The Spanish Armada was a massive naval force launched to invade England in 1588. King Philip II of Spain attacked England for several reasons:
1. Religion
Spain was a Catholic country and King Philip felt he had a duty to restore Catholicism to England.
The Pope encouraged the Spanish Armada. In 1570 a Papal Bull had excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged Catholics to overthrow her. In 1588 Pope Sixtus V blessed the Armada and promised Spain 1m ducats if it succceeded.
Increased persecution of English Catholics 1570-1590 (e.g. recusancy laws, and the execution of Edmund Campion) slowly added pressure on Philip II to act against Elizabeth.
2. English Privateers and Trade Friction
English sailors had been stealing treasure from Spanish ships, with permission from Elizabeth.
They also competed with Spain to trade with the New World (South America). This was an attack on the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).
Sir Francis Drake stole gold and silver worth about £200 million from the Spanish and sacked the port of Valparaiso when he circumnavigated the globe 1577-1580.
The Spanish were particularly infuriated by Elizabeth’s decision to knight Drake in 1581.
There was also a trade war between England and Spain. In the 1560s Philip banned English merchants from Antwerp, a key export market, and Elizabeth increased taxes on Dutch goods.
3. Rebellion in the Netherlands
King Philip was facing a rebellion from Dutch Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium & Holland).
Elizabeth agreed to send 7000 troops to support the Dutch rebels when she signed the Treaty of Nonsuch with them in 1585. This was basically a declaration of war and was prompted by the asssassiation of William of Orange (William the Silent) the previous year.
Philip believed that if Elizabeth was overthrown, the Dutch rebellion could be crushed.
4. Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
King Philip had already decided to invade England in 1585, so Mary's execution in 1587 wasn't a cause of the Spanish Armada, but it did speed up Philip's plans:
Catholic Europe was outraged by regicide and many looked to Philip to avenge Mary's death.
Phillip had previously feared that a Spanish invasion might lead to the succession of the pro-French Mary Queen of Scots to the English throne. That was clearly no longer a problem.
Mary’s execution reduced the likelihood of France helping England against the Spanish - Mary had once been Queen of France so there was now no chance of an Anglo-French alliance.
In 1585 Philip ordered plans to be drawn up to invade England.
The Spanish Plan
Spain sent an Armada of 130 ships with 30,000 soldiers.
They planned to pick up the Duke of Parma's army of 20,000 soldiers in the Netherlands. Parma would dig a 50km canal from Antwerp to Bruges to transport his army to the coast.
Philip expected 25,000 English Catholics would up in support of the invasion.
The Spanish fleet was led by the Duke of Medina-Sidonia who had no naval experience.
They took 180 priests with them who would help to convert the English.
Spain was a Catholic country and King Philip wanted to restore Catholicism to England.
The Pope encouraged the Spanish Armada. In 1570 a Papal Bull had excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged Catholics to overthrow her. In 1588 the new Pope blessed the Armada and promised Spain a fortune if it succceeded.
2. English Privateers
English sailors had been stealing treasure from Spanish ships. For example, Sir Francis Drake stole gold and silver worth about £200 million from the Spanish on his round the world voyage in the 1570s.
3. Rebellion in the Netherlands
King Philip was facing a rebellion from Dutch Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium & Holland).
Elizabeth sent troops to help the rebels which was basically a declaration of war.
Philip believed that overthrowing Elizabeth would help him to defeat the rebellion in the Netherlands.
In 1585 Philip ordered plans to be drawn up to invade England.
The Spanish Plan
Spain sent an Armada of 130 ships with 30,000 soldiers.
They planned to pick up the Duke of Parma's army of 20,000 soldiers in the Netherlands and then invade England.
Philip expected 25,000 English Catholics would up in support of the invasion.
The Spanish Armada was a massive naval force launched to invade England in 1588. King Philip II of Spain attacked England for several reasons:
1. Religion
Spain was a Catholic country and King Philip felt he had a duty to restore Catholicism to England.
The Pope encouraged the Spanish Armada. In 1570 a Papal Bull had excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged Catholics to overthrow her. In 1588 the new Pope blessed the Armada and promised Spain a fortune if it succceeded.
2. English Privateers
English sailors had been stealing treasure from Spanish ships. For example, Sir Francis Drake stole gold and silver worth about £200 million from the Spanish on his round the world voyage in 1577-1580.
3. Rebellion in the Netherlands
King Philip was facing a rebellion from Dutch Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium & Holland).
Elizabeth agreed to send 7000 troops to support the Dutch rebels. This was basically a declaration of war. It was prompted by the asssassiation of William of Orange (William the Silent) the previous year.
Philip believed that if Elizabeth was overthrown, the Dutch rebellion could be crushed.
In 1585 Philip ordered plans to be drawn up to invade England.
The Spanish Plan
Spain sent an Armada of 130 ships with 30,000 soldiers.
They planned to pick up the Duke of Parma's army of 20,000 soldiers in the Netherlands.
Philip expected 25,000 English Catholics would up in support of the invasion.
The Spanish fleet was led by the Duke of Medina-Sidonia who had no naval experience.
They took 180 priests with them who would help to convert the English.
The Spanish Armada was a massive naval force launched to invade England in 1588. King Philip II of Spain attacked England for several reasons:
1. Religion
Spain was a Catholic country and King Philip felt he had a duty to restore Catholicism to England.
The Pope encouraged the Spanish Armada. In 1570 a Papal Bull had excommunicated Elizabeth and encouraged Catholics to overthrow her. In 1588 Pope Sixtus V blessed the Armada and promised Spain 1m ducats if it succceeded.
Increased persecution of English Catholics 1570-1590 (e.g. recusancy laws, and the execution of Edmund Campion) slowly added pressure on Philip II to act against Elizabeth.
2. English Privateers and Trade Friction
English sailors had been stealing treasure from Spanish ships, with permission from Elizabeth.
They also competed with Spain to trade with the New World (South America). This was an attack on the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).
Sir Francis Drake stole gold and silver worth about £200 million from the Spanish and sacked the port of Valparaiso when he circumnavigated the globe 1577-1580.
The Spanish were particularly infuriated by Elizabeth’s decision to knight Drake in 1581.
There was also a trade war between England and Spain. In the 1560s Philip banned English merchants from Antwerp, a key export market, and Elizabeth increased taxes on Dutch goods.
3. Rebellion in the Netherlands
King Philip was facing a rebellion from Dutch Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium & Holland).
Elizabeth agreed to send 7000 troops to support the Dutch rebels when she signed the Treaty of Nonsuch with them in 1585. This was basically a declaration of war and was prompted by the asssassiation of William of Orange (William the Silent) the previous year.
Philip believed that if Elizabeth was overthrown, the Dutch rebellion could be crushed.
4. Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
King Philip had already decided to invade England in 1585, so Mary's execution in 1587 wasn't a cause of the Spanish Armada, but it did speed up Philip's plans:
Catholic Europe was outraged by regicide and many looked to Philip to avenge Mary's death.
Phillip had previously feared that a Spanish invasion might lead to the succession of the pro-French Mary Queen of Scots to the English throne. That was clearly no longer a problem.
Mary’s execution reduced the likelihood of France helping England against the Spanish - Mary had once been Queen of France so there was now no chance of an Anglo-French alliance.
In 1585 Philip ordered plans to be drawn up to invade England.
The Spanish Plan
Spain sent an Armada of 130 ships with 30,000 soldiers.
They planned to pick up the Duke of Parma's army of 20,000 soldiers in the Netherlands. Parma would dig a 50km canal from Antwerp to Bruges to transport his army to the coast.
Philip expected 25,000 English Catholics would up in support of the invasion.
The Spanish fleet was led by the Duke of Medina-Sidonia who had no naval experience.
They took 180 priests with them who would help to convert the English.
