Elizabethan Foreign Policy
Theme Years Events Strengths Weaknesses
- 1559 - Philip offers to - Potential alliance and shows that Philip is - Started complicated talks about
- 1562 marry Elizabeth not threatened nor really cares about the Elizabeth marrying and realising that any
- 1568 - Philip protested prospect of a Protestant Queen alliance would create enemies
- 1569 Elizabeth’s support - Showed Elizabeth was willing to fight for - Beginning of tension between the two
- 1570 of the Huguenots Protestantism even if the support was nations and highlighted their conflict in
- 1571 - Spain attack deemed “unofficial”. The unofficial support religious beliefs. Severed any possible
- 1572/3 English ships protected her from direct blame alliance
- 1583/4 - Northern Rebellion - Elizabeth seizes bullion in response to the - De Spes became the new Spanish
- 1588 - Papal attack of Hawkins’ fleet in San Juan de ambassador in England who encourage
- 1596 excommunication Ulna Catholic plots against Elizabeth.
- 1597 - Ridolfi Plot - Quashed easily as the northern earls - Spanish were willing to back plots
- Attack on Spanish scattered when met by Elizabeth’s army against Elizabeth, particularly De Spes.
fleets - Philip was angry at the Pope for doing this Shows a decline in relations
- Throckmorton Plot - Quash stopped and never amounted to - Galvanised Catholics against Elizabeth
Relations - Spain attempt to anything. Council thought that it was as the Pope ensured the people it was
with Spain invade England necessary to execute Mary but Elizabeth not a sin to depose Elizabeth in the work
- Second Armada was confident in her convictions and of the true faith
attempt refused to do so - Had the aid of the Spanish military and
- Third Armada - Showed strength as Drake was successful therefore threatened national security
attempt in capturing Spanish silver at Nombre de - Made Spanish aggression more likely
Dios and raiding the west coast of Spanish - Mendoza implicated
America capturing Cacfuego’s cargo of - Spanish aggression and threat to
silver worth £140,000 national security
- Put down quickly by Walsingham and - Relations between the two nations were
Cecil still not good
- Failed attempt .Their attempt failed as - War still continued even when Philip died
Philip was bankrupt
- Attempt failed due to bad weather.
Showed God was on Elizabeth’s side
Theme Years Events Strengths Weaknesses
- 1559 - Philip offers to - Potential alliance and shows that Philip is - Started complicated talks about
- 1562 marry Elizabeth not threatened nor really cares about the Elizabeth marrying and realising that any
- 1568 - Philip protested prospect of a Protestant Queen alliance would create enemies
- 1569 Elizabeth’s support - Showed Elizabeth was willing to fight for - Beginning of tension between the two
- 1570 of the Huguenots Protestantism even if the support was nations and highlighted their conflict in
- 1571 - Spain attack deemed “unofficial”. The unofficial support religious beliefs. Severed any possible
- 1572/3 English ships protected her from direct blame alliance
- 1583/4 - Northern Rebellion - Elizabeth seizes bullion in response to the - De Spes became the new Spanish
- 1588 - Papal attack of Hawkins’ fleet in San Juan de ambassador in England who encourage
- 1596 excommunication Ulna Catholic plots against Elizabeth.
- 1597 - Ridolfi Plot - Quashed easily as the northern earls - Spanish were willing to back plots
- Attack on Spanish scattered when met by Elizabeth’s army against Elizabeth, particularly De Spes.
fleets - Philip was angry at the Pope for doing this Shows a decline in relations
- Throckmorton Plot - Quash stopped and never amounted to - Galvanised Catholics against Elizabeth
Relations - Spain attempt to anything. Council thought that it was as the Pope ensured the people it was
with Spain invade England necessary to execute Mary but Elizabeth not a sin to depose Elizabeth in the work
- Second Armada was confident in her convictions and of the true faith
attempt refused to do so - Had the aid of the Spanish military and
- Third Armada - Showed strength as Drake was successful therefore threatened national security
attempt in capturing Spanish silver at Nombre de - Made Spanish aggression more likely
Dios and raiding the west coast of Spanish - Mendoza implicated
America capturing Cacfuego’s cargo of - Spanish aggression and threat to
silver worth £140,000 national security
- Put down quickly by Walsingham and - Relations between the two nations were
Cecil still not good
- Failed attempt .Their attempt failed as - War still continued even when Philip died
Philip was bankrupt
- Attempt failed due to bad weather.
Showed God was on Elizabeth’s side
