Another area that featured strongly in relations between Elizabeth I and Philip II was trade. The main areas for trade during Elizabeth I’s reign were the Netherlands, for the wool trade and the New World, for gold from the Aztecs and the West Indies. Both of these main trade areas had fallen under Spanish rule. The Netherlands through marriage and the New World through discovery, population and the treaty of Tordesillas. The initial problem between Elizabeth I and Philip II may have been that, whilst Elizabeth represented a Protestant country and Philip represented a Catholic country Elizabeth tended to see any problems between the two countries as financial and trade related. Philip would see any problems in term s of the religious struggle sweeping Europe. The struggle for trade in the Netherlands between the English and the Spanish started in and around the start of Philip II’s reign in 1556. Philip II was worried about the number of Protestant in the Netherlands. He therefore sent Cardinal Granvelle to keep a strict Catholic rule. This may well have been the beginning of Elizabeth’s problems as in 1563 Philip II again decided that there were too many Protestants in the Netherlands. Philip was worried about Protestant traders from England. Philip banned English trade and merchants. This is a good example of how Elizabeth I and Philip II’s relationship differs over religion. Whilst Philip banned trade for bringing in Protestant influences. Elizabeth reacted by banning trade from the Netherlands under a trade embargo, Elizabeth sees this problem in terms of finance and trade. Philip II is eventually forced to lift his ban and Elizabeth lifts her trade embargo 1564.
The Netherlands was not the only area of trade that was of importance to England and Spain. The New World was also very important. By 1568 Hawkins and drake had been slowly building up private trade with the New World. The New World was the best bet for new trade as the Netherlands had been closing down and the Portuguese had a monopoly over the spice trade in and around India. However Anglo Spanish relations were tainted by the massacre of San Juan D’Ullua in which English seamen were massacred for trading in South America by Spanish troops. This soured the relationship between Elizabeth I and Philip II. Again due partly to religion as the New World was supposed to belong to the Spanish under the treaty of Tordesillas which made most of the New World Catholic land. English Protestant traders were not welcome. Relations between Elizabeth and Philip were worsened further between 1577 and 1579 when Drake circumnavigated the globe and brought back lots of new spices. A Protestant trader trespassing on Spanish Catholic soil did not impress Philip II. To make maters worse Elizabeth knighted Drake. By this time English trade in the Netherlands was grinding to a halt. In 1576 the sack of Antwerp took place, which led to direct English intervention in the Dutch civil war. This involvement led Philip II to deduce that Elizabeth was helping foreign Protestant heretics whereas Elizabeth saw it as helping re-establish trade links.
The relationship between Elizabeth I and Philip II got worse from 1584 when there was a break in diplomatic relations. This led to Elizabeth giving privateers’ licences and declaring Spanish treasure fleets fair game. Elizabeth took a percentage from such attacks a policy, which again weakens relations between Elizabeth I and Philip II. This weakness was shown in 1587 when Philip decided that as putting Mary Stuart on the throne was no longer an option, she was dead he may as well invade England instead. To prevent an invasion Drake sailed to Cadiz, a naval port in Spain and singed the king of Spain’s beard he burnt the first armada and vital warehouses. Philip II’s intent to invade England can now be seen in very clear religious terms as he wanted to invade England, a Protestant country and turn it Catholic.
Throughout the reign of Elizabeth I Spain’s power in Europe was ever increasing. Infact Spain was described as the guiding star of Tudor foreign policy. There was little wonder then that Elizabeth and Philip ended up having a complex relationship. The main area of squabbling in Europe was the Netherlands. Very important economically to both countries the Netherlands had a long relationship with England in trade. The Netherlands became Spanish in 1516 through marriage. Traditionally left alone to trade, the Netherlands had become a rich cornerstone of the Spanish Empire. Philips worry over Protestants in the Netherlands led to hard leadership. Cardinal Granvelle was the first regent, his powerful dominance led to the apprentices bread and wages riots of 1566. Told these riots were a Protestant uprising Philip sent in the Duke of Alva with the Spanish army to stamp them out. This act sparked the civil war in the Netherlands. The “council of blood” arrested most of the state leaders and leading merchants, 2000 of which were killed. The state leader of Holland, William the silent became the leader of the rebels. William the silent became Protestant in 1572 and appealed to Elizabeth for troops and money. Elizabeth supplied money but no troops as she felt direct intervention would weaken trade links with the Netherlands. Elizabeth’s relationship with Philip II is damaged by her aid to the Netherlands. Their relationship was damaged further when in 1585 Elizabeth agreed to be the protector of the Netherlands and in 1586 sent troops to fight on the side of the rebels. Although the Dutch and English did not see the civil war in terms of religion, they saw it in terms of freedom to trade, the Spanish did. Elizabeth’s intervention in the Netherlands was only for the good of her traders and merchants. However, Philip II saw it differently he saw it in terms of religion. Philip II saw Elizabeth I helping foreign Protestant heretics. Philip went on to interfere in the French wars of religion, a further example of him being led by religion.
Elizabeth I’s relationship with Philip II was further tainted by direct Spanish intervention in England. Philip II made repeated attempts to usurp Elizabeth and replace her with Catholic Mary Stuart. In 1569 the rising of the northern earls took place. A plot designed to remove Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Stuart. A Catholic, Spanish funded plot that caused Elizabeth I’s and Philip II’s relationship to be weakened mainly by religion. In 1570 the papal Bull declaring Elizabeth to be a Catholic traitor was announced, what followed was a series of Catholic plots all aimed to remove Elizabeth and replace her with Mary Stuart. These plots; Ridolfi, Parry and Throckmorton all led to the Spanish ambassador, De Spay being ejected from England and diplomatic relations between the two countries being cut. Elizabeth needed protection from Spain, to try and guarantee this Elizabeth signed the treaty of Blois in 1572, which stated that protection would be granted to each other if one were in danger. Diplomatic relations were again cut in 1584 due to continued Spanish Catholic plots in England. These events, almost totally religiously motivated deeply effected Elizabeth’s relations with Philip as they led to a deep air of distrust. The first armada of 1587 was religiously motivated and again led to distrust between Elizabeth and Philip. Philip had decided to invade England as he could no longer turn England Catholic from the inside out. The second armada of 1588 was more powerful, Elizabeth was lucky to avoid invasion. Three more attacks by armada followed, none of which were successful. However, by this time what little relations remained between Elizabeth and Philip were gone.
From Elizabeth I’s prospective religion should not have been much of a factor in her relationship with Philip II. It may be argued that all Elizabeth was interested in was keeping trade routes open and keeping her economy afloat. It may be argued that it was Philip II who always saw things in religious terms a perspective that always tainted their relationship.
- Was Elizabeth’s foreign policy towards Spain a success?
From around 1558 up until Elizabeth I’s death in 1603 England had a very broad, often guided by religion, always guided by money and trade foreign policy.
Elizabeth’s initial foreign policy may be regarded as taking place during the period 1558 to 1568. This period was dominated by Elizabeth’s offer of marriage to any possible enemies. In regards to Spain Elizabeth’s initial foreign policy was to stay on the right side of Spain so that they would act as a shield from the French, Elizabeth’s biggest early threat. Spain would have seen Elizabeth as helping Protestant heretics under her initial foreign policy. However Elizabeth would have seen her policy as just boosting national security. Infact up until and even after the church settlement of 1559 this was her foreign policy. After the church settlement, which turned England from Catholic to Protestant, her foreign policy had to be adapted. Elizabeth’s open invitation of marriage was successful although Elizabeth did turn down a proposal of marriage from Philip II of Spain which, may have been good for England as we kept our independence although this rejection followed by the church settlement may have caused unnecessary friction between England and Spain. Spanish aid to Scottish and French rebels was not received well by Elizabeth. Elizabeth managed to survive this threat by guaranteeing James I the throne in England. Elizabeth was also saved by the growing wars of religion in France, which may distracted any possible invaders away from England.
Elizabeth’s most important consideration when deciding on her foreign policy was the protection of English trade and money. The trade embargo of 1563 to 1564 is a good example of where Elizabeth forced trade links to be re-opened between England and the Netherlands. This may be regarded as a successful foreign policy towards Spain. However, England’s foreign policy towards Spain in the Netherlands was not so successful. For example when Elizabeth became the protector of the Netherlands in 1585 and then sent troops to fight in the civil war in 1586 could only antagonise Spain.
When trade with the Netherlands started to fade around 1580 English traders had to look elsewhere. The Portuguese dominated the spice trade in and around India, the obvious choice of new trade was the New World. The massacre of San Juan D’Ullua in 1568 deeply soured Anglo Spanish relations as English traders were remorselessly killed although they had been trading in the area for some time. Elizabeth’s foreign policy in the New World caused tension between her and Spain especially in and around 1577 to 1579 when Drake circumnavigated the world. Philip II was not happy that England had broken the treaty of Tordesillas. England again broke the treaty when in 1584 Raleigh attempted to found Virginia and set up vital trade bases.
Elizabeth’s foreign policy towards Spain in Europe cannot be classed as much of a success. Her early policy in Europe, mainly towards the Netherlands was to at all cost keep the London-Antwerp funnel open, vital for trade. However as trade links towards the Netherlands closed and the tension between England and Spain grew Elizabeth was left with little option but to get involved directly. By accepting the title “protector of the Netherlands” Elizabeth was openly threatening Spain. Elizabeth’s unsuccessful foreign policy continued in the Netherlands when she finally sent troops to fight on the side of the Dutch rebels at the battle of Zutphen, which was lost. Elizabeth’s largely unsuccessful foreign policy may have looked somewhat successful to an observer as shown in 1588 and Philip II’s armada policy. This policy, arguably a large mistake enabled the Dutch to largely re-claim the Netherlands and also enabled England to look stronger as she defeated the second Spanish armada and would claim was pivotal in helping the Dutch re-claim the Netherlands. It may be argued that Elizabeth’s foreign policy in Europe failed, and it was only outside factors that allowed Elizabeth to retain power. However the fact that Elizabeth survived may suggest her foreign policy was a successful one.
Elizabeth’s foreign policy towards Spain in attempts to prevent Spanish intervention in England may also be looked at in two ways. On one hand all the plots against Elizabeth; rising of the northern earls, Ridolfi, Throckmorton, Parry and Babington never massed the support they proclaimed and never got near to overthrowing Elizabeth. This may be regarded as a success. However, the failure of one plot did not stop another from being formed, a possible weakness of foreign policy. In similar circumstances the fact that none of the five armadas launched against England were successful may be regarded as a good foreign policy. However, the fact that none of the armadas were successful may also be put down to outside factors that would not constitute a good foreign policy. For example the 2nd armada of 1588 was largely ineffective, not because of the English navy but largely due to bad weather conditions and a lack of fleet manoeuvrability, two factors outside the control of Elizabeth.
It is hard to directly answer the question “was Elizabeth’s foreign policy towards Spain a success” as to answer the question a definition of success would first be needed. In many circumstances Elizabeth’s foreign policy was a success for the simple fact that England was not invaded by Spain during Elizabeth’s reign. It may be argued that this dodging of a Spanish invasion was all that Elizabeth could hope for but it often came down to a large amount of luck that prevented England from being invaded.