England's relation's with Spain (20)

Question 1

What were Anglo-Spanish relations like in the 1560s?

Answer 1

Friendly

Question 2

Explain why the trading activity of John Hawkins deteriorated the Anglo-Spanish relations.

Answer 2

1) The trading activity of John Hawkins. Hawkins attempted to break the Spanish trading monopoly in the Caribbean. He so infuriated Spanish interests that in September 1568 his fleet was blockaded in the Mexican port of San Huan de Ulua and only two of his ships were able to escape.

Question 3

Explain why the situation in the Netherlands deteriorated the Anglo-Spanish relations.

Answer 3

Philip II wanted a tighter form of political organisation in the Netherlands under more direct Spanish control, which would help to root out heresy. Elizabeth came under pressure from Protestant councillors to aid the Dutch Protestants who feared danger.

Question 4

Explain how the English found opportunities to harass the Spanish and how that deteriorated the Anglo-Spanish relations?

Answer 4

When in November 1568, a storm forced several Spanish vessels, carrying 400,000 florins which intended to pay the army of the Duke of Alba, Philip’s general in the Netherlands, to seek shelter in English ports. Elizabeth impounded the money.

Question 5

How did Elizabeth contribute significantly to the deterioration of Anglo-Spanish relations?

Answer 5

By expelling the Sea Beggars 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 off full-scale revolt against the rule of Spain.

Question 6

By when had all the provinces of the Netherlands risen against what they saw as atrocities by the Spanish amry?

Answer 6

By 1576

Question 7

How from and English prospective did the situation in the Netherland’s get worse?

Answer 7

Because divisions among the provinces of the Netherlands led to emergence 2 separate entities, the Union of Utrecht and the Union of Arras, thereby creating the basis by which the new governor-general could begin his reconquest of the northern provinces.

Question 8

How was Spanish power strengthened?

Answer 8

In 1580 by the annexation of Portugal.

Question 9

How did Elizabeth adopt a more overly anti-Spanish position?

Answer 9

1) Supporting the Portuguese pretender, Don Antonio
2) Knighting Francis Drake on circumnavigating the globe.
3) Treating the Spanish ambassador contemptuously.

Question 10

What were the 2 provinces left in the Protestant hands?

Answer 10

Holland and Zeeland

Question 11

How were matters made worse in 1584?

Answer 11

William of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland, was assassinated.

Question 12

How did Philip II and the Catholic League in France come to an agreement?

Answer 12

In the Treaty of Joinville at the end of 1584.

Question 13

How did Elizabeth counteract the terms of the Treaty of Joinville?

Answer 13

She made an alliance with the Dutch Protestant rebels in the Treaty of Nonsuch in 1585 and sent troops to the Netherlands under the command of the Earl of Leicester.

Question 14

What was the problem when Elizabeth sent troop to the Netherlands under the command of the Earl of Leicester? (4)

Answer 14

1) The troops, badly and irregularly paid, were so ill disciplined that they alienated the Dutch.
2) The Dutch felt betrayed when two officers, William Stanley and Rowland Yorke, deserted and joined Parma.
3) The English commanders quarrelled among themselves.
4) Leicester quarrelled with the Dutch.

Question 15

When did Leicester return to England, resigning his command?

Answer 15

In January 1588

Question 16

What did the fiasco encourage Philip to think?

Answer 16

That he could exploit the divisions between the English and Dutch.

Question 17

What had Philip convinced himself?

Answer 17

That he was doing God’s work and that he was engaged in a Catholic crusade.

Question 18

What was the Spanish Armada like?

Answer 18

It was huge with many of the vessels and their crews having been commandeered from the Portuguese.

Question 19

Why was the sailing of the Armada delayed?

Answer 19

Because of a successful English attack on Spanish ships in the harbour at Cadiz in April 1587.

Question 20

When did the Armada finally set sail?

Answer 20

From La Coruna on 22nd July 1558.

Question 21

What was the Armada’s objective?

Answer 21

To reach the port of Gravelines, in the Spanish Netherlands, where it was intended that the Spanish army, commanded by the Duke of Parma, would board the ships so that an invasion of England might be launched. It was sighted off the coast of Cornwall on 29th July and was engaged in indecisive battle in the English Channel from 30th July to 6th August.

Question 22

In the end how was the Spanish Armada forced?

Answer 22

Because of unfavourable winds to try to return to Spain by the hazardous route of sailing north towards Scotland and then back south to the west of Ireland. This cost them many more ships, lost in storms.

Question 23

How long did the war with Spain drag on for?

Answer 23

A further 16 years 1558-1604.

Question 24

Where was the war fought on?

Answer 24

1) At sea off Western Europe
2) In the Caribbean
3) On land in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, where it was connected to a revolt against Elizabeth’s rule.

Question 25

From 1595 what had the English made?

Answer 25

3 attacks on mainland Spain and its colonies. A spectacular but short-lived victory with the capture and occupation of Cadiz and the sinking of 4 galleons.

Question 26

What did Philip order in 1596?

Answer 26

Ordered a fleet to invade England but by the time it set sail it was well into autumn and was defeated by storms.

Question 27

What did the Spanish also try to exploit?

Answer 27

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 despatched to attack the Spanish fleet in harbour in north-west Spain in 1597.

Question 28

What happened to Essex’s fleet?

Answer 28

They were driven back to Plymouth by adverse winds.

Question 29

What remained for several years after 1588?

Answer 29

The main arena for the war on land between England and Spain remained the Netherlands.

Question 30

What was the cost like for the English maintaining force in the Netherlands?

Answer 30

High but the Dutch paid a share of the running costs.

Question 31

What happened by 1594?

Answer 31

The Spanish had been expelled from all of the lands of the northern Netherlands.