The Revolt of the Northern Earls (Edexcel GCSE History)

The Causes & Consequences of the Revolt of the Northern Earls - Summary

As discussed in The Catholic Challenge to the Religious Settlement, the vast majority of recusancy occurred in the North of England. These areas contained a high proportion of Catholics and were geographically far away from Queen Elizabeth in London. This limited the power Elizabeth had over her northern subjects. 

The Catholic Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland were angry with Elizabeth. Under Mary I, they had gained wealth and power. Under Elizabeth, they no longer had influence in the royal court. Elizabeth favoured new nobles that did not stem from the ancient aristocratic families of England. These included Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and Sir William Cecil. 

In addition to vengeance on Elizabeth, they had an alternative monarch to rally behind. Mary, Queen of Scots had arrived in England in 1569 after fleeing the Protestant nobles in Scotland. The Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland had the perfect conditions to enact a rebellion.

Overall, the Revolt of the Northern Earls failed. Westmorland fled while Northumberland was executed in York. The revolt was incredibly significant to Elizabeth. It marked the first violent challenge to her reign. Her reaction against the rebels and English Catholics was severe. In an effort to stamp out further rebellion, Elizabeth increased Catholic resentment. This resulted in more plots to overthrow her.

Why Did the Northern Earls Revolt in 1569?

• The Northern Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland rebelled in 1569 because:

  • The earls had grievances with the rule of Queen Elizabeth I

  • Factors within England gave an ideal opportunity to depose Elizabeth

• The diagram below shows more detail about the factors that caused them to rebel:

The causes of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

Who Was Involved in the Revolt of the Northern Earls?

Key individuals in the Revolt of the Northern Earls 

How Important Was Religion in the Revolt?

• Religion was a significant cause of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • Large parts of the North of England were Catholic

  • In 1561, Elizabeth appointed James Pilkington, a devout Protestant, as the Bishop of Durham

    • Elizabeth hoped his appointment would reduce Catholicism

    • Pilkington became the most important clergyman in the North

    • Pilkington’s Protestant influence only turned more northerners against Elizabeth 

• Politics was an equally important factor in the Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • A rival Northern family threatened Northumberland’s status

    • The Forsters grew in popularity in the royal court

    • Elizabeth gave Sir John Forster the position of Warden of the Middle March. This was Northumberland's responsibility. The role was important as it defended England’s border with Scotland

    • Northumberland felt that the appointment of Forster undermined his power in Northern England. His relationship with Elizabeth never recovered

  • The Northern Earls hated the newer nobles in Elizabeth’s court

    • Cecil and Dudley’s influence in political matters increased rapidly

    • As they were Catholics, Northumberland and Westmorland became distrusted by Elizabeth and her advisers

The Issue of Succession and Mary, Queen of Scots

• The royal succession worried the Northern Earls and Elizabeth’s courtiers. This was because:

  • Elizabeth had no desire to name her heir

  • Elizabeth refused to marry

  • Elizabeth did not want to have children of her own

• Many in Elizabeth’s court feared that England would experience a civil war when Elizabeth died

  • If Elizabeth did not name an heir before her death, many people would claim to be in line to the throne

  • The claimants would fight to become England’s next monarch. This would cause fighting and division within England

• The Northern Earls believed that Mary, Queen of Scots could secure the royal succession if she became queen

  • If she married the Duke of Norfolk, any children they had would become heirs

• Westmorland and Northumberland’s plan to marry Mary to the Duke of Norfolk became known by many in Elizabeth’s royal court. The courtiers believed that Mary’s marriage to the Duke of Norfolk could be beneficial because:

  • They assumed Norfolk and Mary would raise their children in the Protestant faith

  • Elizabeth would be more willing to name Mary her heir. This would secure a Protestant monarchy after Elizabeth's death

• As the Northern Earls developed their plan, many courtiers began to see issues with its details

  • Elizabeth would have to consent to the marriage of the Duke of Norfolk and Mary. Elizabeth saw Mary as a threat. She wanted to control who Mary could marry

  • The royal succession was Elizabeth’s decision. Nobody could persuade her to name an heir

  • The Duke of Norfolk was a Catholic sympathiser. If he and Mary married, many Catholics would want Mary to overthrow Elizabeth

  • Mary's ambition was to become Queen of England before Elizabeth died. Spain’s ambassador to Elizabeth’s court reported to Philip II that Mary stated: “I shall be Queen of England in three months and mass shall be said all over the country!”

• In September 1569, Robert Dudley became aware of the plot and informed Elizabeth

• He informed Elizabeth that the plan for the revolt was that:

  • Westmorland and Northumberland would raise an army to take control of Durham

  • The rebels would march to London and combine with the Duke of Norfolk’s forces

  • Thousands of Spanish troops would land in Hartlepool to support the Northern Earls. They would attack anyone who tried to stop the revolt

  • The rebels would overthrow Elizabeth and her government

  • The rebels would release Mary, Queen of Scots from prison. She would marry the Duke of Norfolk and become Queen of England

The Key Events of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

• The Revolt of the Northern Earls lasted for two months and had the potential to succeed

Why did the Revolt of the Northern Earls fail?

• Northumberland and Westmorland’s revolt failed because:

  • The Spanish troops never arrived in Hartlepool

  • Elizabeth managed to raise an army of 14,000 men. This vastly outnumbered the rebels

  • Northumberland and Westmorland were poor military leaders. As soon as they heard the Earl of Sussex was marching towards them, they fled

  • The rebels were not unified on the plan. Some believed they were overthrowing Elizabeth, while others thought they were just freeing Mary, Queen of Scots

  • Elizabeth’s government did not panic. Her government prevented the rebels from capturing key areas such as York

  • Westmorland and Northumberland did not persuade the Catholic earls to rebel. Most English Catholics did not support or join the revolt

  • France, Spain and the Pope did not endorse the revolt

The Significance of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

• The Revolt of the Northern Earls was significant to how Elizabeth treated Catholics throughout her reign

• The table below shows the short- and long-term consequences of the Revolt of the Northern Earls

What Consequences did the Revolt of the Northern Earls have?