The Babington Plot
The Babington Plot, devised fifteen years later in 1586, was another plot aimed at displacing Elizabeth I and put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne. Anthony Babington, a Catholic nobleman, was the key conspirator behind this plot and he devoted his life to returning England to Catholicism. He plotted with other Catholic Englishmen and King Phillip II of Spain to rescue Mary from prison and restore England to Catholicism. Babington met John Ballard, a Jesuit Priest, who also wanted Mary on the throne. Ballard put Babington in charge of organizing English Catholics against Elizabeth, and Babington started corresponding with Mary through ciphered letters. However, their letters were being intercepted by Elizabeth’s spies and deciphered and in 1586, a letter sent by Babington outlining the details of the plot was decoded. Ballard, Babington and six others were arrested while Mary was sentenced to death for her involvement in the plot. Mary was beheaded on February 8th, 1587.
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