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Elizabeth's Foreign Policy 1571-1589 (Netherlands (1588 Armada: …
Elizabeth's Foreign Policy 1571-1589
France
1572 Treaty of Blois
- France abandoned support for MQS and formed defensive League against Spain
However, Blois in jeopardy immediately - 1572 St Bartholomew's Day Massacre. CdeM tried to murder Huguenot leader, Coligny, who was becoming too close to Charles IX.
Influence may push Charles into religious war with Spain.
Paris mob took opportunity to murder 3000 Huguenots in Paris alone
Dilemma - Liz protestant advisers clamouring for action. Worth throwing away friendship with CdeM for this?
Risks - cementing Guise=Spanish alliance by helping Huguenots and England didn't have military resources to fight French anyway
So... cunning negotiation with both sides. Unofficial help offered to Huguenots. Renewed negotiations with CdeM on Alencon marriage. Served purpose well later
September 1580 Treaty of Plessis le Tours
Dutch rebels offered sovereignty over Netherlands to Anjou
1581, Liz settled for providing Anjou with funds for intervention in Neths
However, Anjou defeated by Spanish at Antwerp in 1583
By 1584, Anjou was dead. This ended Eng attempts to use French military intervention against the Spanish in the Neths
Financing a Catholic in this way suggests a TRADITIONAL foreign pol - rather than support Protestantism she was merely protecting Dutch semi-independence
Turning point in French FP was the
1584 Secret Treaty of Joinville
between French Catholic League and Spain
1589 Liz sent 4000 troops to aid Henry IV (King of France 1589-1610) at Dieppe
Spain
Up to 1570, Phillip happy for peace with England - didn't want MSQ on throne of England as a tool of the Guise in France. Hence early persuasion of Pope not to excommunicate Liz - Pius didn't consult Philip about excommunication in 1570 and Philip had doubts about sense of it it.
However, by 1571 was supporting plots in England - instructed Alva (gov of Netherlands) to send 10,000 troops to support Ridolfi plot. Fortunately, Walsingham's spies discovered plot and Norfolk was executed in June 1572
However, marked change in relations and reified fear of Spanish control of Neths. Whilst Spanish influence in the Netherlands had been preferable to French, Liz was concerned that this influence was now backed with an army of occupation
1580 - King of Portugal died and Philip II became ruler of Spain and Portugal - gave him a large ocean-going fleet capable of fighting Eng's powerful navy
Philip had been hoping to avoid war - had expense of Dutch Revolt. Also had to fight Ottomans in Mediterranean, was also concerned that would have to be involved fighting France once again as result of Catholic League
Once Liz signed with rebels, however, Phil had no choice
May 1585 - Philip seizes English and Protestant shipping in Spain. Revokes embargo few weeks later but damage done
1587 Drake's attack on Spanish naval base of Cadiz interrupted preps for Armada. Arguably, Drake's raid had originally been intended to be on Spanish shipping in the West Indies.
Simon Adams
claims that the raids on Spanish shipping were an integral part of the wider conflict in Neths. Liz's shortage of cash meant that self-sustaining warfare was the only realistic strategy
1589 - Francis Drake failed in attempt to launch naval attack on Spain
1584 - Philip;s Treaty of Joinville with the Catholic League in France proved the final straw and an Anglo-Spanish war broke out in 1585
The Anglo-Spanish War, 1585-1604
To counteract the terms of the Treaty of Joinville, Liz made the
Treaty of Nonsuch
with the Dutch Protestant rebels and sent troops to the Netherlands under the command of the Earl of Leicester. However, the English commanders quarelled among themselves and the troops were ill-disciplined
1587 - the English successfully attacked Spanish ships at Cadiz, delaying the launch of the Spanish Armada (invasion fleet)
1588 - Leicester returned to England. Philip's huge Armada set sail with plans to load a Spanish army in the Netherlands, for an invasion of England. It was sighted off Cornwall, engaged in indecisive battle in the English Channel, and forced by unfavourable winds to round Scotland and Ireland, losing many ships to rocks and storms
The war was fought both at sea, off western Europe and in the Caribbean, and on land (including in Ireland, where it was connected to a revolt against Liz's rule). It dragged on at great expense
1589 - Sir Francis Vere was made commander of the English forces in the Netherlands. He worked effectively with the Dutch Protestants so that the Spanish were expelled from the north by 1594, the country was divided into an independent Protestant north and Catholic south, the latter under Spanish sovereignty
Attacks on Spanish shipping mounted both by professional sea men such as Hawkins, Drake and Frobisher, and by courtiers such as Walter Raleigh, achieved some financial gains but little strategic success
Philip ordered another invasion of England in 1596 but the fleet was defeated by storms
The war was finally concluded in 1604 after the deaths of both Philip and Liz
The conflict with Spain was long running, expensive and brought limited gain
The Spanish Armada
The Armada was the result of long term deterioration of Anglo-Spanish relations
The original captain of the armada, Santa Cruz, died, leaving the inexperienced Medina Sidonia to head the fleet
The Spanish moored their boats off the Gravelines near Calais, allowing the English to exploit their position and sail fire ships towards the Spanish on the 7th August
The fire ships disrupted the fleet, causing many ships to haul anchor, making them vulnerable to the 'protestant wind' that forced them into the North Sea in order to avoid running aground
3 ships were sunk by the smaller, manoeuvrable English boats
The majority of the Spanish fleet were funnelled into the North Sea by the winds, passing the Netherlands and any chance of picking up Parma's troops
They had to sail round Scotland and Ireland to get back, a journey that killed many Spaniards and sank many boats
SUCCESS - on a security level
FAILURE - didn't end war with Spain
Why was the Armada defeated?
The strategy was poor – it involved stopping off at the Netherlands to pick up the experienced and scary army led by Parma, but he had not gained sufficient control of the coastline to allow this to happen.
The leader of the Armada, Medina Sidonia was not experienced at sea; he did not want the job and became increasingly seasick!
The winds were favourable to the English, the Spanish ships were not meant to cross at disturbed sea. This wind was known as 'The Protestant Wind'
The English took advantage of this disruption and drove Medina Sidonia away from the Parma forces, meaning they had no chance of collecting them. Furthermore, the Spanish ships had to return to Spain the dangerous way, which lost them many more ships.
The Queen had shown great leadership, her sailors had been brave, ingenious and well led, but without the 'Protestant Wind', all might well have been lost.
Scotland
Mary become the focus of four plots to overthrow Elizabeth between 1571 and 1586. The last of these, the Babington Plot of 1586, resulted in a trial at which she was found guilty. Although Liz was reluctant to authorise the execution of another anointed monarch, Cecil convinced her that it was necessary for her personal safety and the security of the Protestant State
Mary was beheaded in 1587. This provided an excuse for Philip II to send an Armada against in 1588
Netherlands
1588 Armada:
Philip's army set sail for the Netherlands where they were to meet with the land army under the Duke of Parma
This force was then going to invade Sourthern England and take London, and Liz, supported by Eng Catholics
The plan failed for several reasons - they left the attack late in the season, which had impact later
As the English navy saw the Armada and attacked, hurrying the Spanish up the Channel
The English sent fire-ships into the Armada fleet at Calais, scattering the, Many ships cut their anchors.
the nippier English ships prevented the Spanish from utilising their favourite tactic and boarding an enemy ship
the spanish were unable to collect troops from the Neths and the Neths had no deep-water port
the Armada couldn't retreat back past the English and so were forced to sail north around the coast and past Ireland. Many ships were lost in terrible storms
Largely thanks to John Hawkins, Liz's treasurer of the Navy, Liz had a well-equipped fleet of 30 warships capable of long-range warfare
Liz also called on port towns to arm merchant vessels - a cheap addition to the army
1572 Dutch Revolt
open revolt of Northern Netherlands against Philip of Spain
Leicester and Walsingham agitating for intervention by Liz. Philip's perception was that England was a breeding ground for Dutch dissent. There was always the risk that destroying the Dutch would there, in some way, involve attacking the English
1573 Convention of Nymegen
- Liz negotiating with Alva for resumption of trade between Spain and England
1574 Convention of Bristol
- england withdrew support from raids on spanish shipping in the Indies. Pragmatic policy - french occupied with internal problems. Spain had been successful in suppressing rebellion in the Netherlands so no point further supporting rebels - neutrality best policy
this policy was adopted despite pressure from Walsingham and Leicester to aid William of Orange
By 1575, Liz was offering to act as mediator between Orange and the Spanish. She suggested that the rebels accept Hapsburg rule in return for a restoration of liberties in the provinces
reasons: fear that the rebels would seek help from the French and/or that the Spanish would crush the rebels completely, establishing Spanish dominance in Netherlands
1576 Spanish Fury
unpaid Spanish army mutinied, sacked Antwerp and brought all 17 provinces of Netherlands into revolt against Spain
The Estates General of the Netherlands met and called for removal of Spanish troops and restoration of liberties - exactly what Liz wanted
This demand known as the Pacification of Ghent
Liz offered the Estates £100,000 if Spain refused the terms
1577 Perpetual Edict
Spain signed, agreeing to terms of Pacification of Ghent, and withdrew from Nethds
By mid 1577, however, Spanish troops back in Neths - Liz did send envoy to P2, trying to persuade him to stick to terms of Pacificiation - unlikely
spanish defeated the estates at battle of Gembloux 1578 - liz nervous, didn't want risk of war with Spain
By 1578, Liz's foreign policy in the Neths in dissaray - she had failed to prevent military occupation by a great power
July 1584 - William of Orange assassinated. danger that Neths would collapse entirely and be at the mercy of the Spanish occupation forces
1585 Treaty of Nonsuch
marked period of war with Spain that lasted until 1604, 6000 men under Earl of Leicester would be provided
significant as marked backing of rebels against legitimate gov
January 1586 Earl of Leicester accepted title of Gov-General of Netherlands. This suggested Neths independent of Spain - not Liz original idea
Although Leicester fairly inept commander, did prevent Duke of Parma taking ports of Sluys and Flushing. Lack of deep-water port repercussions for Armada
Marriage
Fear of French intervention under the Duc D'Anjou (Francis, former Duc d'Alencon). Catholic but very anti-Spanish. Seemed more likely source of support for Dutch rebels than hesistant Liz. She could outbid - favoured by Protestant councillors, but would be costly. Therefore, once again, renewed marriage negotiations
Seemed this time as if Liz was serious serious about marriage, for political and personal reasons (she was 46)
However, anti-Catholic feeling amongst councillors and public persuaded her against it