Execution of Thomas Wyatt the Younger

It was on this day, 11th April 1554, that Thomas Wyatt the Younger was ex3cuted at Tower Hill in London, for his part in one of the most threatening revolts of the Tudor period….

The Wyatt’s Rebellion.

Thomas Wyatt the Younger, is one of the most interesting men in English History.
Wyatt’s father was the poet Thomas Wyatt the Elder, who introduced the sonnet into England, was a member of Henry VII’s court, and was accused of committing adultery with Anne Boleyn.

Thomas Wyatt the Younger, was a respected politician as MP for Kent, a soldier fighting in France under Henry VIII, landowner ~ and a rebel…..

There were two main causes for ‘Wyatt’s Rebellion’ ~ religion and dynasty.
Neither of these aims were intended to harm Queen Mary I.
The religious causes of Wyatt’s Rebellion were more subtle than the dynastic ones.

Wyatt was a Protestant, as were all of the prominent leaders of the rebellion.
The rebellion itself was only one of four proposed uprisings in various counties of England.

Wyatt, James Croft, Peter Carew, and Henry Grey were to lead rebels in Kent, Herefordshire, Devon, and Leicestershire, respectively.

The religious motives for the rebellion are clear.
In 1554, Mary I was in the middle of her attempt to get England re-Catholicised.

The rebellion aimed to replace Catholic Mary with her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth.

The rebellion’s popular conception was done in opposition to the Spanish Marriage of Mary I and Philip of Spain.

By publicising the rebellion as against the Spanish marriage rather than one with religious roots, Wyatt was able to garner support from both anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish sentiment.

Many people feared the marriage between Prince Philip of Spain and Queen Mary would open up England to Spanish influence, which could be contrary to England’s desires, as well as intertwining with Spain’s strong Catholic beliefs.

It is under this guise that Wyatt’s Rebellion grew to amass over 3,000 men by the time it reached London and posed a palpable threat to Queen Mary.

At one point it seemed as though Wyatt might be successful in his ambitions.

As Wyatt edged closer towards Mary herself, it was clear that the future of England would be decided by Mary’s next actions.

The Queen gave an impassioned speech to her supporters at the Guildhall.
She denounced Wyatt and his rabble as a ‘traitorous and seditious assembling’.

It was here that Mary tried to dispell the idea that her marriage to Philip was a cause of concern.

Although a speech to people who already supported Mary, may seem a last-ditch effort which would have little effect against the thousands of rebels who wanted change, it appears to have worked.

Wyatt’s troops, now bolstered with around 500 more troops, found themselves unable to get to the Queen.
They were able to get as far as Ludgate, crossing over a bridge at Kingston.

Here, the rebels met the brunt of popular resistance, as Londoners refused to let them pass and caused the rebel army to disperse.

Wyatt and his vanguard of around 400 men were eventually surrounded.
The cavalry force moved in and made short work of the rebels at Temple Bar.
Wyatt surrendered, along with a handful of survivors.

Ultimately, around 200 rebel leaders were ex3cuted, 46 being hanged in a single day, and then, on 11th April 1554, Wyatt was given the terrible traitor’s death, hanged, drawn, and quartered.

The rebellion did not stop the ‘Spanish Marriage’, which went ahead on 25th July 1554 ~ although it turned out to be an unhappy one for Mary, as Philip mostly stayed away from England.

The major consequences of the Wyatt Rebellion were:

* The ex3cution of 200 rebels, including Wyatt.

* The ex3cution of Lady Jane Grey.
Protestant Lady Jane Grey was executed on 12th February 1554, as Mary could not afford to host a living figurehead for any future rebellion.

* The imprisonment of Elizabeth Tudor.
The future Elizabeth I was implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion, although no proof of her participation exists.

* The decision by Parliament to reduce Prince Philip’s powers when king.

* The determination of Mary I to step up her persecution of Protestants.

And so Wyatt’s Rebellion came to an end.

Was he a religious martyr, ex3cuted for his Protestant beliefs?
Was he a patriot who died trying to lessen the influence of Spain over English politics?
Or was he somewhere in-between?……

? Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger c1540
Hans Holbein the Younger.
The Weiss Gallery, London.