Read Online Ancient and Medieval Traitors - Back-stabbers, turncoats and conspirators (True Crime) by Gordon Kerr - Free Book Online
Authors: Gordon Kerr
Ads: Link
in prison Mary made it clear that she believed that she was the rightful Queen of England and posed even more of a threat to Queen Elizabeth by receiving the backing of the Pope in 1570. Although she was sufficiently worried by the risk that she was faced with, the English ruler decided that she should not execute Mary because she was royalty and she would therefore run the risk of serious backlash from the Scottish.
T HE B ABINGTON P LOT
Having been involved in many unsuccessful Roman Catholic plots to overthrow Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots then allegedly became involved in something a lot more dangerous. In 1586 a group of Catholic men revealed to Mary their plans to kill the Queen and to place her on the throne of England. Messages were passed in secret between Mary and Babington, the main plotter, and it was not long before Elizabeth’s adviser, Sir Francis Walsingham, got wind of their plans. Mary’s involvement in the plot was obvious, though it was more likely that Walsingham had forged her reply than Mary had written to Babington herself. Elizabeth was not able to protect her cousin any longer and under the advice of her ministers she ordered Mary’s execution, which took place in Fotheringhay Castle in 1587.
Mary’s reliance upon treachery against the Queen of England was spawned from the religious divide which prevailed in England and Scotland. Mary believed that killing Elizabeth was the right thing to do, as this move had been endorsed by the Pope who hoped to restore Catholicism to England. Throughout her life she was criticised for many of the decisions she had made and also the ones that she had been forced into. She held to her convictions that restoring Catholicism was the correct course of action, even if this resulted in the murder of her own cousin. Mary cannot be described as a bad person, but instead one who made many bad decisions and alienated her followers. She tried to do what she thought was right, but in doing so it cost her her life.
Sir Thomas More
Thomas More was fortunate enough to have been brought up in a stable environment within a very respectable family. His father was Sir John More, who had made a name for himself as a prominent judge and was keen to pass his own knowledge onto his son. More made sure that Thomas’s every need was catered for and enrolled him at St Anthony’s school in London. It was here that More’s two greatest passions were nurtured; his interest in law and his desire to serve the Church. His studies suited him well for both subjects and he was an avid scholar of Greek and Latin literature. He remained undecided about which path he should follow and, shortly after he qualified as a barrister in 1501, he decided to join religious orders and become a monk.
After a few years he decided that his duty to his country should be put above his desire to lead a life solely devoted to God, and he left the monastry to enter parliament in 1504. This was a busy year for him; he married for the first time and met and forged a strong friendship with the humanist Erasmus. More’s introduction to parliament was not hugely successful as he openly challenged Henry VII about the high rates of taxes that he had been charging the poor under the agency of Empson and Dudley. Sir Thomas More’s insistence upon being fair gained him a reputation for being a patron of the poor and secured him the support of the people throughout his life. However, More’s policies were risky and put his family in danger. He was forced to withdraw from public life until 1509, when the greatly angered Henry VII had died.
H ENRY’S C LOSEST A DVISER
As More reacquainted himself with parliament, his various merits and skills came to the attention of the new king, Henry VIII. His first appointment as Henry’s adviser came in 1515, when he accompanied the delegation to Flanders to resolve the disputes surrounding the wool trade. He achieved even greater recognition
T HE B ABINGTON P LOT
Having been involved in many unsuccessful Roman Catholic plots to overthrow Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots then allegedly became involved in something a lot more dangerous. In 1586 a group of Catholic men revealed to Mary their plans to kill the Queen and to place her on the throne of England. Messages were passed in secret between Mary and Babington, the main plotter, and it was not long before Elizabeth’s adviser, Sir Francis Walsingham, got wind of their plans. Mary’s involvement in the plot was obvious, though it was more likely that Walsingham had forged her reply than Mary had written to Babington herself. Elizabeth was not able to protect her cousin any longer and under the advice of her ministers she ordered Mary’s execution, which took place in Fotheringhay Castle in 1587.
Mary’s reliance upon treachery against the Queen of England was spawned from the religious divide which prevailed in England and Scotland. Mary believed that killing Elizabeth was the right thing to do, as this move had been endorsed by the Pope who hoped to restore Catholicism to England. Throughout her life she was criticised for many of the decisions she had made and also the ones that she had been forced into. She held to her convictions that restoring Catholicism was the correct course of action, even if this resulted in the murder of her own cousin. Mary cannot be described as a bad person, but instead one who made many bad decisions and alienated her followers. She tried to do what she thought was right, but in doing so it cost her her life.
Sir Thomas More
Thomas More was fortunate enough to have been brought up in a stable environment within a very respectable family. His father was Sir John More, who had made a name for himself as a prominent judge and was keen to pass his own knowledge onto his son. More made sure that Thomas’s every need was catered for and enrolled him at St Anthony’s school in London. It was here that More’s two greatest passions were nurtured; his interest in law and his desire to serve the Church. His studies suited him well for both subjects and he was an avid scholar of Greek and Latin literature. He remained undecided about which path he should follow and, shortly after he qualified as a barrister in 1501, he decided to join religious orders and become a monk.
After a few years he decided that his duty to his country should be put above his desire to lead a life solely devoted to God, and he left the monastry to enter parliament in 1504. This was a busy year for him; he married for the first time and met and forged a strong friendship with the humanist Erasmus. More’s introduction to parliament was not hugely successful as he openly challenged Henry VII about the high rates of taxes that he had been charging the poor under the agency of Empson and Dudley. Sir Thomas More’s insistence upon being fair gained him a reputation for being a patron of the poor and secured him the support of the people throughout his life. However, More’s policies were risky and put his family in danger. He was forced to withdraw from public life until 1509, when the greatly angered Henry VII had died.
H ENRY’S C LOSEST A DVISER
As More reacquainted himself with parliament, his various merits and skills came to the attention of the new king, Henry VIII. His first appointment as Henry’s adviser came in 1515, when he accompanied the delegation to Flanders to resolve the disputes surrounding the wool trade. He achieved even greater recognition
Similar Books
