Death of Elizabeth I
Signs Mary Queen of Scots; death warrant but tries, unsuccessfully, to retain it
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1586 in England
Explore 40 historical events and records for England in 1586.
Historical records for England in 1586
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 40 unique records.
40Unique records
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31Named events on this page
22Named people on this page
11Places on this page
February
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
Signs Mary Queen of Scots; death warrant but tries, unsuccessfully, to retain it
May
North West Passage
English sea captain John Davis sets sail from Dartmouth with 3 ships in a 2nd attempt to find the Northwest passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
June
Ballard Recruits Babington Circle
John Ballard encourages Anthony Babington and his associates to support a scheme combining Elizabeth's assassination with the release of Mary, Queen of Scots.
July
Treaty of Berwick
Promises James VI an annual Grant
Babington Assassination Letter
Anthony Babington writes to Mary describing plans for Elizabeth's assassination and Mary's rescue, creating the documentary evidence later used against the conspirators.
Mary's Letter Deciphered
Thomas Phelippes deciphers Mary's response to Babington, giving Walsingham evidence that ministers interpret as approval of the plan to remove Elizabeth.
Plot
Mary writes to Babington ploting against Elizabeth I & falls into Walsinghams trap
Discovery of Potatoes
Brought over to Plymouth from Colombia
Savage Assigned Assassination Role
John Savage is identified within the Babington conspiracy as one of the men prepared to undertake the physical killing of Elizabeth I.
Tichborne Joins Babington Plot
Chidiock Tichborne joins Babington's circle and becomes involved in the wider conspiracy to free Mary and overthrow Elizabeth's government.
August
Anthony Babington Captured after Plot Discovery
Anthony Babington is captured after the government deciphers correspondence connecting his circle with a conspiracy to kill Elizabeth I and release Mary Stuart.
September
Babington Plot Trial
Babington and fellow conspirators are tried for treason after Walsingham's network exposes their correspondence, and the court condemns them to death.
Death of Anthony Babington
Death of Anthony Babington, assassinated
Execution of Anthony Babington
Anthony Babington is executed for the conspiracy against Elizabeth, bringing the principal English organiser of the plot to a public and severe end.
Execution of Babington
Babington & his 5 associates are executed
Plot
Plans to free Mary & rally Catholic support for Spanish invasion. Plans to assassinate Elizabeth
October
North West Passage
When Davis returns he learns that one ship, the North Star, had been lost with all hands in a gale near the coast of Ireland
Sinking of North Star
When Davis returns he learns that one ship, the North Star, had been lost with all hands in a gale near the coast of Ireland
Sinking of North Star - Loss with All Hands
North Star was lost with all hands in a gale near Ireland while returning from John Davis's second Arctic voyage.
November
Parliament Petitions for Mary Stuart's Execution
Lords and Commons petition Elizabeth to carry out the sentence against Mary, Queen of Scots, arguing that her survival threatens national security.
Other events (month unknown)
Arrest of Mary of Scots
Elizabeth will not risk a war to restore Mary & has Mary arrested
Britannia First Edition
Camden publishes the first edition of Britannia, his antiquarian survey of Britain.
Death of Lionel Sackville
Announces death sentence to Mary Queen of Scots
Death of Philip Sydney
After the death of Sydney the English are forced to withdraw from The Netherlands
Discovery of Potatoes
Returns to England with potato & tobacco
Discovery of Potatoes
Imports the first potato into England from Virginia on Francis Drakes ship
Discovery of Tobacco
Returns to England with potato & tobacco
Education
Educated at Gloucester Hall in Oxford, a college noted for its Catholic intake
Exile of Elizabeth I
Crosses the Scottish border & seeks Elizabeth's protection
Gifford Carries Coded Letters
Gilbert Gifford acts as a courier in the secret correspondence with Mary while cooperating with Walsingham's intelligence service, allowing ministers to monitor the conspiracy.
Plot
Exposes the Babington plot
Siege of Zutphen
Conducts the siege of Zutphen without success
Speaker of House of Commons
Appointed Speaker of the House of Commons, 2nd term
Treason
Commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots, one of the commissioners who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason
Trial
Presides over the commission which tried Mary I of Scotland
Trial
Commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots, one of the commissioners who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason
Trial
Member of court which tried Anthony Babington
Trial
A Commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots
Trial
Commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.