Reasons for the rebellion
After Elizabeth coronation, she faced opposition from catholics who felt that she had no right to be queen. This was due to her father breaking the sacred law of divorcing his 1st wife, the Catholic Catherine of Aragon. This then made them look toward Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary Queen of Scots as an Alternative monarch.
Despite the official religious changes many people in England retained their Catholic beliefs and there was support for the idea of Mary Queen of Scots replacing Elizabeth on the thrown.
Events
Mary kept Elizabeth under close to watch to prevent a possible rebellion while she debated how to deal with her. She even stopped her from marrying the Duke of Norfolk. However, he left the royal court without permission and headed up north. Taking this as a sign, a group of northern leaders started the main front of the rebellion which was lead by Westmoreland and Northumberland.
They managed to take control of the Durham cathedral, celebrate an illegal Catholic mass there and began to march south with 4600 men. Elizabeth struggled at first finding an army to stop this but one of her loyal lords, the Earl of Susses raised an army and the rebels disbanded.
The Outcome
The leaders of the rebellion fled to Scotland where Northumberland was captured and execute. Westmoreland escaped to France, where he lived until he died. Norfolk spent 10 months in the tower of London, he was eventually released and kept under house arrest, meaning her was forced to stay inside his home at all time.
