Anglo-Spanish Relations
L.O: To explain how tensions increased between the 1570s - 80s and assess how significant dif-
ferent events were
• Deterioration of Anglo-Spanish relations became the key theme of Elizabethan foreign policy
• It was inevitable because of the situation with Mary, Queen of Scots, the Papal excommunication
of Elizabeth in 1570 and the situation in the Netherlands
• Local nobles in the Netherlands were used to a degree of independence and with Philip’s overly
bureaucratic style of government it could not cope
• Spain = Europe’s foremost Catholic country
• English national security depended on ensuring that no powerful countries controlled the coast-
line across the Channel
• When riots broke out in the Netherlands for England Spain should not recover control
• Elizabeth had little sympathy for the plight of the Dutch people as they were rebelling against a
legitimate government
• For England it worked best to aid the rebels without antagonising Philip - but this provoked argu-
ment amongst councillors
• She did nothing to discourage unofficial support for the rebels, such as allowing rebel ships to
stay in English ports or English pirates disrupting supplies transported to Alba
Timeline of deterioration between England and Spain:
- Date: 1559
• Event: Philip II offered to marry Elizabeth
• Significance: designed to show support to Elizabeth
- Date: 1562
• Event: Philip protested to Elizabeth about her support for Huguenot rebels against a Catholic
government in France
• Significance: Elizabeth responded by keeping her troops from joining the Huguenot army in
Northern France
- Date: 1563
• Event: Philip’s government in the Netherlands banned imports of English cloth
• Significance: Officially it was to prevent the spread of plague, but Philip was annoyed that trade
was going in England’s favour as she kept a blind eye to English piracy in the Channel and the
work of English merchants spreading Protestantism in Netherlands. Both embarked on a trade
embargo and trade was normalised in 1564
- Date: 1566-67
• Event: Outbreak of the Revolt of the Netherlands. Spanish Duke of Alba sent to the Netherlands
to crush rioting by Calvinists and to restore firm government
• Significance: Made northern coast of the Channel insecure- Alba’s army might be turned
against them
- Date: 1568
• Event: Spain expelled the English ambassador from Madrid and replaced its own ambassadors
in London with a more hard-line Catholic, De Spes
• Significance: Added tension, although changes were apparently innocent, De Spes made con-
tact with Mary Queen of Scots
- Date: 1568
• Event: Spanish attacked John Hawkins fleet in the Caribbean
• Significance: First signs of an issue that was to become a major source of Spanish grievances
- Date: 1568
• Event: Elizabeth seized bullion
L.O: To explain how tensions increased between the 1570s - 80s and assess how significant dif-
ferent events were
• Deterioration of Anglo-Spanish relations became the key theme of Elizabethan foreign policy
• It was inevitable because of the situation with Mary, Queen of Scots, the Papal excommunication
of Elizabeth in 1570 and the situation in the Netherlands
• Local nobles in the Netherlands were used to a degree of independence and with Philip’s overly
bureaucratic style of government it could not cope
• Spain = Europe’s foremost Catholic country
• English national security depended on ensuring that no powerful countries controlled the coast-
line across the Channel
• When riots broke out in the Netherlands for England Spain should not recover control
• Elizabeth had little sympathy for the plight of the Dutch people as they were rebelling against a
legitimate government
• For England it worked best to aid the rebels without antagonising Philip - but this provoked argu-
ment amongst councillors
• She did nothing to discourage unofficial support for the rebels, such as allowing rebel ships to
stay in English ports or English pirates disrupting supplies transported to Alba
Timeline of deterioration between England and Spain:
- Date: 1559
• Event: Philip II offered to marry Elizabeth
• Significance: designed to show support to Elizabeth
- Date: 1562
• Event: Philip protested to Elizabeth about her support for Huguenot rebels against a Catholic
government in France
• Significance: Elizabeth responded by keeping her troops from joining the Huguenot army in
Northern France
- Date: 1563
• Event: Philip’s government in the Netherlands banned imports of English cloth
• Significance: Officially it was to prevent the spread of plague, but Philip was annoyed that trade
was going in England’s favour as she kept a blind eye to English piracy in the Channel and the
work of English merchants spreading Protestantism in Netherlands. Both embarked on a trade
embargo and trade was normalised in 1564
- Date: 1566-67
• Event: Outbreak of the Revolt of the Netherlands. Spanish Duke of Alba sent to the Netherlands
to crush rioting by Calvinists and to restore firm government
• Significance: Made northern coast of the Channel insecure- Alba’s army might be turned
against them
- Date: 1568
• Event: Spain expelled the English ambassador from Madrid and replaced its own ambassadors
in London with a more hard-line Catholic, De Spes
• Significance: Added tension, although changes were apparently innocent, De Spes made con-
tact with Mary Queen of Scots
- Date: 1568
• Event: Spanish attacked John Hawkins fleet in the Caribbean
• Significance: First signs of an issue that was to become a major source of Spanish grievances
- Date: 1568
• Event: Elizabeth seized bullion
