Reasons for conflict (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Reasons for conflict between England and Spain
The conflict between England and Spain during Elizabeth I's reign was driven by three main factors that created increasing tension between these major European powers. Understanding these interconnected reasons helps explain why England and Spain became bitter enemies by the 1580s.
Religious rivalry
The religious divide between Protestant England and Catholic Spain created fundamental opposition between the two nations. This religious tension manifested in several key ways that escalated conflict.
Under Mary Tudor's reign, Spain and England had been allies, but Elizabeth I's Protestant settlement changed this relationship dramatically. Philip II of Spain, backed by the Pope, viewed Protestantism as a serious threat to Catholic Church authority across Europe. Many English Protestants, in turn, saw Spain and Catholicism as dangerous enemies of their faith.
The personal dimension of this religious rivalry became clear when Philip II proposed marriage to Elizabeth in 1559 after Mary Tudor's death. Elizabeth declined this proposal specifically because Philip was Catholic, demonstrating how religious differences prevented even diplomatic marriages that might have maintained peace.
Philip II's involvement in Catholic plots against Elizabeth further intensified religious tensions. The Spanish king supported various schemes aimed at removing the Protestant queen and potentially replacing her with a Catholic ruler, making Spain appear as an active threat to England's religious and political stability.
Political rivalry
Political tensions between England and Spain escalated significantly due to Spanish actions in the Netherlands and England's response to support Protestant rebels there.
The rivalry worsened because of Spanish policy in the Netherlands, where Philip II's harsh rule created widespread resentment. The Netherlands had been Spanish territory since the 15th century, but a Protestant revolt was brutally suppressed by the Duke of Alba in 1567.
This violent crackdown demonstrated Spanish willingness to use extreme force against Protestants, alarming Protestant England and showing what could happen to Protestant nations under Spanish control.
By 1585, following the Treaty of Nonsuch, England officially began providing assistance to Dutch rebels fighting Spanish rule. Elizabeth's government supported the Sea Beggars - Dutch ships that attacked Spanish vessels and then sought shelter in English ports. This direct English support for rebels against Spanish authority represented a clear political challenge to Philip II's power.
The political rivalry reflected broader European power struggles, with England positioning itself as a protector of Protestant interests against Spanish Catholic dominance.
Commercial rivalry
Economic competition created perhaps the most practical and immediate source of conflict between England and Spain, as both nations sought to expand their trade and wealth.
By the 1560s, England and Spain had become commercial rivals, competing directly for access to profitable markets and resources in the New World, as well as established trading areas in Turkey, Europe, Russia, China and North Africa. Spain's conquest of Mexico and Peru in the early 1500s had provided the Spanish government with vast amounts of gold and silver, giving Spain significant economic advantages.
The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 had granted Spain and Portugal exclusive rights to explore and trade in the New World, effectively excluding English merchants from these lucrative opportunities. English sailors and traders increasingly saw the New World and Far East as areas where they should be allowed to operate, directly challenging Spanish territorial claims.
Spanish control of the Netherlands created additional commercial problems for England. This control prevented English goods from easily accessing Antwerp and other important European trading centres, reducing English merchants' profits and limiting their commercial opportunities.
English privateering
English privateering represented both a symptom and a cause of escalating conflict, as Elizabeth's government effectively authorised attacks on Spanish shipping while maintaining they were not acts of war.
By the 1570s, English privateers such as Francis Hawkins and Francis Drake were systematically attacking Spanish treasure ships carrying gold and silver across the Atlantic Ocean. These attacks cost Spain enormous sums - when Drake returned to England after his circumnavigation of the globe, he brought back significant Spanish treasure.
Worked Example: Drake's Profitable Expedition
When Drake returned from his circumnavigation, he brought back £400,000 worth of Spanish treasure. To put this in perspective, this was an enormous sum that provided substantial returns to private investors, including Queen Elizabeth herself, who had funded these expeditions.
Elizabeth's decision to knight Francis Drake in 1581 demonstrated her open support for English privateers and her hostility towards Spain's commercial interests in Europe and the New World. Philip II viewed Drake and other privateers as pirates who should be eliminated, but Elizabeth's government protected them as legitimate sailors serving English interests.
Timeline of key events
- 1494: Treaty of Tordesillas gives Spain control of New World trade
- 1559: Philip II proposes marriage to Elizabeth I (rejected)
- 1567: Duke of Alba brutally suppresses Protestant revolt in Netherlands
- 1570s: English privateering attacks on Spanish ships intensify
- 1581: Elizabeth knights Francis Drake, demonstrating support for privateering
- 1585: Treaty of Nonsuch - England officially supports Dutch rebels
Key Points to Remember:
- Three main causes: Religious rivalry (Protestant vs Catholic), political rivalry (Netherlands conflict), and commercial rivalry (New World trade competition) created escalating tensions between England and Spain.
- Personal became political: Elizabeth's rejection of Philip II's marriage proposal in 1559 symbolised the religious divide that prevented diplomatic solutions.
- Netherlands as flashpoint: Spanish brutality in suppressing Dutch Protestants (1567) and English support for rebels (1585) made political conflict inevitable.
- Economic warfare: English privateering, especially Drake's activities, directly attacked Spanish wealth while providing England with substantial profits.
- Royal endorsement: Elizabeth's knighting of Drake in 1581 showed England's official hostility towards Spanish commercial dominance.