The victims of the Elizabethan persecution suffered primarily for their religious faith. While the Crown legally tried and executed them for high treason, religion and politics were inextricably linked. Catholics were executed under laws that criminalized their religious practices and their spiritual allegiance to the Pope.The question of whether the victims died for the 'Old Faith' or for treason was heavily debated during the Elizabethan era and remains a point of historical discussion. The reality of the persecution involves several key factors.