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Reasons for Mary Queen of Scots' Execution
Notes on all of the factors which led to Mary Queen of Scots' execution and how important each factor was. GCSE History revision notes.
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Reasons for Mary Queen of Scots’ ExecutionThe threat of a catholic revolt:
- Since the revolt of the Northern Earls in 1569 Elizabeth feared that her catholic subjects
could revolt against her in favour of Mary
- Every subsequent plot and suggestion of this increased Elizabeth's fears.
Pressure from Elizabeth's Privy Council and Parliament:
- The Privy Council and parliament had been trying to convince Elizabeth to put Mary to death
since the failure Of the Ridolfi plot in 1571
- When parliament voted for the execution of the Duke of Norfolk for his involvement in the
plot in 1572, they also advised that Mary be executed but Elizabeth did not agree
- They believed that the Queen, the realm and Protestantism would never be safe while Mary
was alive
- Elizabeth, however, was not as extreme as Walsingham, she Often delayed acting against
plotters and constantly refused to execute Mary.
The Role of Sir Francis Walsingham and his spies:
- Walsingham had been Elizabeth's Secretary of State since 1573
- In the aftermath Of the Revolt of the Northern Earls and Ridolfi plot he was determined to
deal with the problem Of Mary and Catholicism in general
- He deployed a network of spies both in England and abroad; some were even double agents
who took part in plots against Elizabeth to expose the plotters
- One such agent was the catholic deacon Gilbert Gifford, who gained Mary's trust when she
was being held at Chartley Hall
- Gifford persuaded Mary that her letters to her sympathizers would be safe in beer barrels. In
reality they were intercepted by Walsingham's agents and decoded.
Persecution of Catholics:
- Elizabeth I was excommunicated by the pope in 1570 as a result of her handling of the
Revolt of the Northern Earls
- This caused her government to be increasingly worried about catholic threats both at home
and abroad
- Several acts of parliament were passed in 1571, 1581, and 1585, which gradually increased
the penalties against Catholics
- This policy was driven more by hardliners such as Cecil and Walsingham than Elizabeth, who
often toned down their wording so as ordinary Catholics did not suffer the same penalties as
priests and plotters.
The foreign threat:
- There was the potential of foreign backing for both the Revolt of the Northern Earls and the
Ridolfi Plot, and Philip Il Of Spain and the French Catholic Guise family were implicated in
plots against Elizabeth and in favour of Mary.
- It was not; however, until the 1580 that the threat became acute
- The deaths of William of Orange and the French Duke of Alencon in 1584 were particularly
worrying for Elizabeth — William's assassination made her fear for her own life and
Alencon's death was a blow to the protestant cause in France
- This, coupled With potential Spanish and Guise involvement in the Throckmorton plot Of
1583, and war with Spain in 1585, made the international situation increasingly dangerous
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