Part 3 - Problems at home and abroad - Conflict with Spain

Question 1

Issue of marriage?

Answer 1

• king philip II of spain had been married to elizabeths sister mary I - plan was for their child to unite spain and england under one catholic monarch
• when mary died in 1558 - so did plan
• phillip proposed to elizabeth in 1559 - she kept him waiting for an answer - tensionso grew

Question 2

Papal bull?

Answer 2

• 1570 pope excommunicated elizabeth - called for all catholics to challenge her rule
• philip keen to follow popes instructions

Question 3

Actions of sailors?

Answer 3

• s ir francis drake and other sailors spent years raiding spanish ports and ships - stealing treasures from spanish colonies
• 1587 - drake led raid on part of cadiz - destroyed dozens of spanish ships - “singeing of king of spains beard”
• elizabeth encouraged this by granting licenses in exchange for sharing treasures with country

Question 4

Religious differences?

Answer 4

• elizabeth returned england to protestant faith
• spain remained catholic throughout all religious changes of reformation
• opposing religious ideas led to conflict

Question 5

The netherlands?

Answer 5

• philip ruled netherlands - portestant uprising there in 1566 - philip sent troops to restore order - led to greater resistance from rebels
• elizabeth sent money to support protestants - allowed english volunteers to and help in the fight - angered philip
• william of orange - dutch rebel leader - assassinated in 1584 - december 1585 - elizabeth stopped sending english troops
• sent robert dudley and 7000 soldiers - clear act of war against spain

Question 6

Size of fleet?

Answer 6

• henry VIII spent fortune building up huge navy to protect his island nation - tudor ships designed to fight
• during elizabeths reign - under command of john hawkins - england navy continued to grow
• philip of spain tried to make his navy even larger

Question 7

Tactics?

Answer 7

• tactic called line of battle sometimes used - ships formed into signle line and fired together on enemy - aim top sink as many as possible
• raids common form of attack - took enemy ports by surprise - destroyed as many ships as possible before enemy had change to fight back - allowed for treasure to be stolen
• fireships effective tactic used - old ship set alight and sent into middle of enemy fleet - sending panic across wooden ships - causeing great damage

Question 8

Technology?

Answer 8

• lateen allowed for much quicker travel - greater distances + perform better in raids and battles
• new powerful cannons - could fire at enemy ships from a large distance
• astrolobe allwoed for greater accuracy when planning voyages and working out locations - sailors could prepare much better for wars in hostile waters