Mary Queen of Scots (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Why Was Mary Queen of Scots a Legitimate Threat to Elizabeth? - Summary
Mary Queen of Scots was a constant problem during the early reign of Elizabeth I. This stemmed from the fact that she had a legitimate claim to the throne of England. Legitimacy was vital in Elizabethan England. The people believed God chose the monarch and bestowed them with Divine Rights. To have the approval of God, an heir's bloodline had to be ‘pure’ and fully connected to a previous monarch. If doubt about a monarch’s legitimacy existed amongst the population, they could face rebellion.
Mary Queen of Scots was a member of the Tudor royal family. Unlike Elizabeth, her parents had not divorced before or after Mary’s birth. This increased Mary Queen of Scots’ legitimacy. From the perspective of an English Catholic, Mary Queen of Scots deserved to be Queen of England. She was a devout Catholic. Mary, through marriage and birth, had claims to the Scottish and French thrones. English Catholics believed that Mary, Queen of Scots could restore England’s reputation as a European power.
Who was Mary Queen of Scots?
Mary was a direct descendant of the first Tudor King, Henry VII
This made Mary, Queen of Scots Elizabeth’s second cousin
Mary’s parents were James V and Mary of Guise
Mary became Queen of Scotland, in 1524, when she was six days old
In 1558, Mary married the heir to the French throne, Francis II
King Francis II died in 1560
Mary returned to Scotland
Mary was disliked in Scotland
She was a Catholic in a Protestant country
It was suggested that she murdered her husband, Lord Darnley
Mary was forced to leave Scotland in 1568
Mary left her infant son King James VI
Mary went to England to seek help from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I
Exam Tip
Although you would not necessarily be asked a question on Mary Queen of Scot’s background it is essential to understand this information. It will help you to understand why Mary is a threat to Elizabeth and why this threat caused so many problems for Elizabeth during her reign.
Why was Mary Queen of Scots a threat to Elizabeth?
Many English Catholics wanted Mary, Queen of Scots to be Queen of England
From 1553 to 1557, England had been under the Catholic rule of Mary I
In 1558, the majority of England’s population were Catholics
Many English Catholics believed Mary Queen of Scots was the rightful heir after Mary I’s death in 1587. She could continue strengthening Catholicism within England
Mary’s mother, Mary of Guise, was a member of a Catholic noble family from France
Her lineage gave Mary, Queen of Scots a powerful connection to France, whose power was rising in the 16th century
This connection to France would increase England’s strength and reputation in Europe
Mary Queen of Scots had the support of King Philip II of Spain
Philip wanted a Catholic monarch to rule England
He believed England should remain a Catholic ally of Spain after the death of his wife, Mary I
After Elizabeth rejected Philip II’s offer of marriage, Philip wanted Elizabeth deposed. Mary Queen of Scots was the logical successor to the throne if Elizabeth was removed
Mary Queen of Scots relationship with Elizabeth and parliament
Mary Queen of Scots’ arrival in England created many problems
Protestants feared the return of a Catholic queen
Approximately 300 Protestants were burned by Mary I during her reign
Many Catholics saw this as an opportunity to restore a Catholic queen to the English throne
Parliament and the Privy Council saw it as a threat to the security of the country and the queen
Elizabeth had to act, as Elizabeth could not allow Mary to be a free subject in England
Elizabeth’s possible choices for the arrival of Mary Queen of Scots in England
Elizabeth’s choice | Positive Outcomes | Negative Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Elizabeth could send Mary Queen of Scots back to Scotland | Scotland would become a stronger ally Remove a potential threat to Elizbaeth’s reign Reduce the Catholic threat in England | Mary Queen of Scots would likely be executed. Elizabeth did not like the idea of Mary, her cousin and a legitimate monarch being executed |
Elizabeth could allow Mary to go to France | Mary would not be killed | Mary could gain strength in France and try to take the throne from Elizabeth |
Elizabeth could remain in England under house arrest | Mary would be under constant surveillance | Mary would remain a threat in England Catholics could attempt to free Mary and use her in a plot against Elizabeth |
Elizabeth could execute Mary Queen of Scots | Remove a potential threat to Elizbaeth’s reign Reduce the Catholic threat in England Members of the Privy Council supported this idea | This could anger Catholics and they could plot against Elizabeth Foreign monarchs could invade England to seek revenge |
Elizabeth decided to place Mary Queen of Scots under house arrest
Mary remained under house arrest for 19 years
Mary was named in many Catholic plots during Elizabeth's reign
This resulted in the rules of Mary’s house arrest becoming stricter and surveillance increased
Many members of the Privy Council tried to persuade Elizabeth to execute Mary during those 19 years
The Babington Plot, 1586
Aims of the Babington Plot
In 1586, a young Catholic called Anthony Babington plotted to kill Elizabeth
Babington aimed to restore Catholicism to England by:
Killing Elizabeth
Rescuing Mary Queen of Scots
Placing Mary Queen of Scots on the throne
Babington needed to know if Mary would support the plot
Babington planned to write to Mary to seek her interest
Events of the Babington Plot
In July 1586, Babington wrote to Mary explaining his plot
Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, monitored Mary closely after the Throckmorton Plot
Walsingham wanted to catch Mary in the act of plotting
This would give Elizabeth the evidence needed to punish Mary
His spy network was intercepting Mary’s outgoing and incoming letters
Walsingham cracked the cypher that Babington and Mary used in their letters. He could use the cypher to decode the letters
Walsingham placed spies within Mary’s household. They persuaded Mary it was safe to communicate in secret letters. Mary placed the letters in beer barrels
Walsingham allowed Babington’s plot to develop
He wanted enough evidence to incriminate Mary in treason
He was waiting for Mary to send a letter that showed her full involvement in Babington’s plan
He needed to know the names of every Catholic accomplice in the plot
On 17th July 1586, Walsingham uncovered the evidence needed to prove Mary’s guilt
Mary wrote a letter to Babington. This letter is known as the ‘Gallows Letter’
Historians call this the ‘Gallows Letter’ because it ‘proved’ Mary’s guilt in treason and would result in her execution
Mary wrote to Babington that:
“Then shall it be time to set the six gentlemen to work”
The ‘six gentlemen’ were the men Babington chose to assassinate Elizabeth
Historians accept this shows Mary’s knowledge of the plot against Elizabeth
The Gallows Letter does not state Mary’s agreement to the plot
Babington learnt that the government had uncovered the plot
The government attempted to arrest Babington
Babington and two of his accomplices attempted to flee
Babington was eventually caught in Middlesex
Walsingham presented the evidence of Mary’s scheming to Elizabeth
The consequences of the Babington Plot
The consequences of the Babington Plot
Short-term consequences | Long-term consequences |
|---|---|
Elizabeth’s government captured and convicted Babington and his accomplices of high treason. In September 1586, they were hung, drawn and quartered | Elizabeth enforced even harsher punishments on English Catholics. She arrested 300 recusants in London. She executed 31 Catholic priests |
In September 1586, Elizabeth moved Mary, Queen of Scots to Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire. Fortheringhay was closer to Elizabeth in London. The Privy Council heard Mary’s trial for treason. The government declared her guilty | By 1586, England and Spain were effectively at war. Elizabeth sent English soldiers to the Netherlands to help the Protestant rebels. The prosecution of Mary worsened England and Spain’s relationship. Spain wanted to depose Elizabeth |
The execution of Mary Queen of Scots
Upon the discovery of Mary’s involvement, Elizabeth had to decide how to proceed with Mary Queen of Scots
Members of her Privy Council were demanding her execution
The Catholic threat continued, despite harsh laws
On October 1586, Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial for treason
Mary Queen of Scots was found guilty by 36 Nobelmen
She was sentenced to death on 25th October 1586
Despite Elizabeth’s initial concerns, Mary’s death warrant was signed by Elizabeth on 1st February 1587
Mary was executed at Fotheringhay Castle on 8th February 1587
Did the execution of Mary Queen of Scots end the catholic threat in England?
Although Mary Queen of Scots was no longer a possible Catholic heir to the English throne, she remained a threat even in death
English Catholics now had a martyr
Elizabeth was seen by some Catholics as a heretic who killed Catholic queens
Elizabeth showed the world that queens could be executed
This was potentially a dangerous idea to show to the Catholics of England
Scottish and French kings were outraged
However they did not act against Elizabeth
King Philip II of Spain was furious at Elizabeth
This caused Philip to speed up his plans for the Spanish Armada
Despite these issues after the execution of Mary Queen of Scots there was no more Catholic plots against Elizabeth
Many Catholics lost hope of a Catholic restoration with Mary’s death
Approximately 10% of the population were Catholic
Most people saw Catholicism as not English
Worked Example
How convincing is Interpretation A about how much of a threat Mary Queen of Scots was to Elizabeth I’s reign?
[8 Marks]
Interpretation A: Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster, History of England: From landing of Julius Caesar to the Present Day, written in 1898 “While Mary was in England, plot after plot was made against Elizabeth by Mary's friends, and by men who looked to her as their rightful queen. Whether Mary knew of these plots is uncertain... Letters were found... but there were many who said then, and many who still believe, that these letters were forgeries - that is to say, that they were written by Mary's enemies for the purpose of making people believe she was guilty.” |
Partial answer:
Interpretation A is convincing as it outlines how Mary Queen of Scots' presence in England was a threat to Elizabeth. The interpretation states “plot after plot was made against Elizabeth by Mary’s friends”. Mary Queen of Scots was named in several domestic and international, plots such as the Ridolfi and Throckmorton plots. Her associations showed that Mary’s presence in England was a significant threat to Elizabeth because she was included in these plots against Elizabeth’s reign.
Exam Tip
The answer above is a partial answer to an 8-mark “How convincing” question. When writing this answer, some students include the provenance in their answers. Any reference, or use of the provenance in this answer will not be rewarded and could limit your marks.
To prevent yourself from using the provenance in this answer you could:
Cross out the provenance
When revising, make sure you revise how to answer each of the questions
Plan your answer before writing
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