Elizabeth I foreign policy

Question 1

What was the treaty of Câteau - Cambresis in April 1559?

Answer 1

• France would retain Calais for 8 years after which Calais would be restored to English control if they kept peace
• If France failed to return Calais, they would pay £125,000
• It was a win - win situation for both countries

Question 2

How did Elizabeth get involved in religious conflict in France?

Answer 2

• Dudley encouraged Elizabeth to put military pressure for the return of Calais
• Elizabeth promised the Huguenot leader, the prince of Conde, 6000 men and a loan of £30,000 with the control of Le Havre for security
• The Huguenot army was defeated and Conde was captured
• On the Catholicism side, the Duke of guise was assassinated leaving both sides leaderless so they agreed peace to drive the English out of Le Havre
• The treaty of Troyes in 1564 left Calais permanently lost and affected Elizabeth’s prestige

Question 3

What was conflict like with Scotland from 1558 - 1564?

Answer 3

• Henry II’s death increased tensions as Francis II (Mary’s husband) was heir bringing a strong Catholic Guise faction and stronger auld alliance
• Mary was a claimant to the English throne so calvinist John Knox (wanting Scottish reformation) and power - seeking lords of congregation requested assistance from English protestants
• Elizabeth was against Know due to the trumpet against the monstrous regiment of women in 1558 whilst Cecil was sympathetic to them and the use of English royal coat of arms convinced Elizabeth to send the navy in December 1559
• The lords of congregation offered support from the treaty of Berwick in February 1560 and the army blocked French troops in Leith
• Peace was declared through the treaty of Edinburgh in July 1564 gaining favourable terms heightened by Mary of guise and Francis II’s deaths

Question 4

Why was Mary I a threat to Elizabeth?

Answer 4

• She was catholic and had incurred the wrath of both protestant lords and the English, especially through her marriage with Lord Darnley and she was later implicated in his murder
• Her marriage to the earl for Bothwell caused a civil war as he was also accused of killing Lord Darnley
  She was used by Catholics as a symbol of revolt to overthrow Elizabeth heightened by Elizabeth’s excommunication from the Catholic church limiting the respect of Catholics for her
• She had support from the French through the Auld alliance

Question 5

What was the 1571 Ridolfi plot?

Answer 5

• It was set up by Roberto Ridolfi who could travel between Catholic countries for support
• It involved a conspiracy to overthrow Elizabeth through a Catholic uprising and an invasion by the Duke of Alba and Mary’s marriage to the Duke of Norfolk
• It was uncovered allowing Burghley to ensure the execution of Norfolk for treason

Question 6

What was the 1583 Throckmorton plot?

Answer 6

• It was set up by Francis and Thomas Throckmorton with France and Spain’s support as they would land in Sussex to overthrow Elizabeth to be replaced by Mary
• Walsingham’s espionage uncovered the plot
• It led to the creation of the bond of association, worsened Ango - Spanish relations and tightened Mary’s captivity conditions

Question 7

What was the 1585 Parry plot?

Answer 7

• It was set up by double agent William Parry to assassinate the queen in a private meeting or through ambush
• He was arrested with high treason in the Tower of London and he later wrote a full confession to Elizabeth
• Led to the acceleration of parliamentary proceedings on a bill to ensure Elizabeth’s safety

Question 8

What was the 1586 Babington plot?

Answer 8

• It was set up by a group of English Catholics led by Sir Anthony Babington who wanted to restore English catholicism
• Babington wrote to Mary outlining the plan which she was complicit but the letter was exposed by Walsingham’s codebreaker Thomas Phelippes
• This enabled Burghley to secure Mary’s execution

Question 9

Why was Mary allowed to stay in England from 1567 to 1587?

Answer 9

• There was a lack of evidence against her
• She could flee to Scotland and France who would be willing to support her
• It would anger Catholics
• She didn’t cause any problems for Elizabeth making her a theoretical threat
• Mary was related to Elizabeth
• Plots were easily uncovered by Walsingham
• Elizabeth had divine right and it would be regicide if she killed her

Question 10

What was Mary’s execution like on the 8th of February 1587?

Answer 10

• She was executed after her trail at Fotheringhay castle in Northamptonshire with privy councillors, nobles, and judges
• Cecil motivated Elizabeth to execute Mary despite her doubts a day after Babington plot to protect Protestantism under governmental pressure
• Elizabeth signed the death warrant on the 1st of February 1587
• Catholics believed she died with great dignity and composure and as a martyr for the Catholic faith
• Her dog was under her dress during the execution

Question 11

What is the 1572 treaty of Blois?

Answer 11

England recognised Spain as a greater threat so made an anglo - french defensive alliance against Spain ending the vulnerability of diplomatic isolation

Question 12

What was the 1572 St Bartholomew’s day massacre?

Answer 12

Over 3000 Huguenots were killed. Thus Elizabeth again faced pressure from her council to intervene. Despite their religion, Elizabeth didn’t want to support the rebels for a fear of condoning a rebellion against a legitimate monarch. Inturn, England settled on a pragmatic approach providing unofficial aid for the Huguenots while engaging in diplomatic talks with Catherine De Medici. This ensured that England evaded being drawn into a costly and hazardous war

Question 13

What happened in 1589?

Answer 13

English troops are sent to Normandy to defend Henry IV and the Huguenots against Philip and the Catholic league. However, it is essential to not that once, again, Elizabeth was concerned with protecting English interests rather than those of international Protestantism despite the words of her ministers

Question 14

What was the significance of Henry IV becoming catholic in 1593?

Answer 14

His relinquising of the calvinist faith rendered the catholic league irrelevant. He also offered toleration to the Huguenots/Protestants. His conversion created an opportunity to unite his country. This was politically helpful to England as France could become an effective counter balance to Spain and English troops were withdrawn from France in 1595

Question 15

What was the 1596 triple alliance?

Answer 15

It was between England, France and the Dutch republic allowing the Netherlands to be recognised as a country with the same legal rights as a legitimate ruler worsening the conflict with Spain

Question 16

Why did Spain want the Netherlands?

Answer 16

• Charles V considered the Netherlands as the inheritance of the Hapsburgs which should of passed onto his son in 1555
• Provinces in the Netherlands were divided; the union of Arras were largely southern and catholic unlike the north which Spain wanted to control
• Calvinism was on the rise in the Netherlands, opposing the ideals of Philip II
• Philip II wanted tightened political control to combat heresy in the Netherlands. He sent the Duke of Alba and 10,000 troops to brutally put down heretics

Question 17

Why did England want the Netherlands?

Answer 17

• Provinces in the Netherlands were divided; the union of Utrecht were large northern and protestant unlike the south which England wanted to control
• Dutch protestants needed urgent aid as they feared persecution from their sovereign authority
• English national security deepened on control of the coastline along the channel. The sense of security had already been reduced since the loss of Calais
• The 1556 Dutch revolt was a chance to remove Spanish control
• Much of the export of English cloth was organised through ports in the Netherlands, such as Antwerp
• When the French prepared to invade the Netherlands, Elizabeth contemplated marrying the Duke of Anjou to maintain influence there

Question 18

Why did relations with Spain deteriorate after 1560?

Answer 18

• John Hawkins attempted to break the trading monopoly in the Caribbean so his fleet was blocked by Spanish ships in Mexican ports of San Juan De Ulua and only two ships managed to flee
• Philip wanted catholic control of the Netherlands. Dutch protestants pressured Elizabeth’s support but she was cautious
• The English harassed Spain such as despite allowing Spanish ships to shelter in English ports, they held 40,00 florins to pay for the Duke of Alba’s army as Elizabeth felt allowed to impound money leading Alba to seize English ships and property in the Netherlands
• Breakdown in trade with Spain and the Netherlands
• Philip’s involvement in the northern rebellion
• Ridolfi plot
• Elizabeth’s excommunication in 1570

Question 19

What happened in 1572?

Answer 19

Elizabeth expelled sea beggars from English ports forcing them to land in Dutch Breille. Their occupation at the port led to a revolt as they were unchecked by Spanish garisons

Question 20

What happened in 1576?

Answer 20

All the provinces of the Netherlands rose against the Spanish army as they produced the pacification of ghents calling for the expulsion of all foreign troops to restore the power of the provinces. This situation was favoured by Elizabeth but the provinces started to quarrel and the French were preparing to invade. To counteract, Elizabeth considered marrying the duke of Anjou to retain English influence. The division between provinces expanded into the union of Utrecht (mostly protestant and northern) and the union of Arras ( mostly southern and catholic). The Spanish made peace with he union of Arras creating a new governor - general, the duke of parma with hopes to restore the northern provinces

Question 21

Why did the Spanish beneficial annexation of Portugal result in weaker ties to England?

Answer 21

• Treating the Spanish ambassdor contemptuously
• Knighting Sir Francis Drake for circumnavigating the gloe
• She supported the Portuguese pretender Don Antonio as Philip had large control of the Potuguese fleet and ports after the death of king Henry. Don Antionio was a member of the royal family but many including Elizabeth were cynical about this connection but she still relied on him as a weapon against Spain

Question 22

What happened in 1584?

Answer 22

Parma’s reconquest of the Netherlands only expanded leaving only Holland and Zeeland in protestant hands. This became worse after the rebel leader William of Orange was assassinated. In the same year, Philip II and the guise catholic league became allied through the treaty of Joinville leading to his open support of Mary, Queen of Scots

Question 23

What happened in 1585?

Answer 23

To counteract, Elizabeth made an alliance with protestant Netherlands in 1585 through the treaty of Nonsuch leading to troops to the Netherlands sent under the earl of Leicester. This later failed as the troops were bad, irregularly paid and ill disciplined, the Dutch felt betrayed when two officers, William Stanley and Rowland Yorke, tested and joined Parma’s quarrels between Englishcommanders and Leicester quarreled wit the Dutch leading to his resignation in January 1588

Question 24

Why did Philip send the armada?

Answer 24

• To fulfill god’s work through a catholic crusade
• as a result of worsened relations with the Netherlands
• Catholic mistrust of Elizabeth
• Drake’s raids in 1585
• England was a competitor to trade and expansion in the new world

Question 25

What were the statistics of the armada?

Answer 25

• 130 ships
• 8000 sailors
• 19000 soldiers
• 1500 brass guns
• 1000 iron guns
• 28 warships
• 1.5 x fire power of the English navy

Question 26

What were the events of the armada in 1588?

Answer 26

28th May: The Duke of Medina Sidonia led the armada despite limited experience from Lisbon
19th July: The armada was spotted on the coast of Cornwall
21 - 22nd July: Francis looted two Spanish ships but he snuffed out his ship’s lantern meaning he had to guide the English ships leaving them in disarray
23rd July: The English set alight eight fire ships and cast then into the port of Calais forcing the armada to break their defensive crescent formation
8th august: The battle of gravelines was provoked through Spanish fire whilst being out of range destroying gun powder supplies and five ships leading the armada to flee north
October: The armada returned to Spain with 67 ships and 1 in 3 men dead leaving the English victorious

Question 27

What further happened with the war?

Answer 27

The war with Spain dragged for 16 more years through sea in western Europe, the Caribbean, France, Netherlands and Ireland only concluding when Philip and Elizabeth died. Elizabeth was focused on national security whilst court and the armed forces saw war as necessary for national and religious survival against catholocism. Cecil saw the war as necessary for conquest. There were strategic differences as some were seen to focus effects on limited resources in the Netherlands to confront the Duke of Parma and some such as John Hawkins favoured the expansion of a naval campaign as a source of self - financing

Question 28

What happened in 1595?

Answer 28

The English made 3 attacks on mainland Spain and its colonies

Question 29

Why was it short lived?

Answer 29

They captured and occupied Cadiz and sinking galleons humiliating Philip as it prevented Spanish merchants from sailing to the West Indies

Question 30

What did Drake and Hawkins advocate?

Answer 30

They saw the Spanish colony of Panama as a weak point within the empire but the attack failed and both died at sea

Question 31

What happened from 1596?

Answer 31

• Philp ordered and English invasion ut it was defeated by storms
• This led them to support an Irish rebellion
• Elizabeth counteracted through sending an army under the earl of Essex was sent leading Spanish troops to flee to north west Spain
• Essex was driven back to Plymouth by adverse winds and eventually used to sail to the azores
• False intelligence prompted a huge panic in 1599
• Naval activity was focused to prevent the Spanish landings in Ireland with little gain with huge costs

Question 32

What happened to relations with the Netherlands?

Answer 32

• After Leicester’s failures, relations between England and the Dutch improved
• In 1589, Sir Francis was made commander of the forces
• His capability was shown by forging a positive relationship with Maurice Nassau
• Territories lost to the Duke of Parma managed to be recovered as Spanish mutinied
• The cost of English forces in the Netherlands became too expensive so the Netherlands started to contribute financially
• By 1594, Spain was completely expelled from Northern Netherlands
• England achieved strategic aims as the north was independent but the south was till under Spanish control