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Wyatt's rebellion: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Wyatt's rebellion
On the 16th of November 1553, a parliamentary delegation formally requested that Queen Mary I choose an English husband, with the obvious candidate being her kinsman Edward Courtenay, recently created Earl of Devon. This request was the first public sign of the deep anxiety that would soon erupt into open rebellion. Mary, however, had already decided to marry Philip II of Spain, the son of Emperor Charles V, a move that threatened to turn England into a mere province of the Habsburg Empire. The marriage treaty, presented to the Privy Council on the 7th of December 1553, included safeguards that favored England, yet the landed gentry and parliamentary classes feared they would be forced to pay greater subsidies to cover the cost of England's participation in foreign wars. The fear was not merely political; it was visceral. Many Englishmen had suffered from the rack of the Spanish Inquisition, and the stories of torture and cruelty endured by prisoners were fresh in their minds. The Spanish ambassador, Antoine de Noailles, threatened war and began immediate intrigues with any malcontents he could find, while anti-Spanish ballads and broadsheets circulated in the streets of London before Christmas in 1553. The rebellion was not just about religion, though that was a major factor; it was about the survival of English sovereignty and the fear of foreign domination.
The Four Men Who Stood Against The Crown
The rebellion was led by four key figures, each with their own motivations and resources. Sir Thomas Wyatt, a hot-headed man with a reputation for being wild and impetuous, owned large areas of land in Kent and had great influence there. He had once spent a month in the Tower of London for participating in a street riot, and he and his neighbors in Kent had put together a plan for a local militia, which gave him a way to quickly mobilize armed forces. Sir James Croft, from an influential Herefordshire family, was not particularly strong in his religious beliefs but probably favored Protestantism, having imposed the Anglican Prayer Book in the Irish Church while Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1551 and 1552. Sir Peter Carew, an MP for Devon and a maritime adventurer, was described by his contemporary biographer as an earnest promoter of God's true religion and a constant in advancing the Protestant cause. The Spanish ambassador reported to Philip that Carew was the greatest heretic and rebel in England. Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, was the father of Lady Jane Grey, who had been proclaimed queen by the Privy Council after the death of Edward VI in an abortive attempt to prevent the accession of Mary. These four men, along with others like William Thomas, the original leader of the rebellion, and Edward Courtenay, the great-grandson of Edward IV, formed the core of the conspiracy. Their motivations ranged from religious conviction to political survival, but they all shared a common fear: that Mary's marriage to Philip would bring about the most miserable servitude and establish popish religion.
What was the main cause of Wyatt's rebellion in 1554?
Wyatt's rebellion was caused by the fear that Queen Mary I's marriage to Philip II of Spain would turn England into a province of the Habsburg Empire and establish popish religion. The rebellion was driven by the landed gentry and parliamentary classes who feared foreign domination and the cost of subsidies for foreign wars.
Who were the key leaders of Wyatt's rebellion?
The rebellion was led by Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir James Croft, Sir Peter Carew, and Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk. These four men formed the core of the conspiracy along with William Thomas and Edward Courtenay.
When did Wyatt's rebellion begin and end?
Wyatt's rebellion began on the 25th of January 1554 when he raised his standard at Maidstone. The rebellion ended with Wyatt's surrender on the 6th of February 1554 and his execution on the 11th of April 1554.
What happened to Elizabeth after Wyatt's rebellion?
Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London on the 18th of March 1554 after being implicated in the rebellion. She was released from the Tower on the 19th of May 1554 despite the lack of conclusive evidence against her.
How many people were executed after Wyatt's rebellion?
Out of some 3,000 captured insurgents, only about 150 were executed. The rest received prison sentences and were ultimately freed on the 20th of January 1555 at the request of Philip.
The rebellion's plan was to converge on London on the 18th of March 1554, shortly before Philip was expected to leave from Spain, and to replace Mary with her half-sister Elizabeth, who would then marry Courtenay. A fleet of French ships was supposed to prevent Philip of Spain from reaching England. However, the plan began to unravel before it could be executed. On the 25th of January 1554, Carew fled to France, where he was readily received and given the task of encouraging others to come to help France's support of the rebellion. The French supplied them with arms, ships, and money, and they plundered Flemish and Spanish ships, swearing that they would not let Philip set foot on English soil. Meanwhile, Courtenay was arrested and admitted to having been approached by individuals concerning several things touching religion and the marriage. His revelations on the 21st of January were followed by the arrests of two or three men who had committed to the cause, and it became clear that the rebellion could not wait until the 18th of March. The next day, Wyatt called a meeting of his key supporters, and the decision was made to start the rebellion in three days' time. The plan had been exposed, and the rebels were forced to act prematurely, leading to a series of failures that would ultimately doom the uprising.
The March On London And The Bridge That Stood
Wyatt started the uprising on the 25th of January 1554 by raising his standard at Maidstone and with the ringing of church bells and the reading of a proclamation there and elsewhere saying that Mary's marriage to Philip would bring upon this realm most miserable servitude, and establish popish religion. Setting up his headquarters at Rochester, Wyatt had gained a force of about 2,000 by the 27th of January with men coming from other towns. On the 28th of January, a rebel force of about 500 was heading to Rochester to join up with Wyatt when they were met by a force of about 600 supporters of Mary led by Lord Abergavenny and Sir Robert Southwell, the High Sheriff of Kent. The rebel forces were routed, leaving behind 60 prisoners. About the same time, a force of 500 Whitecoats, so called because their uniforms were all white, was sent from London under the command of the elderly Duke of Norfolk. But instead of attacking the insurgents as they were supposed to do, the Whitecoats came down the hill to Rochester shouting We are all Englishmen, deserting to the rebels. Wyatt had been able to seize some of Mary's ships waiting to escort Philip and some cannon, and with the addition of the Whitecoats, his forces had grown to about 3,000. The Whitecoats urged him to move quickly on London saying, London longed sore for their coming. Three days later, the insurgents were on the road to London when they were met by delegates sent by Mary with instructions to discuss Wyatt's grievances with him. The delegates told Wyatt that Mary wanted to understand the cause of the rebellion, which would make him a traitor, since in his proclamations he had called himself true to the Crown. The real purposes were to gain time for Mary to increase the strength of her forces and to hear Wyatt state the reasons for the rebellion to help her plan a course of action. Wyatt answered the delegates saying that he was no traitor, and the purpose of the rebellion was to defend against being overrun by strangers which would surely occur if the marriage took place. The delegates then extended Mary's offer for Wyatt to come to her and be heard, to which Wyatt agreed stating I wyll rather be trusted than trust and adding the requirements that he be given control of the Tower of London, with Mary in it, and sole discretion for replacing certain members of the Council. Wyatt's answer reached Mary the next day, the 1st of February. Noailles, the French ambassador, noted that if Wyatt had been able to reach London at the same time as his answer did, the gates would have been open and the whole population eager to give him welcome. Instead, Wyatt's delay gave Mary time to use his words against him, which she did in a speech later that day at the Guildhall which was full due to it being Candlemas. Mary delivered a rousing speech, telling of her desire to quell the rebellion by mercy instead of justice of the sword. She shared Wyatt's insolent and proud answere and addressed the issue of her marriage to Phillip saying that she was already married to the people of England and that nothing was more acceptable to my hart, nor more aunswerable to my wyl, then youre aduauncement in wealthe and welfare. Mary's speech was tremendously successful, as the next day there were some 25,000 ready to protect her and London from Wyatt and his forces, which had grown to about 15,000 men. Mary also issued a proclamation declaring Wyatt a traitor and offering a reward of £100 for his capture, dead or alive. Wyatt arrived at Southwark on the 2nd of February, intending to cross the River Thames and enter London by way of London Bridge. But the gates were closed and the drawbridge flung down into the water. The residents of Southwark saw the guns of the Tower of London aimed at Southwark and begged Wyatt to leave. On the 6th of February, he headed to Kingston, marching at night with the goal of surprising Mary at daybreak. The bridge there, the next one upstream at this time, was broken, but Wyatt's men repaired it and crossed over and continued on for London. Wyatt lost time repairing a cannon that had broken down and which he refused to leave. He also lost the element of surprise and many of his men lost hope of success and deserted him. As Wyatt continued on, he and his remaining rebels encountered artillery fire and attacks from horse brigades. When the remaining force arrived at Ludgate, they found it defended. Wyatt turned and headed back towards Westminster only to be met by other forces loyal to Mary and a brief skirmish ensued. Wyatt met with a herald who urged him to earn the queen's pardon by avoiding further bloodshed. Wyatt surrendered, and he and his chief supporters were taken to the Tower of London.
The Trial Of The Conspirators And The Fate Of Elizabeth
The end of the rebellion might be said to have begun on the 5th of February 1554 with the deciphering of an intercepted letter from Noailles to the king of France. It identified the purpose of the rebellion as the dethroning of Mary in favor of Elizabeth. There was nothing in it to indicate any complicity on the part of Elizabeth, but it did include Courtenay's role, which had not been included in his confession at his earlier arrest which put the blame on everyone except himself. Two days later, a proclamation was issued that forbid the sheltering of any insurgent under pain of death. Hundreds of fugitives were given up; so many that prisons could not hold them all, and churches were used to house them while they waited for what they assumed would be their deaths by hanging, the punishment for treason. A general execution of the common prisoners began on the 12th of February 1554 with gallows that had been erected all over London. For weeks, prisoners were tried on a daily basis with hanging, often with the body then beheaded, quartered or both, and displayed. But out of some 3,000 captured insurgents, only about 150 were executed with the rest only receiving a few days in prison. Those kept in prison longer were ultimately freed on the 20th of January 1555 at the request of Philip. Lady Jane Grey and her husband Lord Guildford Dudley were also executed, even though they had no part in the rebellion. In addition, Mary rewarded her key supporters with large pensions. Charles V was reluctant to give these because of the amounts, but many of the recipients were old so the pensions to them would not be paid for long, and he agreed to them. The small number of executions together with the lack of incriminating evidence against Elizabeth led Renard to conclude that Mary was being too lenient with the rebels, making it unsafe for Philip to be in England. Charles also believed that the alliance between England and Spain would fail if Elizabeth remained alive. But because Elizabeth had powerful friends and was widely popular, Renard did not believe that action could be taken against her without conclusive proof of her complicity in the rebellion. In an attempt to get incriminating evidence against Elizabeth, those suspected of having information on Elizabeth's role were held without knowing what might happen to them so that they could incriminate her in the hope of being pardoned. During this time, torture also was used in the attempt to get the desired evidence. Those examining the leaders are also reported as having used trick questions to get the answers they wanted, accurate or not. Mary again summoned Elizabeth to come to London, but assuming Elizabeth's previous claim of illness was a ploy, she sent two of her own physicians and three Privy Council members. The physicians determined that although the illness was real, it need not prevent Elizabeth from traveling to London despite her fears that it could cause her death. They had brought Mary's litter for her and made the trip in stages of not more than eight miles a day. Elizabeth arrived in London on the 23rd of February, with the curtains of her litter opened. She was pale and dressed in white, with a proud, haughty expression. Mary refused to see Elizabeth, and put her in a secluded part of her palace where no one could pass without encountering a guard. The Council was divided with respect to Elizabeth, with many members supportive of her. This led to bitter arguments and disagreement as to her fate. On the 16th of March, Elizabeth was examined again and this time, those on the Council that were against her claimed the evidence sufficient to send her to the Tower. While Elizabeth's friends on the Council argued against it, they acquiesced when the question was raised as to who would be responsible for her if she were not in the Tower, since whoever took on such a responsibility would be in great danger and the subject of much suspicion. Elizabeth was not moved immediately, however. Fearing the Tower could end up meaning her death, Elizabeth made one last appeal to Mary which was in writing since Mary still would not see her. In it, Elizabeth swore her innocence and her loyalty to Mary. Mary did not answer, and on the 18th of March, Palm Sunday, Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower. A few days after her imprisonment in the Tower, Elizabeth was again examined. This time Croft was present since the questioning was in regard to an intercepted letter to her from Croft recommending that she move to a different one of her properties. Elizabeth protested against the continued attempts to link her to the insurgents and questioned why she needed to justify moving between her own houses. As Croft was being led away, he knelt down in front of Elizabeth and expressed sadness that he should be thought of as a witness against her. He said he was sorry to see the day in which he should be brought as a witness against her, and that he had been marvellously tossed when being examined about her. He further denied any attempt to involve Elizabeth in the rebellion, on pain of death. In April, letters were distributed throughout London as seditious as possible and in favor of the Lady Elizabeth as well as letters that specifically said: Stand firm and gather together, and we will keep the Prince of Spain from entering the kingdom. These letters may or may not have helped Elizabeth's situation, but she was released from the Tower on the 19th of May 1554 although still kept confined.
The Trials And Executions Of The Leaders
As a leader in the rebellion, Wyatt's trial was delayed from his the 7th of February 1554 surrender until the 15th of March. Despite being travailed with during that time, he did provide some information, but it was limited and somewhat infrequent. He named Sir William St. Loe, Elizabeth's servant, as the one who initiated the rebellion, an indirect implication of Elizabeth's involvement. He also said that Croft knew more about it. When Wyatt finally was brought to trial, he pleaded guilty to treason, asserting that he never intended any harm to Mary and only wanted to prevent the comyng in of strandgers and Spanyerds. He offered to provide great discoveries if his life were spared, claiming that Courtenay was the originator of the rebellion and that it was planned for Courtenay's benefit. Wyatt also accused Elizabeth of having been involved in the conspiracy. Whatever conclusions the court drew from Wyatt's testimony, it was not enough to keep him from being sentenced to death by hanging, with his body to be drawn and quartered. However, it was some time before the sentence would be carried out, in the hope that more could still be learned from him. Wyatt's sentence was finally carried out on the 11th of April 1554 without his having provided anything of significance to incriminate Elizabeth. Before he was hanged, however, he avowed that neither Elizabeth nor Courtenay were involved with the rebellion. He admitted that he had testified differently at his trial, and said, That which I said then I said, answered Wyatt, but that which I say now is true. Shortly after, Wyatt's estate was forfeited with most of it distributed among those who had been active in suppressing the rebellion. After surrendering, Croft was imprisoned in the Tower of London on the 21st of February 1554. Like Wyatt, Croft's trial was delayed by well over a month, to the 17th of April but then postponed until the 28th of April. As was the case for Wyatt, Croft was marvellously tossed and examined with respect to Elizabeth. At his trial, Croft confirmed Wyatt's accusation of Elizabeth's servant, St. Loe, as the originator of the plot. At some point, he also confessed that the French ambassador Noailles had agreed to French support of the rebellion. Croft was found guilty of high treason and bad judgement, but the Earl of Arundel spoke on Croft's behalf and he was pardoned and released from the Tower on the 18th of January 1555, bounde over to a good abearinge and fined £500. Carew remained in Italy until the spring of 1556 when his wife was able to get the Council to obtain a pardon for him from Philip. With a friend, he started out for Antwerp first, but the two were ambushed, blindfolded, taken to the coast and put into a fishing boat. They had no idea of where they were being taken and feared for their lives. When they heard a bell that Carew recognized as the Tower Bell, their hopes were raised. Carew was soon set free upon the payment of a fine. Because of Suffolk's participation in the rebellion, his daughter Lady Jane Grey, and her husband Guildford Dudley were beheaded on the 12th of February, five days before Suffolk's trial on the 17th of February 1554. Suffolk was haughty in defending himself, immediately challenging the judge by asking if it was treason for a peer like himself to make a proclamation and raise support to keep strangers out of the realm, but the judge did not answer the question. When the issue of his resistance to the forces sent against him was raised, Suffolk again made an arrogant reply which gave the court what they needed to convict him. He was sent back to the Tower, his arrogance gone, and was beheaded six days later. Courtenay was imprisoned in the Tower on the 12th of February 1554 where he was confronted by Wyatt in front of three witnesses. Wyatt asserted that Courtenay was involved in the plot which had been planned for his benefit. Although Courtenay denied it, there were other prisoners who also accused him of involvement and provided information on his role. However, established law did not prescribe the death penalty for someone who had only consented to treason and not committed any overt act. Instead, the person was to be sentenced to life in prison with all of their property to be confiscated. Unable to find any credible evidence that Courtenay had committed acts of treason, the government exiled him to Italy where he lived until his death two years later. While in the Tower awaiting trial, Thomas stabbed himself in the stomach with a bread knife. It was not fatal, and he was arraigned on the 9th of May 1554. Thomas was charged with putting his plot to murder Mary in writing, found guilty and sentenced to death. On the 18th of May, he was hanged, beheaded and quartered but not before vehemently declaiming against Mary and declaring that he died for his country. On the 17th of April 1554, Throckmorton was brought to trial and charged with high treason for imagining the death of the Queen, levying war in the realm, and adhering to the Queen's enemies as well as conspiring to deprive the Queen of her royal estate and devising a plan to take control of the Tower of London. His trial is notable because he was the only insurgent to be acquitted. Treason trials in the sixteenth century were very one-sided with the normal rules of evidence and procedure ignored as judges, barristers and others involved in the prosecution vied with one another in abusing the accused. For them, it was a way to show loyalty to, and gain favor with, the crown. Throckmorton was aware of this and addressed it directly, going so far as to reference the word of God as spoken by his prophet, Cursed be he that doth his office craftily, corruptly, and maliciously. Throckmorton also challenged second-hand testimony, demanding that the accusers be brought to court to present their testimony in person to give him a chance to cross-examine them. He was refused. Testimony that he gave while in the Tower was read, but selectively. Throckmorton asked that it be read in full, but was refused. Throughout his trial, he fought the charges brought against him and dissected the depositions with the skill of a practised pleader. At one point, Throckmorton commented that he perceived the many questions put to him as a trap to catch others greater than himself. At the end of Throckmorton's trial, the jury's unanimous verdict was Not guilty. The jury was encouraged to rethink its decision, but the foreman answered that they had reached the verdict agreeably to all our consciences. Despite the verdict, Throckmorton was kept in custody for other matters to be charged against him. As he left the court, the waiting crowd threw up their caps and shouted. However, the jurors were not so fortunate. They were arrested and kept in prison until winter and then only released by payment of an exorbitant fine. After the death of Mary, Throckmorton served Elizabeth as an ambassador to France and Scotland. The complete transcript of Throckmorton's trial can be found in Howell and Hollinshed.
The Legacy Of A Failed Uprising
Despite the limited immediate impact of Wyatt's Rebellion, it had some lasting effects. Many, including some of his adversaries, were sympathetic to his daring and gallantry, and at the time of Wyatt's execution, people crowded to dip their handkerchiefs in his blood. His legend was quickly being established. Many began to view Wyatt as a martyr, and those who disliked Mary's marriage to Philip regarded Wyatt and his followers as patriots and not heretics. Christopher Goodman, a 16th century clergyman, wrote the following: If it is treason to defend the Gospel and his country from cruel strangers and enemies, then was Wyatt a traitor and rebel. But if this was his duty, and all others that professed Christ amongst you, then are all such traitors, as did deceive him: and such as took not his part also, when time and occasion by him was justly offered. The rebellion also had a profound impact on the political landscape of England. The failure of the rebellion to remove Mary from the throne and replace her with Elizabeth meant that the marriage to Philip proceeded, albeit with significant resistance. The rebellion also highlighted the deep divisions within English society, with many people supporting the rebels and others supporting the queen. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and Spain, with the marriage to Philip being a source of tension and conflict for years to come. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and France, with the French supporting the rebels and providing them with arms, ships, and money. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the Catholic Church, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to restore papal authority in England. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the Protestant Church, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to restore Protestantism in England. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the monarchy, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to strengthen the power of the monarchy and to limit the power of the nobility. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the common people, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to improve the lives of the common people and to reduce the power of the nobility. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the church, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to improve the lives of the common people and to reduce the power of the nobility. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the monarchy, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to strengthen the power of the monarchy and to limit the power of the nobility. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the common people, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to improve the lives of the common people and to reduce the power of the nobility. The rebellion also had a lasting impact on the relationship between England and the church, with the rebellion being a major factor in the decision to improve the lives of the common people and to reduce the power of the nobility.