Catholic Plots (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

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How serious were the Catholic plots to Elizabeth I's reign? Summary 

The Catholic plots posed a significant threat to Elizabeth’s reign, as they aimed to overthrow her and restore Catholicism in England and Wales. Many Catholics did not accept Elizabeth as the rightful queen and supported Mary, Queen of Scots, with several plots seeking to replace Elizabeth with her. In addition, foreign powers such as Spain and France were also willing to support rebellions, increasing the danger.

However, the seriousness of these plots was reduced by the actions of Elizabeth’s government, particularly the work of Sir Francis Walsingham and his extensive spy network. Walsingham’s ability to uncover, infiltrate and prevent the plots before they posed a real danger to Elizabeth’s safety significantly limited their impact. As a result, none of the Catholic plots advanced far enough to place Elizabeth’s reign in any real danger. 

Ridolfi Plot 

The Aims of the Ridolfi Plot 

• Roberto di Ridolfi was an Italian Catholic banker

• Ridolfi planned to depose Elizabeth with help from Spain  

• The Ridolfi Plot of 1571 aimed to: 

  • Assassinate Elizabeth 

  • Replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots 

  • Restore Catholicism 

Events of the Ridolfi Plot 

• In March 1571, Ridolfi travelled to the Spanish Netherlands

  • He met with the Pope, Philip II, and the Duke of Alba

  • He had in his possession a signed letter from the Duke of Norfolk

    • The letter confirmed that Norfolk was a Catholic and would lead a rebellion against Elizabeth with Philip’s support

• The meeting was a success for Ridolfi

  • He secured Philip’s support

    • Philip agreed to send the Duke of Alba and 10,000 men to England when Norfolk required them

    • Historians are unsure about how genuine this support was. Alba wrote to Philip that Spain should only send troops to England if Norfolk succeeded in overthrowing Elizabeth

• Sir William Cecil uncovered Ridolfi’s plot in the Autumn of 1571

  • Norfolk’s servants betrayed the plan when under interrogation

  • Cecil also had evidence in the form of coded letters in the Duke of Norfolk’s house

  • The Duke of Norfolk was arrested in September 1571

• Ridolfi’s plan was never enacted

  • Cecil foiled the plan before it began

  • Ridolfi was not in England when Cecil discovered the plot

    • He never returned to England, so he did not face the repercussions of his actions

Consequence of the Ridolfi Plot 

• In the short term, the Ridolfi Plot resulted in 

  • Parliament demanded the punishment of the Duke of Norfolk and Mary, Queen of Scots 

    • The Duke of Norfolk was put on trial for high treason, found guilty, and executed in June 1572 

  • English Catholics smuggling priests into England and Wales 

    • They hid them in secret hiding places called ‘priest holes’ 

    • Any priests found were hanged, drawn, and quartered 

• In the long term

  • Mary, Queen of Scots, remained a threat to Elizabeth 

    • Elizabeth refused to execute her 

    • Mary was still in consideration for the royal succession 

  • Spain continued to be a threat to England and Wales 

    • Elizabeth and her government believed that Spain wanted to destroy Protestantism across Europe 

    • Elizabeth sought a better relationship with France to protect herself from Spain 

Throckmorton Plot 

Aims of the Throckmorton Plot 

• Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, heard rumours of a plot between: 

  • Scottish Jesuits 

  • Mary Queen of Scots 

  • The Spanish Ambassador de Mendoza 

• The link between these individuals was Francis Throckmorton, a young English Catholic 

• Throckmorton was planning to:

  • Overthrow Elizabeth 

  • Replace Elizabeth with Mary Queen of Scots 

  • Restore Catholicism to England 

Events of the Throckmorton Plot 

• Historians know very little about how the plan began. This is because:

  • The plotters destroyed many of their letters to conceal evidence of their scheming

  • The government used torture to extract confessions from the plotters

    • They may have said what they believed the interviewer wanted to hear to avoid further punishment

• The government placed Throckmorton under surveillance in April 1583

  • Throckmorton’s regular visits to Mendoza aroused the government’s suspicions

• Francis Walsingham did not act straight away

  • He wanted to obtain enough evidence to charge Throckmorton with treason

  • He needed to determine who was conspiring with Throckmorton and Mary, Queen of Scots’ involvement in the plan

• In June 1583, Walsingham searched Throckmorton’s house

  • The papers at Throckmorton's house showed communication with multiple Catholic nobles in England

  • Throckmorton had been researching which harbours were suitable for an invasion force to land

• Elizabeth’s government arrested Throckmorton in November 1583

• Throckmorton stated the plot had gone no further than the planning stage

• This was because Throckmorton was waiting for the money promised by Philip II

  • Both Throckmorton and Mary, Queen of Scots, retracted their confessions 

  • They stated that the investigators used torture

    • This forced them to make false statements of guilt

Consequences of the Throckmorton Plot 

• In the short term

  • Throckmorton was charged with treason and executed in May 1584. 

  • Elizabeth expelled the Spanish ambassador, Mendoza, from her court 

  • Mary, Queen of Scots, faced no punishment 

    • However, she was moved to Tutbury Castle and placed under house arrest 

  • Lord Henry Howard and Henry Percy were both arrested

    • Percy took his own life in the Tower of London 

    • Lord Howard was released without charge 

• In the long term 

  • Many Catholics fled from England and Wales 

  • Over 11,000 Catholics were arrested or kept under surveillance

  • Elizabeth and her government passed another Act of Parliament in 1585 

    • Stating that any subject who helped or sheltered Catholic priests would face the death penalty  

Babington Plot 

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 that 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:

• The ‘six gentlemen’ were the men Babington chose to assassinate Elizabeth

• Historians accept that 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

Consequences of the Babington Plot 

• In the short term 

  • Babington was captured and charged with high treason 

    • In September 1586, Babington and his accomplices were hanged, drawn and quartered 

  • Mary, Queen of Scots, was moved to Fotheringhay Castle, Hampshire 

    • She was placed on trial for treason and found guilty 

• In the long term 

  • Elizabeth forced harsher punishments on English Catholics 

    • She arrested 300 recusants in London 

    • She executed 31 Catholic priests 

  • By 1586, England and Spain were effectively at war 

    • Elizabeth sent soldiers to the Netherlands to help the Protestant rebels 

    • The prosecution of Mary, Queen of Scots, worsened relationships and caused Spain to depose Elizabeth 

The Trial and 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 

• In October 1586, Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial for treason 

  • Mary Queen of Scots was found guilty by 36 Noblemen 

  • 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 were no more Catholic plots against Elizabeth 

  • Many Catholics lost hope of a Catholic restoration with Mary’s death 

  • Approximately 10% of the population was Catholic 

  • Most people saw Catholicism as not English