Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Babington Plot, 1586 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
How did the Babington Plot Challenge Elizabeth? - Summary
The Throckmorton plot caused an increase in catholic persecution in England. Elizabeth and her government passed another Act of Parliament in 1585. It stated that any subject who helped or sheltered Catholic priests would face the punishment of death. Over 11,000 Catholics were arrested or kept under surveillance. Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, wanted to catch Mary, Queen of Scots in the act of plotting. The unveiling of the Babington Plot was very different to the Ridolfi and Throckmorton plots. The government knew about the plan from the beginning. Historians state that Babington heard of the plan from a Catholic priest that Elizabeth’s government had under surveillance. With this advantage, Walsingham collected substantial evidence of Babington’s and Mary’s involvement in the plot. The Babington Plot became the last significant Catholic scheme against Elizabeth. Walsingham convinced Elizabeth to prosecute Mary for high treason. This eliminated Mary as a threat to Elizabeth and the English throne. |
What Happened in the Babington Plot?
Who were the key individuals involved in the Babington Plot?
Key Individuals in the Babington Plot
Name | Job title | Role in the Babington Plot |
|---|---|---|
Anthony Babington | A page to the Earl of Shrewsbury | Babington had links to France. He carried letters to Mary throughout the 1580s when she was in the Earl of Shrewsbury’s custody. His Catholic friends encouraged him to become involved in more serious plotting. He wrote to Mary to gain her support for the plot |
Mary, Queen of Scots | The exiled Queen of Scotland | Elizabeth had imprisoned Mary after she fled Scotland to England in 1569. She approved of the plan. She wanted the Duke of Guise to invade England, allowing her to become Queen of England |
The Duke of Guise | French nobility | The Duke of Guise was Mary’s cousin. His role was to invade England with 60,000 men, free Mary and restore Catholicism in England |
Phillip II of Spain | King of the Spanish Habsburg Empire | Philip hated Elizabeth as she rejected his marriage proposal and changed England’s religion to Protestantism. He supported the plan which also had the Pope’s blessing |
Details of the Babington Plot
Exam Tip
An exam question may ask you to judge the extent to which Catholic plots endangered Elizabeth. Similar to both Throckmorton’s and Ridolfi’s plots, Philip II and the Pope supported the Babington plan. It is unclear if Philip offered soldiers to Babington or just encouragement.
Babington’s plan is very similar to Throckmorton’s, as the Duke of Guise’s invasion was key to the plan’s success. An invasion force of 60,000 men is much larger than Ridolfi proposed in his plot. The Babington Plot would have been incredibly dangerous to Elizabeth if the government had allowed it to progress.
What happened in the Babington Plot?
In July 1586, Babington wrote to Mary explaining his plot
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 cipher that Babington and Mary used in their letters. He could use the cipher 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
Walsingham presented the evidence of Mary’s scheming to Elizabeth
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the Babington Plot, 1586
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the Babington Plot in 1586 was foreign invasion (1). Babington had planned for the French Duke of Guise to invade England with an army of 60,000 men to overthrow Elizabeth (1).
Exam Tip
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
The Significance of the Babington Plot
Short and Long-Term Consequences of the Babington Plot
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. Fotheringhay 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 |
Exam Tip
An exam question may ask you to explain your viewpoint on the significance of the Babington Plot to Elizabethan England. You could approach this from two different perspectives.
The first perspective is that the Babington Plot was the least dangerous to Elizabeth. Walsingham knew about the plot from the beginning. He would not have allowed the plot to get past the planning stages. From this viewpoint, the Babington Plot was not significant.
The second perspective is that the Babington Plot had the biggest impact on Elizabeth and Mary’s relationship. The foiling of the Babington Plot marked a turning point in the Catholic challenges to Elizabeth’s reign. Walsingham provided clear evidence of Mary’s involvement in plots. Elizabeth had to punish Mary harshly and remove her as a threat. From this viewpoint, the Babington Plot was significant.
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