The Catholic challenge abroad

• In 1562, a religious war broke out in France and Elizabeth offered refuge to Protestants in Calais. Although, the peace of Troyes in 1564, so Protestants in Calais were no longer protected
• In 1566, the Dutch revolt broke out. It brought Catholics and Protestants in the Netherlands together, as they were both against the Spanish Inquisision
• The Spanish Inquisition was a tribunal set up in the 1400s to enforce religion and persecute people for not following certain religious laws
• The duke of alba along with 10000 men were sent to the Netherlands in 1567 to put down the revolt, and the revolt ended a year later
• Elizabeth was concerned about Alba's army being in the Netherlands because:

  • It was a large anti-protestant army near England
  • Their army could easily attack England from the Northern Sea
• England did not have the resources to go to war with Spain, and a religious war abroad could provoke a civil war
• In 1567, rebels from the Dutch Revolt fled over seas and were called the 'sea beggars'. They sheltered in England's harbours
• The sea beggars often attacked ships from Spain which were carrying weapons to Alba's army
• Elizabeth helped the Dutch revolt in secret by allowing English merchants to attack Spanish ships. However, Philip was still furious that she supported the rebels in Scotland and France
• In 1563, Philip banned the import of English cotton into the Netherlands, as he believed that English Merchants were trying to spread Protestantism
• Spain was further angered by when Elizabeth seized Genoese laws which were to be sent to Spain in 1568
• Genoese Loans - Loans of gold from Genoa in Italy which were funded to Spain to fight expensive wars