Marriage and succession

Timeline
Emperor Ferdinand sent his
ambassador Count Helffenstein to the
English court in Feb 1559 to enquire
about religion and marriage

Death of Amy Dudley

1559

Formal negotiations on behalf of

Ferdinands younger son, the Archduke
Charles, began in May. QE rejected them.
Duke John of Finland arrives to plead Eric
XIV of Swedens case for marriage

1560

English military intervention in Scotland

Dudleys Spanish strategy for

marriage to QE; scandalous rumours
about QE and Dudley

1561

Final attempt by the Swedish ambassador

to put forward Eric XIVs marriage
proposal

Dudley approaches de Quadra again

to gain Phillips support for his
marriage to the Queen.

1562

QE almost dies of small pox

Parliament petitions QE to marry and

settle succession

1563

William Cecil used Christopher Mundt in

Germany to revive the Habsberg match

1564

Burgundian trade embargo

1565

May: Arrival of Imperial envoy, Adam

Zwetkovich to discuss Habsberg marriage
terms. Negotiations grind to a halt.

Dudley made Earl of Leicester:

possible suitor for MQS

Council is in disarray over the succession

Parliament petitions for regulation of

the succession

1566

QE keeps Habsberg negotiations open

sends Thomas Darnett to Vienna in May to
persuade Maximilan to reconsider his
terms.

Mary Queen of Scots gives birth to a

boy.
Earl of Sussex leaves for Austria in June
for final negotiations

1567
1568
Court conspiracy for overthrow of
Cecil and the marriage of Norfolk to
MQS

1569

Papal Bull Regnans in Excelsis:

excommunicates QE.

1570
1571

Jan: Jean de Simier arrived in

England to negotiate a marriage
between Francis, Duke of Anjou and
QE.
August: Anjou arrived at Greenwich

1579

1580
According to some sources: QE declared
in public that she would marry Anjou and
kissed him publicly. Retracted her
decision the following day.

Sussex returns in February as QE refused

to grant Charles toleration for private mass.

Elizabeth brings matrimonial project with

Henry Duke of Anjou for the attention of her
council negotiations deadlocked over
religion.
Oct: Elizabeth permits a small group
of councillors to discuss the pros and
cons of marrying Francis Duke of
Anjou
November: preliminary marriage treaty
Anjou negotiations in a state of limbo:
opposition in the council checkmated
the marriage negotiations.

1581
1582

Anjou courtship abandoned