2.3 Outbreak of war with Spain 1585-88

Question 1

When was the Treaty of Joinville signed?

Answer 1

1584

Question 2

Why did Elizabeth have to change her foreign policy after the Treaty of Joinville was signed?

Answer 2

She would not be able to avoid direct intervention in the Netherlands.

Question 3

When was Elizabeth offered sovereignty of the Netherlands?

Answer 3

June 1585

Question 4

Why did Elizabeth refuse the offer of sovereignty in the Netherlands?

Answer 4

It would mean deposing Philip II: he was an anointed monarch and so she still wouldn’t knowingly depose him.

Question 5

Instead of accepting sovereignty in the Netherlands, what Treaty did she sign in 1585?

Answer 5

The Treaty of Nonsuch

Question 6

When exactly was the Treaty of Nonsuch signed?

Answer 6

10th August 1585

Question 7

Who was the treaty of Nonsuch between?

Answer 7

Elizabeth I and the Dutch Protestants.

Question 8

What did the Treaty of Nonsuch mean would happen?

Answer 8

Elizabeth had agreed to directly intervene in the Netherlands on the side of the rebels.

Question 9

Why didn’t Philip II like the Treaty of Nonsuch being signed?

Answer 9

He thought the English would stay out of the Netherlands because effectively the Netherlands still belonged to Spain.

Question 10

How many troops would England finance because of the Treaty of Nonsuch being signed?

Answer 10

7,400 troops under a commander of her choosing.

Question 11

Who was the commander in charge because of the Treaty of Nonsuch? What was his role?

Answer 11

Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester)
He was to work with the rebels’ government, the Council of State.
He would also command troops

Question 12

When did Elizabeth send Sir Francis Drake to raid the New World?

Answer 12

October 1585

Question 13

Why did Elizabeth send Sir Francis Drake to raid the New World?

Answer 13

To disrupt Philip II’s flow of resource and finances.

Question 14

What was the result of Drake’s raid in the New World in 1585?

Answer 14

Drake didn’t manage to deter Philip, and Drake only ended up angering him.

Question 15

What did Philip tell the Pope after Drake’s raid of the New World in 1585?

Answer 15

That he would plan to invade England by the end of 1585.

Question 16

Why wasn’t England’s intervention in the Netherlands very successful?

Answer 16

Elizabeth didn’t want to take initiative as she didn’t want to negotiate with Spain.
This meant that Leicester wasn’t given enough money for men or supplies to mount a large campaign.

Question 17

What title did Leicester take at the start of the campaign in 1586?

Answer 17

Governor General of the Netherlands (on Elizabeth’s behalf)

Question 18

When did Leicester gain the title Governor General of the Netherlands?

Answer 18

January 1586

Question 19

Why wasn’t Elizabeth with Leicester accepting the title of Governor General of the Netherlands?

Answer 19

The title implied she was deposing Philip II as the King of the Netherlands.

Question 20

Despite only being able to slow Parma’s forces in summer 1586, where were the forts England managed to take in September?

Answer 20

Just outside Zutphen

Question 21

Which fort did the English lose in January 1587?

Answer 21

Zutphen Fort

Question 22

Who handed over Zutphen Fort in January 1587?

Answer 22

Rowland York (an English captain)

Question 23

What did Rowland York and Sir William Stanley do?

Answer 23

They defected to the Spanish (they opposed England in favour of Spain).

Question 24

What town has Sir William Stanley been governor of?

Answer 24

Deventer

Question 25

Why did the actions of Sir William Stanley mean that the Dutch found it hard to trust Leicester?

Answer 25

Leicester had appointed Stanley who had defected to Spain.

Question 26

In 1586, what Treaty did England and Scotland sign?

Answer 26

The Treaty of Berwick

Question 27

What did the Treaty of Berwick mean?

Answer 27

England’s northern borders were much more secure. Because:
- Elizabeth I and James VI agreed to maintain Protestantism as their countries’ religion
- Elizabeth I and James VI agreed to help each other if invaded.

Question 28

When was Robert Dudley called back to England?

Answer 28

November 1586

Question 29

When did Robert Dudley return back to the Netherlands?

Answer 29

June 1587

Question 30

Despite not having enough men or supplies, he managed to disrupt the Duke of Parma enough to cause problems to prevent him from taking what?

Answer 30

The deep water port in Ostend

Question 31

What were the 3 key reasons that the English campaign in the Netherlands was not successful?

Answer 31

1. Elizabeth didn’t put her all into it as she wanted to avoid negotiating with Spain. She didn’t give Leicester enough funds.
2. Leicester and Elizabeth had different aims in the Netherlands as Leicester wanted to liberate the Netherlands but Elizabeth wanted to return to how the Netherlands had been governed in 1548.
3. Relations between England and the Dutch had declined because of Elizabeth’s lack of commitment.

Question 32

When did Elizabeth order Francis Drake to attack Spain’s navy due to Spain preparing the Armada?

Answer 32

March 1587

Question 33

What exact date did Drake sail to Cadiz harbour?

Answer 33

19th April 1587

Question 34

Over 3 days, how many ships did Drake’s fleet destroy?

Answer 34

30

Question 35

What was the attack on Cadiz known as?

Answer 35

The singeing of the King of Spain’s beard

Question 36

After spending several weeks attacking the coast on Portugal in 1587, where did Drake head next?

Answer 36

Azores

Question 37

What was Drake’s aims when he attacked Portugal’s coasts?

Answer 37

Capture Spanish treasure ships bringing silver from Spain’s New World colonies.

Question 38

What was the outcome of Drake’s attacks on Portugal’s coasts?

Answer 38

The Armada wasn’t stopped but it was delayed by a year which bought the English time to prepare.