England & the Spanish Netherlands (Edexcel GCSE History)

Why did the Netherlands Create a Political and Religious Rivalry Between Spain and England? - Summary and Timeline

The reign of Elizabeth’s half-sister, Mary I, had reduced the royal treasury. Mary’s husband, Philip II of Spain, fought and lost a costly war with France. 

The conflict between Spain and France did have some benefits. Both countries had different reasons to pursue an alliance with England:

• France wanted England’s support against Spain. Spanish territory surrounded France. The closest country to the north of France was England. If England continued an alliance with Spain, France could face a war on two fronts

• Spain wanted England’s navy. From the 15th century, Spain controlled the Netherlands. To reach the Netherlands, Spanish ships had to sail past England through the English Channel. The English navy may attack Spanish ships

By 1570, it became clear that England could not maintain a positive relationship with Spain. Spain’s treatment of the protestant Dutch worsened.  Elizabeth hesitated in supporting the Dutch Protestants. She relied upon money rather than an armed force to fight against Spain. Elizabeth used Spain’s old enemy, France, to fight on her behalf.

Overall, Elizabeth’s limited intervention in the Netherlands paved the way for the breakdown of Anglo-Spanish relations. Elizabeth’s government believed her hesitance allowed Spain to strengthen their hold over the Netherlands. Her reluctance to use force also destroyed any trust the Dutch had in England. Philip II believed England wanted to destroy Spain’s power. This meant war between the two nations became increasingly likely.

What Did Spain Do to the Netherlands in 1567?

• As discussed in ‘Protestantism Across Europe, 1562-69’, Spain was severely punishing the Dutch Protestants

  • Spain was leading a counter-reformation campaign against Protestantism

  • Spain saw the Dutch Protestants as a threat to its rule in the Netherlands

    • The Dutch Revolt in 1566 proved that both Dutch Catholics and Protestants wanted to rid the Netherlands of Spanish control

• In 1567, Spain sent the Duke of Alba to the Netherlands to regain control of the region

  • Alba established the 'Council of Troubles'

    • The Council condemned many thousands of Protestants to death

• The events in the Netherlands alarmed many English Protestants

  • If Spain treated Protestants in this manner, English Protestants worried about what could happen to them. Spain could declare war against all Protestantism

  • Elizabeth’s privy council pressured her to protect the Dutch rebels

What Did Elizabeth Do About the Netherlands?

What options did Elizabeth have when dealing with the Netherlands?

• Elizabeth and her advisers considered multiple solutions to the ‘problem’ of the Spanish Netherlands

Consequences of Possible Solutions to the Problem of the Spanish Netherlands

What option did Elizabeth choose?

• Elizabeth chose a non-aggressive strategy to deal with Spain’s control of the Netherlands

  • England was weaker than Spain

  • A war with Spain might cause a Civil War between English Catholics and Protestants

  • She did not want to trigger a war with Spain

  • She believed that applying the right amount of pressure on Philip would force Spain to withdraw from the Netherlands

• Elizabeth’s tactics against Spain included:

  • Helping the Dutch rebels indirectly by sending money and mercenaries to the Netherlands

  • Encouraging Privateers to attack Spanish ships and colonies

  • Improving England’s relationship with France

How did Elizabeth improve England’s relationship with France?

• In the 1570s, Elizabeth offered the promise of marriage to the Duke of Alençon

  • Alençon was the heir to the French throne. A marriage between Elizabeth and Alençon would be a strong union

• She believed an alliance with Alençon would worry Philip enough to return the Netherlands to the Dutch

  • Philip’s worry about an Anglo-French union increased when Elizabeth encouraged Alençon to fight the Spanish in the Netherlands

• Elizabeth knew her strategy was risky

  • She had no intention of marrying Alençon. If Alençon discovered this, it could turn France into an enemy

  • If France was too successful in the Netherlands, they would encompass the Netherlands into their empire

The Spanish Fury and the Pacification of Ghent, 1576

• In 1576, the situation in the Netherlands changed

• The Spanish Fury and the pacification of Ghent offered Elizabeth an opportunity to increase England’s intervention in the Netherlands

Why was the Spanish Fury and the Pacification of Ghent a missed opportunity for Elizabeth?

• Elizabeth did not send the armed forces she had promised to the Dutch rebels after Spain broke the Pacification of Ghent

  • She hired a mercenary named John Casimir

    • Elizabeth gave Casimir the money to raise an army of 6,000 volunteers

    • A mercenary leading a voluntary army meant Elizabeth was not directly sending an English army to fight against Spain

  • Casimir failed to beat the Spanish forces in the Netherlands

    • He angered the Dutch Catholics by attacking their churches

    • His actions persuaded the Dutch Catholics to make peace with the Spanish

• Elizabeth ignored the advice of her Privy Council

  • Advisers like Dudley, Earl of Leicester, pleaded with Elizabeth to send a royal army to the Netherlands

    • Dudley sensed that England could win against Spain

  • Her government highlighted how important an independent Netherlands was to England

    • The Netherlands could become a large Protestant ally with England

    • Their presence in Europe would limit the power of the Spanish Habsburg and Catholicism

• Elizabeth continued to use the Duke of Alençon rather than intervene in the Netherlands directly

  • In 1578, the Duke of Alençon raised an army and fought against Spain

• Many historians believe that Elizabeth missed an ideal opportunity to free the Dutch from Spanish rule. By 1579, the situation in the Netherlands had changed because:

  • The Duke of Parma replaced Don Juan as governor of the Netherlands

    • Parma was a much better military leader than Don Juan. Parma made Spain’s forces in the Netherlands much stronger than England’s

  • The Dutch rebels' leader, William of Orange, had lost influence among Dutch Catholics

    • The actions of John Casimir turned many Dutch Catholics against the Protestant rebels

    • The southern Dutch province were mostly Catholic. They began to make agreements of peace with Spain

  • The Spanish forces were making progress against the Protestant rebels

    • The Duke of Alençon decided to withdraw his troops from the Netherlands in 1579

Spanish Control Restored, 1580-1584

• By 1584, Spain had gained complete control of the Netherlands

• The concept map below explains the actions that Philip and Elizabeth took that allowed Spain to dominate the Netherlands:

1584: The Turning Point in Anglo-Spanish Relations

• A series of events in 1584 resulted in the downfall of England and Spain’s relationship

Events of 1584 and How They Negatively Affected Anglo-Spanish Relations