CHALLENGES TO ELIZABETHS RULE 1569-88

• People involved in Revolt of Northern Earl

  1. Duke of Norfolk
  2. Duke of Alba
  3. Duke of nothurmberland and westmorland
  4. Mary Queen of Scotts
  5. Phillip of Spain
• Consequences of Revolt

  • Elizabeth doesn’t execute mary (divine right)
  • elizabteh doesn’t execute Duke of Norfolk due to little evidence
  • army executed 450 rebels throughout north to terrify population
  • mary remained under house arrest
• Elizabeth’s actions that led to ridolfi plot

  • executing 450 catholics after revolt of northern earls
  • led to pope pius V excommunicating + labelling her as a heretic in 1570; encouraged plots against her
• Aims of ridolfi plot

  • with support of spanish army in netherlands, they would kill elizabeth and replace her with mary
• Consequences of Babingdon Plot

  • mary put on trail at fotheringhay castle for commuting treason; found guilty 4 weeks after
  • babingdon executed and arrested
• Reasons Spain went to war with England (1585)

  1. english involvement in dutch revolt
  2. Rivalry over New World (economic)
  3. political reasons
  4. religious reasons
• English involvement with dutch revolt (1585)

  • (1585) sent 7000 soldiers to help protestant dutch rebels against spanish
  • (1568) genoese loan= stole spanish ships gold (used to pay spanish troops) from an english port
• • The New World (economic factor)
  • columbus discovered america on behalf of spain
  • (1579) Drake captured ships in Peru containing £140000 worth of cargo
  • elizabeth unofficially commanded navy to attack ships in caribbean
• Political Reasons Spain waged war

  • Phillip wanted to maintain his power; drakes activities threatened this with elizabeth’s approval
  • (1580) became king of Portugal; shows god is on spains side
• Religious factors why spain is waged war

  • (1570) Excommunication of elizabeth by pope pius V encouraged catholics to plot against her in order to restore catholicism in europe
• Spanish Armada preparations (1588)

  • warming beacon system set up to aleft from coast to london
  • converted ships to fighting ships to increase size of navy
  • (1585) Drake attacked Cadiz and destroyed ships containing food supply; gave english a year to build defences
• Phillips Plan for Spanish Armada

  1. sets sail from spain to calais to diver so troops in netherlands are in marching distance
  2. duke of parma with 200000 troops march to calais
  3. troops sail on barges to dover protected by armada
  4. spain land in kent, march to london and restore catholicism
• Tactics of Spanish Armada

  • led by duke of medina sedoni; appointed because he was a lord but has little experience at sea
  • used grappling hooks within range so they could kill people on board
  • (July 1588) 130 ships with 17,000 men sailed to channel in crescent formation
• English Retaliation/ Battle of Gravelines

  • Howard sent 8 fire ships to armada so their fleet would be scattered
  • (August 1588) howard orders attack; no english ships lost in battle
• Reasons the navy deafeated the armada

  1. communication problems
  2. skillful leadership of howard and drake
  3. better tactics
  4. manoeuvability of ships
  5. weather
  6. gunners and weapons
• Communication Problems

  • After armada was scattered by fire ships they couldn’t meet with parmas army in calais
  • army wasn’t present as they would’ve been vulnerable to attacks if they arrived early + engaged in battle at dunkirk
• Skilful Leadership

  • both chosen by elizabeth as they were experienced naval commanders
  • duke of medina sedonia was elected as commander due to social status; had no prior experience
• Better tactics

  • howard ordering 8 fire ships to scatter the armadas fleet once they had dropped anchor at calais
  • caused them to abandon formation so they could attack
• Manoeuvrability of ships

  • spanish ships were bigger and struggled to avoid incoming fire
  • english ships were smaller and easy to move
• Weather conditions

  • wind worked in favour of navy blowing the fire ships into armada
  • blew armada into scottish and irish coast where 40 ships were wrecked
• Gunners and weapons

  • royal navy ahd more experienced gunners than the spanish
  • once armada was scattered the english could get within range to damage ships
  • navy reloaded every 30 mins whilst english reloaded every 2