Northern Rebellion attempts to replace Elizabeth with Mary

In November 1569, the Northern Rebellion—also known as the Rising of the North or the Revolt of the Northern Earls—was launched by Catholic nobles in northern England. Led by Charles Neville, Earl of Westmorland, and Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, the rebellion aimed to depose Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, who was seen by many Catholics as the rightful heir to the English throne. The rebels hoped to restore Catholicism in England, which had been suppressed under Elizabeth’s Protestant rule. They began their uprising by holding an illegal Catholic mass in Durham Cathedral and marching south with thousands of supporters. However, the rebellion quickly faltered. Elizabeth’s forces, led by the Earl of Sussex, crushed the uprising, and the rebels fled. In the aftermath, Elizabeth responded with brutal efficiency: over 450 rebels were executed, and the Earl of Northumberland was beheaded in 1572. Mary, Queen of Scots, who had been under protective custody, was placed under stricter confinement. The rebellion’s failure not only solidified Elizabeth’s control but also led to harsher laws against Catholics and increased surveillance of dissenters.