Page "Tudor dynasty" Paragraph 42

Numerous threats to the Tudor dynasty occurred during Elizabeth's reign.

In 1569, a group of Earls led by Charles Neville, the sixth Earl of Westmorland, and Thomas Percy, the seventh Earl of Northumberland attempted to depose Elizabeth and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.

In 1571, the Protestant-turned-Catholic Thomas Howard, the fourth Duke of Norfolk, had plans to marry Mary, Queen of Scots, and then replace Elizabeth with Mary.

The plot, masterminded by Roberto di Ridolfi, was discovered and Norfolk was beheaded.

The next major uprising was in 1601, when Robert Devereux, the second Earl of Essex, attempted to raise the city of London against Elizabeth's government.

The city of London proved unwilling to rebel ; Essex and most of his co-rebels were executed.

Threats also came from abroad.

In 1570, Pope Pius V issued a Papal bull, Regnans in Excelsis, excommunicating Elizabeth, and releasing her subjects from their allegiance to her.

Elizabeth came under pressure from Parliament to execute Mary, Queen of Scots, to prevent any further attempts to replace her ; though faced with several official requests, she vacillated over the decision to execute an anointed queen.

Finally, she was persuaded of Mary's ( treasonous ) complicity in the plotting against her, and she signed the death warrant in 1586.

Mary was executed at Fotheringay Castle on 8 February 1587, to the outrage of Catholic Europe.