Walsingham & the Use of Spies in Elizabethan England (Edexcel GCSE History)

Sir Francis Walsingham and the Elizabethan Spy Network - Summary

The condition of Elizabethan England made a spy network necessary. Elizabeth had attempted to resolve religious tensions. She released her Religious Settlement in 1559. Many of her subjects accepted the Settlement. Some extreme Catholics attempted to restore Catholicism. They planned to overthrow Elizabeth and place Mary, Queen of Scots as the Queen of England. The plots of Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington affected Elizabeth’s security. 

The most important government role in the foiling of Catholic plots was the Secretary of State . Sir William Cecil held the position until 1573. The role was then given to Sir Francis Walsingham. Under Walsingham, England developed a spy network. The network intercepted, decoded and disrupted Treasonous plans against Elizabeth. 

Walsingham’s methods of investigation and interrogation stopped all attempts on Elizabeth’s life. It restored law and order to England and limited the influence of foreign Catholic powers.

Who was Sir Francis Walsingham?

• Under the reign of Mary I, Walsingham fled England

  • As a devout Protestant, he worried that his beliefs would lead to persecution or death

  • He fled to Padua, Italy and studied law

• After Elizabeth’s succession in 1558, he became involved in the government

  • He entered Parliament in January 1559

  • Walsingham’s time abroad had intensified his Protestant beliefs. He became a Puritan

• In 1568, he began to work for Sir William Cecil

  • Cecil asked Walsingham to speak to Italian and French immigrants in London. He wanted Walsingham to discover Catholic plots against Elizabeth

  • Walsingham’s time in Europe meant he was fluent in Italian and French

• Walsingham interrogated Roberto Ridolfi in the autumn of 1569 on suspicion of plotting to depose Elizabeth

  • Walsingham believed Ridolfi’s claims of innocence. In 1571, the government captured Ridolfi passing letters between the Spanish ambassador and Mary, Queen of Scots. The letters contained a plan to overthrow Elizabeth

• In 1573, Elizabeth asked Walsingham to become her Secretary of State

  • He had spent three years as the English ambassador to France

  • Walsingham’s Puritan faith meant he had the determination to fight all Catholic threats against Elizabeth

Walsingham's Spy Network

• Walsingham created a spy network in England

• Each section of his network had different roles and responsibilities

How did Walsingham organise his spy network?

The Importance of Walsingham

• Walsingham created a large and ruthless system of surveillance, investigation and punishment

  • He believed that he was only enacting the policy approved by Elizabeth

  • His network ensured that Catholic plots did not succeed in deposing Elizabeth

  • By the time of the Babington Plot, his spy network uncovered plots before the plotters had widely communicated them

• Walsingham became more severe on Catholics than Elizabeth wanted

  • Elizabeth reworded some of the Acts of Parliament. She only wanted Catholic priests to have the most serious punishments. She did not want to anger her Catholic subjects

  • Elizabeth delayed taking action against Catholic plotters. This is despite the overwhelming amount of evidence collected by Walsingham’s spy network

  • Walsingham’s Puritan beliefs made his methods seem more extreme  to Elizabeth

• The evidence provided by Walsingham persuaded Elizabeth to execute Mary

  • The government continually pressured Elizabeth to punish Mary after the Revolt of the Northern Earls

  • Walsingham’s network provided the government with enough evidence of Mary’s involvement in Catholic plots. Elizabeth could no longer avoid punishing Mary after the Babington Plot