The Catholic Threat

This section explains the Catholic threat to Elizabeth I and the laws that were introduced to minimise the Catholic threat. Many Catholics in England were deeply dissatisfied with Elizabeth I’s Religious Settlement. Under her sister, Queen Mary I, Catholics had enjoyed religious freedom and the authority of the Pope had been reinstated in England. However, with Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne and the establishment of Protestantism as the official religion, many Catholics were faced with a situation in which they were forced to either accept the new regime or risk persecution. For some, this was an impossible compromise, and they chose to go into exile abroad, particularly in Catholic countries such as France and Spain. Others reluctantly conformed, though they remained dissatisfied with the changes.

Laws to Minimise the Catholic Threat

In response to this ongoing Catholic discontent, Elizabeth I enacted a series of laws designed to suppress Catholic opposition and minimise the threat they posed to her reign. These laws targeted both the practice of Catholicism and any efforts to undermine Protestantism.

1559 - Act of Uniformity

The Act of Uniformity was one of the first major laws passed under Elizabeth’s rule, reinforcing the Protestant nature of the Church of England. The Act required all English subjects to attend services in the Church of England. Those who refused to do so, known as recusants, were fined one shilling for every Sunday or holy day they missed. Although this fine was not overly severe, it became a significant burden for those who were unwilling to abandon their Catholic faith.

1581 - Act to Retain the Queen’s Subjects in Their Due Obedience

By 1581, with opposition to Protestantism becoming more entrenched, Elizabeth’s government introduced the Act to Retain the Queen’s Subjects in Their Due Obedience. This Act escalated the penalties for recusancy. Those who continued to refuse to attend Church of England services were fined an even harsher amount — 20 pounds per month (equivalent to thousands of pounds today). In addition to the fines, anyone found attempting to convert others to Catholicism could be charged with treason, and the punishment for this crime was death. This law reflected the growing paranoia over Catholicism as a political threat, especially with plots against Elizabeth's rule becoming more frequent.

Fear of Catholic Plots

Despite the harsh laws, there was an ongoing fear of Catholic plots against Elizabeth’s government. The most powerful Catholic monarchs in Europe, particularly King Philip II of Spain and King Henry III of France, were both hostile to Protestant England and supported Catholic rebels in England. These foreign powers often provided backing for conspiracies to overthrow Elizabeth and restore Catholicism to the country.

1570 - Papal Bull of Excommunication

The Pope, Pius V, played a significant role in escalating tensions. In 1570, he issued the Papal Bull of Excommunication, which officially excommunicated Elizabeth I from the Catholic Church. This action not only declared her a heretic but also encouraged Catholic nobles and monarchs to challenge her rule. The Pope’s endorsement of plots against Elizabeth intensified the perception that Catholicism posed a direct threat to her throne.

Secret Catholic Missionaries

The Pope also instructed Catholic priests to secretly enter England and carry out missionary work, with the aim of converting English Catholics back to Roman Catholicism. These priests were seen as dangerous agents of rebellion, and if caught, they could be executed for treason. One notable example of this was Edmund Campion, a Jesuit priest who had been sent to England to spread Catholicism. Campion was arrested, tried, and executed in 1581 for his role in undermining Elizabeth’s Protestant government.

Mary, Queen of Scots: The Catholic Figurehead

The most prominent Catholic claimant to the English throne was Mary, Queen of Scots. As a Catholic and a direct descendant of Henry VII, Mary had a legitimate claim to the English throne, and many Catholics saw her as the rightful queen. Her presence in England, under house arrest after her forced abdication as Queen of Scotland, made her a figurehead for Catholic conspiracies. Catholic plots to replace Elizabeth with Mary were frequently foiled, but the continued threat posed by Mary and her supporters was a constant source of anxiety for Elizabeth’s government.

Mary’s Catholic supporters, both within England and across Europe, saw her as a potential rallying point for the restoration of Catholicism in England. They hoped that if Elizabeth could be overthrown or removed, Mary would be able to take the throne and reverse the Protestant reforms of her cousin. This made Mary an important figure in the numerous Catholic plots to depose Elizabeth, including the Babington Plot of 1586, which directly involved Mary. The plot aimed to assassinate Elizabeth and place Mary on the throne, but it was uncovered by Elizabeth's spies, leading to Mary's execution in 1587.

Conclusion

The Catholic threat to Elizabeth I’s rule was a complex and ongoing challenge. While many Catholics in England initially accepted or tolerated the new Protestant regime, a significant minority refused to conform. This led to harsh measures against recusants, such as fines and the execution of Catholic priests. At the same time, the broader Catholic powers of Europe, particularly Spain and France, posed a continual threat, with Mary, Queen of Scots, serving as a figurehead for Catholic hopes of replacing Elizabeth. The combination of internal resistance and external support for Catholic plots meant that Elizabeth’s reign was always under threat from those who sought to restore papal authority and Catholic rule in England.