C20: Foreign Affairs under Elizabeth Flashcards
Describe the potential suitors for Elizabeth
- Dudley: likely her preferred choice, but horrified Cecil as not only would it reduce his own power but it would also cause political risks due to the mysterious death of his wife
- Philip II of Spain - he offered his hand to her, pronabky lacking serious intent due to being a catholic
- Archdukes Ferdinand and Charles, both were catholic
- Protestand Prince Erik of Sweden, but E was uninterested
When did the HoC first raise the issue of marriage?
1559 - however she deflected it gracefully
Why did parliament raise the issue of her marriage in 1563
She had had a bout of smallpox, and it seems she might die, so the succession became a full blown crisis, as councillors were very aware of the disasters which could follow her death should she die with out an heir.
Who were th initially potential successors
lady Catherine grey (disgraced) and MQS ( catholic) so E refused to name either
Why did parliament raise the issue of her marriage in 1566?
some MPs were promoted by members of the privy council but motives differed. Elizabeth reacted furiously and banned Leicester and the Earl of Pembroke from the Presence Chamber, berating also all those involved, thus reasserting that the issues of marriage and succession were royal prerogative
Why did parliament raise the issue of succession in 1579
when Elizabeth was declared still capable pf bearing children, Burghley and Sussex suggested a potential marriage to Francis Dukle of Anjou, but some councillors and members of the public feared it would lead to an infant successor under French influence
describe the organisation of the final plans for the succession
- E had likely taken a political decision not to marry, concluding the disadvantages were too strong, despite the risks
- executions mQS meant that her son James IV of Scotland, despite the Stuart dynasty being initially cut out off the line of succession, would be the successor
-elizabeth’s councillors had a vested interest in ensuring that they stayed relevant., so wood him when she was still alive - notably Essex and Robert Cecil - until the very end, she refused to formally approve him - and the evidence she did is indeed shaky
- however, this was the smoothest dynastical change seen in England - much of that can be credited to Cecil
Why was MQS problematic
- relations between E and MQS were tied to issues of marriage and the succession
- Mary’s marriage to the Earl of Darnley led to anger from protestant lords and the English alike, and was disastrous, with MQS eventually implicated in his murder. She then married his suspected murdered, which caused a short civil war which forced her top flee to England in 1567.
- from the time she fled south to her execution. in 1587, she was a problem, as Catholics saw her as the rightful monarch therefore she became the focus of p[lots to overthrow Elizabeth.
- this problem grew worse after Elizabeth’s excommunication in 1570, was the church saw this as absolving the need of English catholics to obey their leader therefore frightening E, leadening to the tightening of treason laws to deem all Catholics traitors
Describe the Ridolfi Plot
- it was in 1571
- it involved a conspiracy for MQS to marry the Duke of Norfolk, and overthrow Elizabeth.
- ti was significant as it allowed brughley to ensure the execution of the duke of Norfolk for treason
describe the throckmorton plot
- it happened in 1583
- it involved a plan for a foreign landing in Sussex folioed by an overthrow of E and replacing her with MQA. However, it was folded by Walsingham’s espionage network
It was significant as
1) it led to the creation of the bond of association
2) it worsened anglo-spanish relations
3) it tightened the conditions of MQS’s captivity
Describe the Parry plot
-1585
- it was a plot to assassinate the queen
- ti was significant as it led to the acceleration of parliamentary proceedings on a bill to ensure her safety
describe the babington plot
- Mary was complici in a plot to assassinate elixabeth, but was exposed by walsingham’s codebreaker, Thomas Phelippes
- it was significant as it enabled Burghley to secure Mary’s execution
why were people, Elizabeth involved, reluctant with the execution of MQS?
- Elizabeth was reluctant to press for the execution of an anointed monarch but eventually it was decided she should face trial at Fotheringhay castle
- privy councillors and nobles assisted by judges were ordered to try her - but many who were commissioned plead sick in order to avoid regicide, but also to stay in James’ good books
Describe her execution
after 4 months of delay, E became increasingly uneasier to order the execution. Burghley tried to use parliamentary pressure to petition her, but failed to get her to sign the death warrant until 1st feb 1587 - but then she gave contradictory orders about when to have it dispatched.
eventually she was executed, and became a martyr in the eyes of many catholics
Why did anglo-spanish relations in the 1560s deteriorate due to the trading activity of John Hawkins?
- he attempted t break the Spanish trading monopoly in the Caribbean and so infuriated Spanish interests that in 1568 he was blockaded in Mexico an only 2 of his ships could escape
Why did anglo-spanish relations in the 1560s deteriorate due to the situation in the Netherlands
- Philip II wanted a tighter form of political organisation in the Netherlands under the more direct spansish control, which would help to root out heresy.
- Elizabeth came under pressure from protestant councillors to aid dutch protestants who feared they were inn danger. she was reluctant to take action and wasn’t eager about aiding rebels who were fighting against sovereign authority.
Why did anglo-spanish relations in the 1560s deteriorate due to the English harassment of the Spanish
- Nov 1568, a storm forced several Spanish vessels carrying 400,000 florins intended to pay the army of the duke of alba ( who was P’s general in the Netherlands) to see shelter in English ports - when this happened E. impounded the money ;riding Alva to seize English ships and property in the Netherlands
describe what else made anglo-spanish relations already poor by the 1590s
- The breakdown in English trade with Spain and the Netherlands, Philip’s encouragement of the northern rebellion, and the excommunication of Elizabeth
describe how Elizabeth inadvertently contributed to the declining anglo-spanish relations in 1572
- she expelled the sea beggars (dutch pirates licensed by rebel leader William of orange) from English ports. they were forced to land in the dutch port of Brielle, and their occupation of the port, unchecked by the Spanish garrison there, sparked a full-scale revolt against Spain.
- by 1576, all the provinces of the Netherlands had risen up against what they sa as atrocities committed by the Spanish army, and collectively produced the Pacification of Ghent - this called for the expulsion of all foreign troops and the restoration. of the autonomy of the provinces - this was favoured by Elizabeth
describe the issues that arose from the Pacification of Ghent
- the dutch provinces quarrelled amongst themselves and the French were prepared to invade the neterhlands - which wasn’t what e had hoped for, so she even contemplated marrying the French duke of Anjou to retain English influence here.
- from an English perspective, it just got worse - divisions within provinces led to the creation of 2 separate entities: the union of Utrecht (northern,. protestant) and the union of Arras (southern, catholic). The Spanish made peace with Arras. therefor providing a basis for the governor-general, the duke of parma, to try to reconquer the north. matters were then worsened by the 1580 annexation of Portugal, which strenghened Spain
How did Elizabeth respond to Spanish action in the Netherlands in 1570-85
- she took a more overtly anti-spanish policy:
1) supporting protugese pretender Don Antonio (whose illegitimacy made him only of limited usefulness)
2) knighting Francis drake for circumnavigating the world, thus irritating the Spanish
3) treating the Spanish ambassador contemptuously.
therefore these frequently trivial issues increased tension with Spain
describe how the situation in the Netherlands deteriorated after 1580
- parma’s reconquest of the north gained momentum. so only Holland and Zealand were in protestant hands.
- William of orange assassinated in 15834
- Philip II and the catholic league in France came to an agreement in the Treaty of Joinville in 1584 - this alarmed E as the Guise family were head of the catholic league, and this meant nothing could stop PII from backing mQS
How did Mary seek to counteract the terms of the treaty of Joinville
- she allied with dutch protestant rebels in the treaty of Nonsuch in 1585, and sent troops to the neterhlands under the command of the earl of Leicester.
- however, the trpp[s had such poor pay so were ill-disciplined and alienated the dutch
- the dutch Felt betrayed when 2 officers deserted and joined parma
- the English commanders quarllaled, and Leicester quarrelled with the dutch because they thought e was trying to do a deal with parma behind their backs
what was the impact of this situation in the Netherland sin 1570-85
it led Philip to believe he could easily exploit the divisions between the English and the dutch
describe the Spanish Armada
- the organisation of the expedition against England was highly complex and took years to come to fruition
- Philip believed he was doing god’s work, and was engaged in a catholic crusade
- the armada was huge and many of the vessels and their crews had ben commandeered fro the Portuguese
- however the sailing of the armada was delayed due to a successful English attack on Spanish ships in the harbour at Cadiz in April 1587
- the armada finally set sail in July 1588 with the aim of reaching the port of grave lines, where it was intended that the Spanish army, commanded by the duke of parma. would board the ships so an invasion might be launched.
- the armada was sighted off the coast of Cornwall, in July and was engaged in an indecisive battle on the e English channel in august but was forced by poor weather to return home via a hazardous route of sailing north towards Scotland then back south to th west of Ireland. costing them many more ships lost in storms
describe the other fronts the anglo-spanish war was fought on
- at sea off of Western Europe
- in the carribean
- on land in france/netherlands/ireland where it was connected to a revolt against e’s rule
describe people’s thoughts about rh causes of the Spanish war
- Elizabeth sought national security above all else
- for many however, both at court and in the armed forces, England was involved in a war for both national and religious survival against a universal catholic conspiracy. this view was shared up to a point by lord Burghley who saw Spain as being involved in a war of conquest
- national/religious considerations seen by all as paramount
describe the strategic differences between people
some believed in minimalist view: concentrating limited resources in the Netherlands to confront the duke of parma, whereas others like John Hawkins advocated for a more expansion e naval campaign, which they argued could be self financing, whilst also accepting a land one was necessary
describe the war at sea
those who favoured a WAS could support their claim by arguing that war in the Netherlands had been expensive and difficult whilst England had achieved relatively success with small scale naval attacks in the carribean/mainland Spain n 1585/87
- from 1595, the English made 3 attacks on mainland Spain and its colonies, including a spectacular but short lived victory capturing Cadiz and sinking 4 gallons- but there was no strategic followup. Hawkins and drake wanted an attack on Panama - it failed, they died . the capture of Cadiz humiliated pII and prevented Spanish merchant vessels from sailing the carribean therefore was blow to the Spanish
impact of capture of Cadiz
Describe the situation with Spanish involvement in Ireland 1585-1604
- The Spanish had tried to exploit a rebellion in Ireland for their own ends. To prevent a possible Spanish attack on Ireland, a fleet under the earl of Essex’s command was dispatched to attack the Spanish fleet in harbour in Northwestern Spain in 1597
However,Essex’s fleet was driven back down to Plymouth by wind - but eventually was reused to sail to the Azores, suggesting that the need for booty had once again superseded wider strategic considerations - therefore the Spanish fleet succeeded in setting sail for Ireland, and might have landed virtually unopposed
- further fear of invasion in 1599 prompted almost entirely by false intelligence created a huge panic - thereafter, naval activity was directed almost entirely by the need to prevent Spanish landings in Ireland
- however little was achieved at a great cost
describe the war in the Netherlands 1580s-90s
- For several years after 1588, the main arena for the war on land between England and Spain remained the netherlands
- after Leicester’s failures, relations between the English crown and the dutch improved.
- in 1589, sir Francis were was made commander of the English forces and proved highly capable - he forged a positive relationship with the dutch leader Maurice of Nassau
- this, combined with problems faced by the Spanish ( troops mutinying and being overcommitted in France) ensured that the territories lost to the duke of parma were gradually recovered
describe the impact of English intervention in the netherlands 1580s-90s
- the cost to the English of maintaining a force in the Netherlands was high, but the dutch did pay a share of the costs.
- by 1594, the Spanish had been expelled from all of the lands of the northern netherlands
- the dutch revolt had proved successful - sone of the credit was due to the crown - English strategic objectives were triumphantly achieved
- northern netherlands became an independent state, the southern netherlands remained under Spanish sovereignty but achieved a degree of autonomy - therefore no foreign power was deeply entrenched in the netherlands.
