What was the Babington Plot?
The last and most serious attempt by Catholics to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary was seen as a legitimate Queen of England by many Catholics.
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots in relation to Queen Elizabeth I?
A Catholic cousin and a figurehead for plots against Elizabeth
Her existence posed a continuous threat to Elizabeth’s reign.
Name the two major Catholic plots that preceded the Babington Plot.
- Ridolfi Plot (1571)
- Throckmorton Plot (1583)
Both plots failed but demonstrated Catholic determination to overthrow Elizabeth.
What was the purpose of the Jesuit Mission starting in 1580?
To keep Catholicism alive in England
Jesuit priests secretly entered England, increasing Elizabeth’s fear of Catholic disloyalty.
What did the Bond of Association (1584) state?
Anyone who plotted against Elizabeth and benefited from her death would be executed
This document served as a direct warning to Mary and her supporters.
What was the impact of the 1585 Act on Catholics?
Made it treason for any Catholic priest to be in England
This law increased Catholic desperation and desire for a foreign invasion to restore Catholicism.
Who was the young Catholic nobleman involved in the plot?
Anthony Babington
Babington’s actions were closely monitored by Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham.
What was Babington’s plan regarding Queen Elizabeth?
- Assassinate Queen Elizabeth
- Arrange a Catholic invasion of England
- Rescue Mary from house arrest and crown her Queen
The invasion was to be led by the Duke of Guise and financed by Philip II of Spain.
Who was the spymaster monitoring the Babington Plot?
Sir Francis Walsingham
Walsingham had a vast network of spies across Europe and in England.
What was the role of Gilbert Gifford in the Babington Plot?
He was one of Walsingham’s agents crucial in uncovering the plot
Walsingham’s paranoia about plots led to the establishment of a vast spy network.
How did Walsingham’s agents manage to intercept the letters exchanged between Mary and Babington?
They were hidden in a waterproof casing inside a beer barrel
This method was referred to as ‘the barrel post’.
Who was the code-breaker that cracked the cipher used in the letters?
Thomas Phelippes
His work was essential in deciphering the communications between Mary and Babington.
What did Babington outline in his letter to Mary in July 1586?
The plan to murder Elizabeth
Mary approved the plan and provided advice on the arrangements for her escape.
What did Walsingham add to Mary’s reply to ensure clear evidence of her agreement?
A postscript (a forgery)
This was done to strengthen the case against Mary regarding the assassination plot.
What happened to Babington and his fellow conspirators after their arrests?
They were executed in September 1586
The punishment was harsh: hung, drawn, and quartered.
What were the consequences of the Babington Plot?
- Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
- Increased persecution of Catholics
- Path to the Spanish Armada
The Babington Plot significantly changed the political landscape of England.
In what month and year was Mary, Queen of Scots executed?
February 1587
Mary was moved to Fotheringhay Castle for trial before her execution.
Who presented the decoded letters as proof of Mary’s high treason?
Walsingham
The letters indicated Mary’s consent to the murder of the Queen.
What was Elizabeth’s initial reaction to executing another monarch?
Extremely reluctant
Elizabeth was persuaded by her Privy Council that her own life and England’s Protestant future were at stake.
What was the result of Mary’s execution for Elizabeth’s throne?
Removed the greatest threat
Mary’s execution eliminated a significant political obstacle for Elizabeth.
What was the impact of the Babington Plot on the persecution of Catholics?
- Huge crackdown on Catholics
- Hundreds arrested
- Dozens of Catholic priests executed
Catholicism had to go further underground to survive in England.
Who was the foreign leader that posed a serious threat to Elizabeth following the Babington Plot?
Philip II of Spain
The plot revealed that threats to Elizabeth were often foreign-backed.
What did the execution of Mary remove for Philip II?
His last political obstacle for claiming the English throne
Mary had named Philip as her heir in her will.
How did Philip II react to the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots?
Outraged
He felt politically justified and religiously obliged to invade England.
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Cold War conferences8
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Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, Comecon, Comminform21
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Helsinki Accords17
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Cuban Missile Crisis16
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Invasion of Afghanistan23
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Prague Spring and Invasion of Czechoslovakia20
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The Berlin Wall Crisis21
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Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe19
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Elizabeth's problems30
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Challenges to the religious settlement30
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Spanish Armada20
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Poverty in Elizabethan England21
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Babbington Plot25
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Government responses to poor laws18
