What should Elizabeth do with Mary?
Mary was a clear threat to Elizabeth, and potentially England, but Elizabeth had to think carefully about what to do, weighing up the potential political consequences of each option. These included:
- Getting Mary out of the country - sending Mary back to Scotland or France could backfire, allowing her to gather more support to challenge Elizabeth.
- Keeping Mary imprisoned 鈥 this would reduce the risk of Mary gathering more support back in Scotland or France and allowed Elizabeth to keep tight control. But unlawfully imprisoning Mary could provoke international outcry and attacks anyway.
- Executing Mary 鈥 whilst this would remove the figurehead for The Church in Western Europe before the Reformation. The Pope was head of the Church. A member of the Roman Catholic Church. challengers, it could also provoke international attacks and set a precedent for killing a queen.
In the short term Elizabeth decided to keep Mary as a closely guarded royal 鈥榞uest鈥, moving her from castle to castle so she would not be the focus of plots.
MPs advise execution
Alongside Mary鈥檚 challenge, Elizabeth faced many other challenges and plots against her. Most of them were led by Catholics aiming to get Mary on the throne and return England to Catholic rule. By 1572 Members of Parliament. were pressurising Elizabeth to have Mary executed in order to keep England secure.
Mary is executed
Mary was put on trial, found guilty of The crime of betraying one's country, sovereign or government. and was executed on 8th February 1587. The executioner held up her severed head and shouted 鈥淕od save the Queen鈥.
Elizabeth鈥檚 reaction to Mary鈥檚 execution
Elizabeth had always believed that executing Mary would lead to bigger a problem, such as an international backlash, which is why she held off executing her for so long. When Mary was found guilty of treason, Elizabeth hesitated to sign her death warrant. When she eventually did sign, she refused to submit it, but her secretary secretly took it. When Elizabeth found out, she was furious and he was put in the tower for 18 months. Elizabeth wrote to King James apologising for the death of his mother, Mary.
Consequences of Mary鈥檚 death
As it turned out the consequences were not as serious as Elizabeth had feared:
- France 鈥 fearing the might of Spain, they wanted to maintain their A union formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries. with England.
- Spain - were already at war with England due to the action of the 'English pirates commonly involved in attacks on Spain.' and events in the Netherlands.
- Scotland - King James VI was on the throne of Scotland, he was Elizabeth鈥檚 heir and so he took no action.
- English Catholics - remained loyal to Elizabeth.