Removing Mary (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Removing Mary Queen of Scots
Elizabeth's difficult decision
Elizabeth I faced one of the most challenging decisions of her reign when dealing with Mary Queen of Scots. After years of uncertainty, Elizabeth finally made the momentous choice to sign Mary's death warrant in February 1587. This decision came after a long period of deliberation about what to do with her Catholic cousin, who posed both a significant threat and a diplomatic problem.
This decision represents one of the most politically complex and morally difficult choices any Tudor monarch had to make. Elizabeth had spent nearly 20 years trying to find an alternative solution to the "Mary problem."
The complex challenge Mary presented
Mary Queen of Scots created an incredibly difficult situation for Elizabeth's government. As a Catholic with a legitimate claim to the English throne, Mary represented multiple dangers to Elizabeth's Protestant rule.
Elizabeth's dilemma
Elizabeth found herself caught between two equally problematic options:
Keeping Mary alive meant that rebellious Catholics would continue to have a focal point for their opposition. Mary served as an alternative monarch that discontented Catholics could rally around, particularly in northern England where Catholic sympathies remained strong. The Pope's excommunication of Elizabeth had already given foreign Catholic rulers justification to support any intervention that would place Mary on the English throne.
Executing Mary would create serious international consequences. It would likely anger both Spain and France, potentially triggering war or invasion. Elizabeth worried that killing an anointed monarch would set a dangerous precedent - if it could happen to Mary, it could happen to any ruler, including herself. This action would make Elizabeth and her future heirs more vulnerable to similar treatment.
Elizabeth's dilemma was essentially choosing between immediate internal security (removing the Catholic threat) and long-term international stability (avoiding the precedent of executing a fellow monarch).
Parliament's growing fears by the 1580s
By the 1580s, many Members of Parliament had become increasingly suspicious of Mary due to her Catholic faith and her repeated involvement in plots against Elizabeth. Their fears were not unfounded, as evidence mounted of Mary's participation in various conspiracy attempts.
Rising anti-Catholic sentiment
Parliamentary concern about Mary intensified following several significant events. The Wars of Religion (1562-90) and particularly the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572) in France, where Catholics slaughtered many Protestants, created widespread fear among English Protestants. They worried that if Mary became queen, similar religious violence might occur in England.
Government response
Elizabeth's government adopted a cautious "wait and see" approach towards Mary, which included:
- Keeping Mary under house arrest rather than executing her immediately
- Using spies and secret agents to gather evidence about her involvement in Catholic plots
- Only taking decisive action when they had sufficient evidence to justify charges against her
Elizabeth's cautious approach demonstrates her preference for gathering concrete evidence before taking irreversible action. This methodical strategy was typical of her generally pragmatic approach to governance.
The mounting evidence against Mary
Mary's fate was sealed by her involvement in a series of Catholic plots designed to overthrow Elizabeth. Each conspiracy provided further evidence of Mary's threat to Elizabeth's security.
Key conspiracies
Mary had been connected to several major plots against Elizabeth:
- The Northern Rebellion - an early Catholic uprising
- The Ridolfi Plot - a scheme to marry Mary to the Duke of Norfolk
- The Throckmorton Plot - another Catholic conspiracy
- The Babington Plot - the final conspiracy that led to Mary's downfall
In 1586, Sir Francis Walsingham's spy network discovered crucial evidence that Mary was deeply involved in the Babington Plot. This plot aimed to assassinate Elizabeth and place Mary on the throne. The evidence was so compelling that Parliament passed the Act for Preservation of the Queen's Safety, which made Mary's trial possible.
The Act for Preservation of the Queen's Safety was specifically designed to make it legally possible to try Mary for treason, despite her status as a foreign queen. This represented a significant legal innovation in English law.
Why Mary was executed in 1587
Several factors combined to make Mary's execution inevitable by 1587. Parliament and Elizabeth's advisors argued that Mary remained a dangerous focal point for Catholic rebellion and continued to pose a legitimate threat to Elizabeth's rule.
The immediate trigger
The discovery of Mary's involvement in the Babington Plot provided the final evidence needed to justify execution. Mary had clearly participated in planning Elizabeth's assassination, which constituted treason against the English crown.
The Babington Plot Evidence:
Step 1: Walsingham's agents intercepted letters between Mary and the conspirators Step 2: Mary's replies clearly showed her knowledge of and support for the assassination plan Step 3: Mary explicitly gave her consent to the plot in writing, providing undeniable proof of treason Step 4: This evidence was presented to Parliament, making her trial legally justified
Removing the Catholic threat
Mary's execution served multiple purposes for Elizabeth's government. It eliminated the most obvious alternative Catholic monarch that rebels could support. Without Mary as a rallying point, it became much harder for Catholics to organise effective opposition to Elizabeth's rule.
International considerations
The execution also had important international implications. Philip II of Spain had a claim to the English throne through his marriage to Mary Tudor, Elizabeth's predecessor. Mary Queen of Scots' death as a Catholic martyr may have strengthened Philip's determination to invade England and depose Elizabeth. However, by the 1590s, many people believed that Mary's Protestant son, James VI of Scotland, would likely inherit the English throne, which reduced some international tensions.
The execution and its aftermath
Mary Queen of Scots was executed on 8 February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle. This event marked the end of nearly two decades of uncertainty about what to do with Elizabeth's most dangerous rival.
The execution both benefited and threatened Elizabeth's position. It removed the immediate Catholic alternative to Elizabeth's rule, making future rebellions more difficult to organise. However, it also created a Catholic martyr and potentially gave Spain additional justification for invasion attempts.
Elizabeth reportedly claimed she had signed the death warrant without intending it to be carried out immediately, and she blamed her secretary William Davison for acting too quickly. Whether this was genuine regret or political theatre remains debated by historians.
Timeline of key events
- 1568 - Mary Queen of Scots flees to England and becomes Elizabeth's prisoner
- 1569 - Northern Rebellion involves plans to marry Mary to Duke of Norfolk
- 1571 - Ridolfi Plot discovered
- 1583 - Throckmorton Plot uncovered
- 1586 - Babington Plot exposed; Act for Preservation of the Queen's Safety passed
- February 1587 - Elizabeth signs Mary's death warrant
- 8 February 1587 - Mary executed at Fotheringhay Castle
Key Points to Remember:
- Elizabeth struggled for nearly 20 years with the decision of what to do with Mary Queen of Scots, finally signing her death warrant in February 1587
- Mary posed a complex challenge as both a legitimate threat (Catholic alternative monarch) and a diplomatic problem (executing her could anger foreign powers)
- Parliament's suspicion of Mary grew throughout the 1580s, especially after religious violence in France and evidence of Catholic plots in England
- The Babington Plot in 1586 provided the final evidence needed to justify Mary's execution, as it proved her involvement in planning Elizabeth's assassination
- Mary's execution on 8 February 1587 removed the main Catholic alternative to Elizabeth but also created a martyr and potentially strengthened Spanish determination to invade England