Rivalry with Spain
During the early years of Elizabeth鈥檚 reign Christians whose religious leader is the Pope. Spain (the most powerful country in the world at that time) and Christians who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. They believe in the teachings of the Bible but reject the authority of the Pope. England remained friendly. Over time tension built up leading to war in 1585 and an invasion of England in 1588, known as the Spanish Armada.
What led to war?
| Issue | Explanation |
| Religious differences | Spain was a Catholic country and England a Protestant country 鈥 meaning that the two rulers had conflicting spiritual outlooks. |
| Marriage rejection | King Philip of Spain had been married to Elizabeth鈥檚 sister, Mary I. When Mary died he offered to marry Elizabeth but she rejected him. |
| Piracy | English sailors like Hawkins and Drake attacked and stole treasure from Spanish ships in the New World. King Philip was furious but Elizabeth encouraged and rewarded adventurers. |
| The civil war in France | France was the traditional enemy of both England and Spain, meaning that they united together against the country. Now France was in civil war it was preoccupied with its own issues and no longer posed a threat 鈥 so the alliance between Spain and England was not necessary anymore. |
| Spain supported Catholic plots | There was evidence of Spanish support for plots to restore Catholicism to England, particularly involving getting Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne and Elizabeth off. |
| The Dutch Revolt | Protestants in the Netherlands began a revolt against Spanish rule in 1572. Elizabeth secretly supported the Dutch rebels because she knew the Dutch revolt would keep the Spanish too busy to threaten England. |
| Elizabeth鈥檚 army joined the Dutch rebels | Elizabeth sent an army to help the Dutch rebels fight Spain. For the first time English and Spanish armies were fighting each other. England and Spain were now at war. |
| Issue | Religious differences |
|---|---|
| Explanation | Spain was a Catholic country and England a Protestant country 鈥 meaning that the two rulers had conflicting spiritual outlooks. |
| Issue | Marriage rejection |
|---|---|
| Explanation | King Philip of Spain had been married to Elizabeth鈥檚 sister, Mary I. When Mary died he offered to marry Elizabeth but she rejected him. |
| Issue | Piracy |
|---|---|
| Explanation | English sailors like Hawkins and Drake attacked and stole treasure from Spanish ships in the New World. King Philip was furious but Elizabeth encouraged and rewarded adventurers. |
| Issue | The civil war in France |
|---|---|
| Explanation | France was the traditional enemy of both England and Spain, meaning that they united together against the country. Now France was in civil war it was preoccupied with its own issues and no longer posed a threat 鈥 so the alliance between Spain and England was not necessary anymore. |
| Issue | Spain supported Catholic plots |
|---|---|
| Explanation | There was evidence of Spanish support for plots to restore Catholicism to England, particularly involving getting Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne and Elizabeth off. |
| Issue | The Dutch Revolt |
|---|---|
| Explanation | Protestants in the Netherlands began a revolt against Spanish rule in 1572. Elizabeth secretly supported the Dutch rebels because she knew the Dutch revolt would keep the Spanish too busy to threaten England. |
| Issue | Elizabeth鈥檚 army joined the Dutch rebels |
|---|---|
| Explanation | Elizabeth sent an army to help the Dutch rebels fight Spain. For the first time English and Spanish armies were fighting each other. England and Spain were now at war. |
Why were the Netherlands so important?
The Netherlands were ruled by Spain but the English saw the Netherlands as a vital place for trade.
By 1572 Protestant ideas had spread in the Netherlands and Protestant Dutch rebels began a campaign for independence from Catholic Spain, leading to the Dutch Revolt.
King Philip of Spain sent an army to defeat the rebels. Following the death of the Dutch rebel leader, William of Orange, Elizabeth was approached to become Queen of the Dutch. She declined but sent an army to fight with the Dutch against Spain.
Throughout the 1590s the Dutch won several victories against the Spanish and by 1609, after Elizabeth鈥檚 death, the Dutch Protestants won control of Holland.