from any consequences of the Papal Bull.
Treason Acts made it treason for anyone to say or write that Elizabeth was not the true Queen of England and Wales.
A further act made it illegal for anyone to bring any Papal Bull into England and Wales and carry out its orders.
Extend of catholic threat
1/3 of nobility and many gentry were recusants .
(“Recusants” refers to individuals who refuse to attend the services of the established church )
catholic nobility tended to be from traditional and powerful families.
Nobility in the north had always enjoyed freedom of independence from the crown.
Threat increased with pope instruction that Catholics should not go to church
papacy
The counter reformation meant that the pope was prepared to end protestant rule in England. Disagreed with steps Elizabeth took to supress Catholicism
Spain
In 1566, Dutch rebels revolted against Spanish rule. Although Elizabeth I of England publicly denounced the rebels (known as the Sea Beggars), many fled to England to escape Spanish persecution of Protestants in the Netherlands. These atrocities increased pressure on Elizabeth, as rebel ships attacked Spanish vessels in the English Channel, prompting tension with Spain.
Spain’s anger toward England intensified after England supported the Genoese Loan in 1568, where English ports sheltered ships carrying a loan intended for Spain, but Elizabeth claimed it belonged to Italian bankers instead. By 1570, Spain had firmly secured control over the Netherlands. This consolidation of power alarmed the English Privy Council, which began fearing a potential Spanish invasion because Spanish troops were stationed in the Spanish Netherlands, close to England. Additionally, Mary, Queen of Scots’ presence presented a further Catholic threat to Elizabeth’s Protestant rule, encouraging Spain to possibly intervene.
