- Born:
- October 1561, Dethick, Derbyshire, Eng.
- Died:
- Sept. 20, 1586, London (aged 24)
Anthony Babington
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Who was Anthony Babington?
Anthony Babington (born in October 1561, died September 20, 1586) was an English conspirator who led the unsuccessful Babington Plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
Babington, a Roman Catholic, served as a page to the Earl of Shrewsbury, keeper of Mary Stuart, and felt devotion to her. In 1586, he and John Ballard plotted to destroy the government, with support promised from Philip II of Spain after Elizabeth's assassination. However, their letters were intercepted by Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s secretary.
Ballard's capture led to the betrayal of his comrades. Babington was later caught, tried, and condemned to death for high treason. He was executed with great barbarity in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The historical significance of the Babington Plot lies in its implication of Mary Stuart, who was also put to death.
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What was Anthony Babington known for?
Anthony Babington, born in 1561, is known as an English conspirator who led the unsuccessful Babington Plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary Stuart, the Roman Catholic Queen of Scots.
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What was the main goal of the Babington Plot?
The main goal of the Babington Plot was to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scots, who was imprisoned by Elizabeth. Anthony Babington, the leader of the conspiracy, aimed to destroy the government with the support of many Roman Catholics across the country. Philip II of Spain pledged to assist with an expedition following the assassination of Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth's secretary, Sir Francis Walsingham, intercepted letters between Babington and Mary, exposing their plans.
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Who was Anthony Babington trying to help with the plot?
Anthony Babington was trying to help Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, with the Babington Plot. The aim of the plot was to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and install the Roman Catholic Mary Stuart, who was Elizabeth's prisoner, on the English throne. Babington felt an ardent devotion to Mary Stuart and became associated with her supporters in Paris, who were planning her release with the help of Spain.
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How was Anthony Babington discovered and caught?
Anthony Babington's discovery began when a spy in the French embassy alerted Sir Francis Walsingham to clandestine correspondence with Mary, Queen of Scots. Walsingham's double agents then intercepted coded letters smuggled in a beer barrel, which exposed Mary's complicity in the plot to depose Queen Elizabeth.
After John Ballard, a fellow conspirator, was seized and betrayed his comrades, likely under torture, Babington attempted to flee abroad. He was discovered toward the end of August, hiding in Harrow, and subsequently imprisoned in the Tower of London. Tried with Ballard and others, Babington confessed but tried to blame Ballard. He was condemned to death for high treason and executed.
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What happened to Anthony Babington after the plot was uncovered?
Following the unearthing of the Babington Plot, Anthony Babington was apprehended and faced trial with John Ballard and five other conspirators before a special commission. Although Babington confessed, he attempted to shift the blame onto Ballard.
He was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. Babington appealed to Queen Elizabeth for mercy and offered £1,000 for a pardon, but his pleas were unsuccessful.
On September 20, 1586, Anthony Babington was executed with significant brutality in Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
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Anthony Babington (born October 1561, Dethick, Derbyshire, Eng.—died Sept. 20, 1586, London) was an English conspirator, a leader of the unsuccessful “Babington Plot” to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and install Elizabeth’s prisoner, the Roman Catholic Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, on the English throne.
The son of Henry Babington of Derbyshire, he was brought up secretly a Roman Catholic. As a youth he served at Sheffield as page to the Earl of Shrewsbury, keeper of Mary Stuart, for whom he early felt an ardent devotion. In 1580 he went to London, attended the court of Elizabeth I, and joined the secret society supporting the Jesuit missionaries. In 1582, after the execution of Edmund Campion, he withdrew to Derbyshire and later went abroad. He became associated at Paris with Mary’s supporters, who were planning her release with the help of Spain, and on his return he was entrusted with letters for her. In May 1586 he was joined by the priest John Ballard in the plot which generally bears his name.
The conspiracy, in its general purpose of destroying the government, included many Roman Catholics and had ramifications all over the country. Philip II of Spain promised immediate assistance with an expedition after the assassination of the queen was effected. Babington wrote to Mary explaining his plans, but his letters and her reply were intercepted by the spies of Elizabeth’s secretary Sir Francis Walsingham. On August 4 Ballard was seized and betrayed his comrades, probably under torture. Babington had already applied for a passport abroad, for the ostensible purpose of spying upon the refugees but, in reality, to organize the foreign expedition and secure his own safety. The passport being delayed, he offered to reveal to Walsingham a dangerous conspiracy, but the latter sent no reply, and meanwhile the ports were closed.
Shortly afterward, Babington is said to have observed a memorandum of Walsingham’s concerning himself while in the company of the minister’s servants. Thereupon he fled to St. John’s Wood and, after disguising himself, succeeded in reaching Harrow, where he was sheltered by a Roman Catholic convert. Toward the end of August he was discovered and imprisoned in the Tower of London. On September 13–14 he was tried with Ballard and five others by a special commission; he confessed his guilt but strove to place all the blame upon Ballard. All were condemned to death for high treason. On September 19 he wrote to Elizabeth praying for mercy and, the same day, offered £1,000 for procuring his pardon; the next day he was executed with great barbarity in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Mary Stuart was put to death on Feb. 8, 1587.
The historical significance of the Babington Plot lies in its implication of Mary Stuart. The only positive documentary proof that Mary had knowledge of the intended assassination of Elizabeth is in a postscript to her final answer to Babington. The authenticity of this postscript has been challenged, but it is argued that Mary’s circumstances, together with the tenor of her correspondence with Babington, place her complicity beyond all reasonable doubt.