many english catholics, then a significant portion of the population, supported mary's claim as a way to restore roman catholicism. this position was especially strong in northern england, where several powerful nobles were roman catholics; there had been similar risings against henry viii; the pilgrimage of grace of 1536 and bigod's rebellion of 1537. supporters of mary hoped for aid from france (among scots) and possibly spain (among english). mary's position was strengthened by the birth of her son, james, in 1566 but weakened again when she was deposed in july 1567.