Why was the Wyatt Rebellion a threat?
The main aim of Wyatt's rebellion was not regime change, but to force a change of policy – specifically, to prevent Mary's planned “Spanish marriage” to Philip II. This was feared far more than her Catholicism in itself.
Was Wyatt's rebellion serious?
The rebellion arose out of concern over Queen Mary's determination to marry a foreigner, Philip II, Prince of Spain, and to return England to strict Catholicism and papal authority. The uprising failed, with consequences for the rebels that ranged from death to forgiveness.
Why was Wyatt executed?
On the 11th April 1554, Sir Thomas Wyatt the younger was beheaded and then his body quartered for treason, for leading Wyatt's Rebellion against Queen Mary I.
What was Wyatt accused of?
In May 1536, Wyatt was imprisoned in the Tower of London for allegedly committing adultery with Anne Boleyn.
How did the Wyatt Rebellion end?
The rebellion failed thanks to Mary's armed response and a general lack of support from the people of London. The leaders, including Wyatt, were executed and so was Mary's cousin Lady Jane Grey (b. Oct. 1537 CE) just in case she became a figurehead for future rebellions.
Who was Wyatt's rebellion against?
Queen Mary ISir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, Wyatt also spelled Wyat, (born c. 1521—died April 11, 1554, London), English soldier and conspirator who led an unsuccessful rebellion against Queen Mary I, probably the most formidable uprising ever faced by a Tudor monarch.
How many men did Wyatt lead to London?
But Wyatt, perhaps foolishly, went ahead with his rebellion; he raised an army of some 3000 men in Kent, and marched on London.
What is Sir Thomas Wyatt known for?
Sir Thomas Wyatt, Wyatt also spelled Wyat, (born 1503, Allington, near Maidstone, Kent, Eng. —died Oct. 6, 1542, Sherborne, Dorset), poet who introduced the Italian sonnet and terza rima verse form and the French rondeau into English literature.
Who was Wyatt to Queen Elizabeth?
Wyatt had led a rebellion, known as Wyatt's Rebellion, which sought to depose the queen and to replace her with her half-sister Elizabeth, but he refused to implicate Elizabeth in the plot. He went to his death asserting her innocence.
Where in England was the Wyatt rebellion?
KentOn 22nd January 1554, Thomas Wyatt the Younger met with fellow conspirators at his home of Allington Castle in Kent to make final plans for their uprising against Mary I and her decision to marry Philip of Spain.
What happened to Sir Thomas Wyatt?
Early in 1542 Wyatt was probably member of Parliament for Kent, and it is possible that he was to be made vice admiral of a fleet. On 11 October 1542, on his way to Falmouth to meet and escort to London the Spanish envoy, he died of a fever at the home of Sir John Horsey at Sherborne in Dorset.
What religion was Thomas Wyatt?
Roman CatholicBorn the eldest of four boys, Thomas Wyatt the Younger was raised a Roman Catholic. His godfather, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk had a significant influence on Wyatt's upbringing. Throughout his childhood, Thomas accompanied his father on a delegation to Spain where the Inquisition began.
How long did Kett's rebellion last?
Kett's RebellionDate 8 July 1549 – 27 August 1549 Location Norfolk Result Victory for Edwardian forces, rebellion suppressed, execution of rebel commandersBelligerentsEast Anglian rebelsKingdom of EnglandCommanders and leaders7 more rows
How did Somerset deal with the western rebellion?
In response, Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset sent Lord John Russell to suppress the revolt, with the rebels being defeated and its leaders executed two months after the beginning of hostilities.
Why did Edward VI try to pass his throne to Lady Jane GREY?
In June 1553, Edward VI wrote his will, nominating Jane and her male heirs as successors to the Crown, in part because his half-sister Mary was Catholic, while Jane was a committed Protestant and would support the reformed Church of England, whose foundation Edward laid.
Why did the Revolt of the Northern Earls happen?
During 1569, the Northern Earls had become enraged over a number of issues that it led to the Revolt of the Northern Earls in 1569. The Earls, first and foremost disagreed with Elizabeth about religion. They wanted Catholicism restored in England, instead of the Protestant Church which existed instead.
What was the Wyatt Rebellion?
In 1554, the Wyatt Rebellion was out of fear of England turning re-Catholicised. Another reason was the proposed marriage of Philip of Spain and Mary.
How did Wyatt get into the city?
Wyatt tried to get into the city via Ludgate but the gate was heavily fortified. The troop was then forced to head towards Temple Bar where Mary was waiting with her troops. This was a trap and soon Wyatt was defeated and captured. Wyatt’s Rebellion, 25th January 1554.
Why was Mary's marriage feared?
Mary’s marriage, for political reasons, was thus, even more feared by the likes of Tomas Wyatt that the Catholocism of the country.
How many men did Wyatt gather?
Wyatt gathered an army of 4000 men in Kent and on 25 th January started marching towards London. Wyatt was confronted by the Duke of Norfolk but the army of 500 later fled in support of his cause. Wyatt had the faintest idea that he might actually succeed.
What was Wyatt's main idea?
The main idea was to stop the Spanish marriage and also there were probably reasons to believe that Wyatt wanted to crown Elizabeth as the future Queen of England.
What was Edward Courtenay's plan for the revolt?
The plan was to attack the Country from three sides, Midland, West Country, and Kent. It was supposed to be a surprise attack and Wyatt hoped to gather more forces to his mutiny.
Why did Wyatt march to London?
Wyatt, a young rebel among many other Kent rebels, marched to London with the aim of stopping Mary Tudor’s marriage with Prince Philip II of Spain. The secondary aim of replacing Mary with her half-sister Elizabeth was never openly declared.
What was the Wyatt Rebellion?
This was a rebellion led by nobles – principally Sir Thomas Wyatt from Kent, Sir Peter Carew from Devon, Sir James Croft from Herefordshire and the Duke of Suffolk from Leicestershire.
Why was Wyatt tortured?
It is thought that Wyatt was tortured so that he would admit that Princess Elizabeth was involved in the rebellion. This he refused to admit to and he made it clear on the scaffold just before he was executed that she was innocent of any involvement in the rebellion.
Why were the Uprisings in the Midlands and the West Country a failure?
The ‘uprisings’ in the Midlands and the West Country were a failure as few of the people there gave Carew and the Duke of Suffolk the support they needed for success. It seems that though there was concern about Mary marrying a foreigner, loyalty to the Queen took precedence.
How many men did Wyatt raise in Kent?
Wyatt succeeded in raising an army in Kent of about 4,000 men and his proximity to London greatly worried the government there.
How did Wyatt get into the city?
To get into the City, Wyatt had planned to get in via Ludgate. However, the gate was heavily fortified and to get to it, the rebels had to move up narrow streets (via the Stand and Fleet Street). By using these narrow streets, Wyatt left his men open to being trapped by armed Londoners loyal to Mary.
What was the plan of the noble conspirators?
The plan was for three rebellions to take place in separate parts of the country.
What did Mary listen to?
Mary listened to those advisors who suggested that leniency for the rebels would be the best way forward and would demonstrate her true Christian nature. She was told that this would raise her status still further in the eyes of the people.
What did Wyatt consider the marriage an affront to?
Wyatt considered the marriage an affront to English sovereignty - both spiritual and material. He saw it as the thin edge of a Catholic wedge which would undo the reforms of Henry VIII and draw England under the influence of the Catholic church and the very Catholic Spanish empire.
Why did Wyatt's men not materialize?
Wyatt's men entered London on 3 February 1554, but the expected outbreak of popular support did not materialize, perhaps in part because of Mary's appeal to the Londoners. Wyatt had a minor skirmish with a troop of infantry at Hyde Park Corner on 7 February, and though he escaped, the morale of his men was dropping rapidly as the promised popular support was nowhere to be found.
Why was Elizabeth imprisoned?
Nevertheless, Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London for alleged involvement in Wyatt's Rebellion. Whether Mary actually believed that her sister had been involved in the plot is another question, but the Rebellion certainly provided a useful pretext for putting Elizabeth out of the way. In the aftermath of the rebellion, Mary's advisors were zealous in tracking down and executing conspirators, and alleged conspirators. Many called for Elizabeth to be executed as well, and it is interesting to consider how history would have changed had Mary not resisted those calls.
What were Mary's advisors zealous about?
In the aftermath of the rebellion, Mary's advisors were zealous in tracking down and executing conspirators, and alleged conspirators. Many called for Elizabeth to be executed as well, and it is interesting to consider how history would have changed had Mary not resisted those calls.
When did Wyatt reach Ludgate?
Wyatt reached Ludgate on the morning of 8 February, but the gate was shut against him and he had no means to break through. He retreated as far as Temple Bar, where he finally gave recognized that his cause was lost and he surrendered.
Who were the conspirators of Wyatt?
The most prominent of his fellow conspirators were Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, Sir Peter Carew, and Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon. To Grey fell the task of raising troops in Leicestershire, while Courtenay did the same in Devon. More troops were expected from the Welsh borderland.
Did Wyatt exonerate Elizabeth?
In his final address to the crowd gathered to watch his execution, Wyatt exonerated Elizabeth and Courtenay, and took the full responsibility for the rebellion on his own shoulders.
What was Wyatt's plan for the rebellion?
Though an impressive plan, it was too widespread. On 25 January 1554, Wyatt raised his standard, signalling the beginning of the rebellion. Mary was informed immediately, though at the time the rebel’s cause was still unclear.
When was Wyatt executed?
Wyatt admitted to informing Elizabeth about the rebellion and Elizabeth too was taken to the Tower. Wyatt was executed on 11 April 1554, and Lady Jane’s father was executed on 23 February 1554. 1.
Who was the 4th or 5th man in the Rebellion?
Not everyone was pleased with her choice in husband, and angry mutterings soon formed the beginning of a full-blown rebellion. It was Sir Thomas Wyatt’ s name who remains linked to the rebellion, though he claimed to be only the “fourth or fifth man”. The plan was simultaneous risings in Devon, the Welsh Borders, the Midlands and Kent.
What was the absence of clergy and gentry in the Rebellion?
absence of gentry and clergy was notably significant- no real leadership or armies- kett was a landowner with no real ability to raise an army- lack of noble involvement meant the rebellion was not as dangerous
Where was the rebellion in 1549?
the rebellion was contained in east anglia and didn't spread across the country- there was no attempt to join up with other rebellions taking place in 1549 ee the western rebellion
Did the rebellion spread beyond England?
it was not one fluid movement but a series of interconnected revolts- the rebellion did not spread beyond the north of england- therefore it had limited impact- with the exception of very limited support in windsor in 1536 the south did not get involved
Who was the leader of the North who helped the King negotiate with the rebels?
majority of the nobles in the north remained loyal to henry viii- the duke of norfolk helped the king negotiate with the rebels- nobles feared that they would lose their power if they supported the rebellion
Did Rhys join Scotland?
rumours that rhys was joining with scotland against the english however this charge was likely to have been fabricated by henry viii as a way to gain money- wales could've rebelled and united with spain but they didn't
Did the Rebellion spread out of Camarthen?
the whole rebellion was contained, it didn't spread out of camarthen- the skirmish in camarthen was only serious enough to warrant a censure from wolsey in the star chamber- there was only hundreds of supports so it had limited impact
What was the Wyatt Rebellion?
The Wyatt Rebellion was an uprising named after Thomas Wyatt, an English politician and rebel leader. It arose durin the reign of Mary I out of fear that England would once again be Catholicised, and there was serious concern about the determination of Queen Mary I to marry Philip of Spain.
Who was the man who drove Wyatt away?
Mary’s supporters blocked Wyatt’s army from entering the city, and with the help of Sir John Brydges who was prepared to fire the guns of the Tower on London Bridge, drove Wyatt away. Soon after the army broke up having been confronted by the inhabitants of Ludgate.
Why not set them alight too?
Most commonly, however, burning was used for men or women found guilty of heresy. To find out more about how fire was important in the Tudor ages, read the chapter on fire in Histories of the Unexpected: The Tudors.
Who were the leaders of the rebellion?
There were four chief rebel leaders throughout this rebellion: Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir James Croft, Sir Peter Carew, and Henry Grey. They were each from different counties and wielded significant power. They all planned to raise rebellions in their counties and then march on London on 18 March 1554. What they hoped would result from this was for Mary to be replaced on the throne with Elizabeth, her half-sister, who would go on to marry Lord Devon. Furthermore, they hoped for a fleet of French ships that would prevent Philip of Spain from reaching England.
Why was Elizabeth summoned to the court?
Elizabeth had been summoned to the court for her own protection. The Queen and Council asked Wyatt for his terms, to which he demanded the Tower of London, and power over the Queen. These demands where so crazy that an initially sympathetic London turned against him.

Overview
The Aftermath
The end of the rebellion might be said to have begun on 5 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 favour of Elizabeth. There was nothing in it to indicate any complicity on the part of Elizabeth, but it did include Courtenay’s role, which hadn’t been included in his “confession” at his earlier arrest which put the blame on everyone except himself. Two days late…
The Reasons
David Loades states that “the main reasons which lay behind the rising were secular and political". while on the other hand, Malcolm Thorp notes that “With but few exceptions, the leading conspirators were Protestants, and religious concerns were an important part of their decision to oppose Mary”. This difference of opinion is not surprising given the complex interrelationship between religion and politics in 16 century England.
The Rebels
The key insurgents were Thomas Wyatt, Sir James Croft, Sir Peter Carew, and Duke of Suffolk.
Wyatt owned large areas of land in Kent and had great influence there. Although Wyatt initially seems to have supported Mary and did declare her to be queen, he was against her marriage to Philip saying that it would lead to the “most miser…
The Plan
A number of historians have named Thomas as the original leader of the rebellion with his plan involving the assassination of Mary by John FitzWilliams. There are differences in the chain of who told whom about the plot, but Wyatt ended up learning of it. He was so against the idea that he set out to beat FitzWilliams (or Thomas, depending on the historian).
Around 26 November 1553, a different plan began to evolve led by Wyatt, Croft, Carew and Suffo…
The Rebellion
To be successful, the rebellion needed many participants, and rumours with varying degrees of accuracy quickly spread. As early as 29 December 1553, Simon Renard, Spain’s ambassador to England and an adviser to Philip, informed Mary of a suspected plot in which “certain persons are trying to persuade Courtenay to seize the Tower of London”.
Some of the rumours would have come from Devon where Carew was making little effort to hid…
The Legacy
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 in 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 Goo…
Note on Names
Spelling variations are common in early writings, both between documents and within them. Here are some name variations that appear:
• Wyatt: Wyat, Wyet, Wyatte, Wyate, Wiat
• Croft: Crofts, Croftes
• Carew: Carewe, Carow
What Was The Wyatt Rebellion?
The Reason Behind Wyatt’s Rebellion
The Planning of Wyatt’s Rebellion
Reasons For Failure of Wyatt’s Rebellion
- The rebellion failed miserably. One of the reasons been the poor planning of the mutiny. Wyatt was underprepared and was oblivious of the fact that the rumours of his devious plan have already reached the loyal officers of Mary. Simon Renard, the Imperial Ambassador informed Lord Chancellor Stephen Gardner of the probable raising of the mutiny. Gar...
The Rebellion Days
Death of Thomas Wyatt
Consequences of The Wyatt Rebellion
The Aftermath