Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad 1569-88: Relations and War with Spain Flashcards
Religious rivalry with Spain
- Under Mary Tudor, Spain & England allies. As Protestant country under Elizabeth, relations with Spain soured
- Phillip II backed by pope saw protestantism as threat to catholic church
- Many English protestants saw Spain as threat
- Phillip II invloved in catholic plots against Elizabeth
Spanish policy in the Netherlands and how it affected Relations between Spain and England
- Netherlands Spanish since 1400s, Dutch became protestant
- brutal Spanish campaign under Duke of Alba aimed to restore catholicism in Netherlands
- Spanish catholics executed many Dutch protestants following Council of Troubles (‘Council of Blood’) 1568
- Spain’s campaign angered Elizabeth’s government, saw Spain as hostile- direct threat to English protestantism and England.
English response to Spanish policy in the Netherlands
- Elizabeth’s government decided to secretly help Dutch protestants
- allowed Dutch rebel ships (the Sea Beggars) safe passage in English ports
- financially supported others fighting Spanish, including volunteers led by John Casimir, a foreign mercenary
- English Privateers, such as Sir Francis drake, encouraged to attack Spanish shipping colonies in Latin America
- Elizabeth proposed marraige to French heir Duke of Alençon to persuade him to fight Spain in Netherlands
The Spanish Fury and the Pacification of Ghent
1576 Spanish government in Netherlands found war there unaffordable, meant Spanish troops unpaid. resulted in the Spanish Fury, Spanish troops looted Antwerp.
After looting all 17 Dutch provinces (Catholic & Protestant) joined alliance against Spanish, drawn up in the Pacification of Ghent. called for all Spanish troops to be expelled from the Netherlands
Restoration of Spanish influence in the Netherlands
Late 1584:
* Spanish control restored under Duke of Parma
* England’s allies Duke of Alençon and William of Orange dead
* Treaty of Joinville 1584 strenghthened relations between Catholic Spain and France
* Dutch catholics ready to make peace with Spain strengthening Phillip II’s position there
Reasons for England and Spain being close to war
1587 England and Spain close to war:
* Phillip II blamed English support o Dutch rebels for worsening position there
* Phillip II blamed English privateers for attacks on Spanish shipping
* Elizabeth’s government blamed Spain for series of plots against Elizabeth
Commercial Rivalry between England and Spain
By 1570s, commercial rivals. Competed for access to markets and resoirces of the New World, also markets of Turkey, Europe, Russia, China, & North Africa. Early 1500s, Spain conquered Mexico and Peru. provided Spanish with gold and silver, regularly shipped back to Spain. gave Spain control of sugar cane and tobacco trade. By Elizabeth, Britain trade rival. Sailors, like Sir Francis Drake journeying geat distances on trading voyages to different parts of world
Reason for Spain being a major barrier to English trade and implications
- Spanish control of Netherlands and Scheldt and Rhine estuaries closed one of principal trade routes used by English traders in Europe, reducing income and profit of these merchants
- Spanish control of New World denied English traders profitable opportunities, since all trade there had to be licensed by Spain
- Therefore English traders’ efforts to find ways of making money brought them into conflict with Spain
Privateering and its effects on Spain
- English merchants, financed privately sometimes by Elizabeth raided Spanish colonies and ships travelling to and from New World
- 1572 Sir Francis Drake captured £400000 of Spanish silver in one raid
- 1577-1580 Drake went on an expedition invloving circumnavigation of globe resulted in capture of £400000 of silver and gold
- Elizabeth encouraged Dutch rebels (Sea Beggars) to attack Spanish ships sailing between Spain and Netherlands
- By 1580, loss of silver and gold meant Spanish government in Netherlands bankrupt and couldn’t pay soldiers
Deteriorating Anglo-Spanish relations due to commercial rivalry
By early 1580s actions of Drake and other privateers brought England and Spain to brink of war
* Elizabeth by knighting Drake demonstrated defiance and hostility towrads Spanish commercial interests. Action showed support of financial losses of Spain at hands of English privateering
* To Phillip II, English privateers little more than pirates who needed removal by war if neccessary. So, getting rid of Elizabeth and Drake by war was only remaining way to protect Spanish commercial interests
The Treaty of Nonsuch and implications of the terms
England signed Treaty of Nonsuch August 1585 with Dutch protestant rebels, made war with Spain more likely. By terms of treaty, England would pay for army of 7400 English soldiers led by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester would work with rebel’s government, the Council of state. likely this group would fight Spanish though war wasn’t formally declared
Years of and Reasons for the English Campaign in the Netherlands not being successful
Campaign:1585-88
* Elizabeth hoped to negotiate with Phillip II, England not formally at war with Spain so Leicester not given enough troops to defeat Spanish
* Some of Dudley’s officers (William Stanley and Rowland York) defected to Spanish side damaging relations with Dutch rebels
* Dudley wished to make Dutch independent, Elizabeth wanted Dutch to be controlled by Spanish in a similar way to 1548 when they had some freedoms
Results of English campaign in the Netherlands
- Dudley could only disrupt Spanish forces under Duke of Parma not defeat them
- Dudley managed to stop Spanish from capturing deep-water port, Ostend, on English Channel. Important because denied Spanish Armada chance to link up with Duke of Parma’s troops 1588
Drake’s attack on Cadiz
- Since January 1586, Spain gradually building Armada, Phillip II’s enormous invasion fleet to help Spanish army invade England
- March 1587 Elizabeth ordered Drake to attack Spanish navy. 19-22 April Drake attacked Cadiz, major naval port, destroying 30 ships and much of the supplies attack known as ‘singeing of the King of Spain’s beard’
- Drake continued to attack Spanish coastal ports and treasure ships
Importance of Drake’s attacks on Cadiz and Spain
- Spain had to take break from building Armada to defend against Drake
- Disruption Drake caused delayed Armada by a year
- bought England time to prepare for eventual Spanish attack and invasion in 1588
