John Somerville (conspirator) facts for kids
John Somerville (born in 1560, died in 1583) was a young man from Warwickshire, England. His parents were John Somerville and Elizabeth Corbett. He lived during the time of Elizabeth I of England, a powerful queen.
John Somerville publicly said he wanted to harm Queen Elizabeth I. He even said he wanted to kill her. However, it is thought that he might have been mentally unwell at the time. It's possible he didn't truly mean to carry out his threat.
Even so, the Queen's security team was very careful. They took his words seriously, perhaps to be safe or to set an example. He was put in the Tower of London and questioned.
Family Consequences
John Somerville's actions had serious effects on his family. His father-in-law, Edward Arden, was also arrested. He was found guilty of plotting against the Queen by Christopher Wray. Edward Arden was executed in London on December 20, 1583.
John Somerville's wife and daughter were also sent to the Tower of London. Luckily, they were later set free.
Some people believe that powerful figures like Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester might have handled the Somerville and Arden case unfairly. At that time, Warwickshire was a place where many Catholic families lived. These families, like the Throckmortons, Catesbys, and Treshams, were sometimes involved in real plots against the Queen. One famous plot was the Gunpowder Plot.
His Family Life
John Somerville married Margaret Arden. She was the daughter of Sir Edward Arden and Mary Throckmorton. Mary Throckmorton's parents were Sir Robert Throckmorton and Muriel Berkeley.
John and Margaret Somerville had two daughters together. Their names were Elizabeth and Alice.
