Relations With Spain Flashcards
Describe Elizabeth I’s Foreign Policy Aims
-For Elizabeth I, the pressures of ruling England influenced much of her foreign policy. These pressures came from a lack of resources and England’s religious divisions.
-She aimed to develop and improve trade to benefit the English economy.
-She aimed to protect England’s borders and the English throne.
-She aimed to avoid war, which could cost a lot of money and potentially lead to Elizabeth being overthrown, if English rebels supported the enemy.
Describe Developing English Trade During Elizabeth I’s Reign
-During Elizabeth I’s reign, English merchants began to explore new markets and trading partners.
-They went to Hamburg, Russia, China, India, Persia and Turkey.
-There were also huge profits to be made in the New World.
-However, English merchants faced problems in developing trade.
Describe the Trade Problems Faced by English Merchants
-Spain controlled the Netherlands, England’s main route into European markets. Antwerp was particularly important to English trade in the Netherlands.
-Spain controlled much of the New World where there were valuable, new trade opportunities.
Describe the Spanish Control of the ‘New World’
-Spain claimed much of the Americas as its own, including Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama, Chile and Peru. The profits to be made in the New World were enormous.
-There were valuable crops such as tobacco and sugar cane and huge supplies of silver. However, to trade there, merchants needed a licence from Spain, which were very hard to come by.
-Many English merchants ignored Spain’s rules and traded illegally without licences. Some of them even attacked Spanish ports and shipping.
-Philip II could not ignore this challenge to Spain’s interests in the New World.
Describe Sir Francis Drake
-Francis Drake was an English merchant who made his name and fortune trading in the New World.
-He also made huge sums of money for people who invested in his voyages including Elizabeth I.
-However, much of what he did could be considered as piracy. During an expedition to the West Indies in 1570-71, for example, he captured Spanish ships and seized their cargos.
Describe the Significance of Drake Being Hired as a Privateer
-In 1572, Elizabeth I hired Drake as a privateer. She got a good return on her investment. Drake went to Panama, where he captured £40,000 of Spanish silver.
-However, Elizabeth’s decision to back him was risky as it could have provoked further conflict with Spain.
-This was only avoided because by 1573 when Drake returned to England, both Philip II and Elizabeth were trying to improve Anglo-Spanish relations.
-Philip’s anger at what he saw as piracy meant that Elizabeth did not publicly welcome Drake home. Privately however, she was impressed with his achievements.
Describe Francis Drake’s Voyage in 1577
-In November 1577, Drake again set off for the New World. He was to bring back silver, spices and other valuables. He was also issued with a secret order from Elizabeth to attack Spanish colonies.
-By 1577, relations with Spain were poor and fear of invasion grew. Elizabeth therefore wanted to enrich England and disrupt Spain’s trade with its colonies. It also sent a message of defiance to Philip.
-Drake’s 1577 voyage ended up being a circumnavigation of the globe. He was the first English man and second man ever to do so. The trip was also extremely dangerous at the time.
Describe the Outcome of Francis Drake’s Circumnavigation
-Drake successfully plundered Spanish ports and ships along the coastline of Chile and Peru. He also claimed a region of North California in the Elizabeth’s name, calling it Nova Albion.
-It is estimated when Drake returned to England in 1580, he brought £400,000 of Spanish treasure with him. Although much of it went to investors, it brought a great sum to the English Crown.
-Elizabeth was so impressed by his achievements that she knighted Drake on his ship, the Golden Hind. Philip II was outraged by this public display: to him Drake was no more than a pirate.
Describe the Significance of Drake’s Actions in the New World
-Drake’s actions against Spain and her colonies, along with his claim to land in North California, made it clear that England did not accept Spain’s domination of the Americas.
-Only one other sailor had successfully circumnavigated the globe, so Drake’s success gave England a national hero and said something about England’s strength as a seafaring nation.
-Drake boosted the Crown’s finances at a time of growing concern over Spain’s threat to England.
-Elizabeth’s public knighting of Drake also sent a strong message of defiance to Spain.
Describe the Rivalry Between European Countries
-In the 1500s, the nations of Europe were rivals. They competed for more territory. More territory meant more people, wealth and power. This rivalry often resulted in foreign policy that led to war.
-Religion was another source of conflict. -Protestants saw Catholicism as an evil that wanted to destroy the ‘true religion’.
-Catholics saw protestants as something dangerous that had to be stamped out. Philip II opposed Elizabeth’s religious settlement.
-Alliances were also part of foreign policy. They would be made according to what suited each country at the time. They would also be broken when they were no longer helpful.
-Spain and England had traditionally been allies but once England became Protestant, that began to change.
Describe England’s Potential Alliances in the 1500s
-In the 1500s, England was not as wealthy or powerful as Spain and France. Luckily Spain and France competed to be the greatest European power and this rivalry was helpful to Elizabeth I.
-It meant that Spain and France each valued England as an ally against the other.
-France wanted to be allied to England because France was surrounded by Spanish territory except to the north.
-Spain wanted to be allied to England because Elizabeth’s fleet could help protect its ships sailing in the Channel to the Netherlands.
Explain why the Dutch Revolt Worried the English
-From 1567, Spanish troops were sailing ships to the Netherlands with troops and resources for the Duke of Alba’s army.
-Its brutal campaign to put down the rebellion and stamp out Protestantism in the Netherlands caused great alarm to English Protestants.
-Elizabeth’s leading Privy Councillors were Protestant and they put pressure on her to help the Dutch Protestant rebels.
Describe Elizabeth I’s Aim in the Netherlands
-Elizabeth I was reluctant to help Dutch Protestant rebels in the Netherlands. She wanted to avoid anything that could lead to war with Spain.
-Instead, she hoped to apply pressure on the Spanish to encourage them to agree to return the Netherlands to how they had been governed under an agreement made in 1548.
-This had given the Dutch a great deal of autonomy, which Philip II had challenged, sparking the initial revolt in 1566.
Explain why Elizabeth was Reluctant to Help Dutch Protestant rebels
-If Elizabeth took direct action supporting Dutch protestant rebels against their lawful monarch, Philip II could have done the same in England with Catholic rebels.
-Spain would have the backing of the Pope, which could have encouraged English Catholics to welcome a Spanish invasion.
-The Pope’s backing meant that France, as a catholic nation, could have sided with Spain.
-It would have been too costly and England’s finances were not as strong as Spain’s.
Describe how Elizabeth Put Pressure on Philip II in the Netherlands
-She indirectly (and unofficially) helped Dutch Protestants resist the Spanish.
-She allowed Spanish shipping and colonies to come under attack from English privateers.
-She pursued friendly relations with Spain.
-She encouraged others to fight the Spanish in the Netherlands.
