The Elizabethan period

Elizabeth, Marys half sister, became queen when Mary died in 1558. Mary had considered
killing her, because she was an obvious leader for Protestant revolt.
Elizabeth I wanted to find a peaceful answer to the problems of the English Reformation. In
some ways the kind of Protestantism finally agreed in 1559 remained closer to the Catholic
religion than to other Protestant groups. But Elizabeth made sure that the Church was still
under her authority. She made the Church part of the state machine.
The parish, the area served by one church, usually the same size as a village, became the
unit of state administration. People had to go to church on Sundays by law and they were
fined if they stayed away. This meant that the parish priest, the parson or vicar, became
almost as powerful as the village squire. Elizabeth arranged for a book of sermons to be used
in church. Although most of the sermons consisted of Bible teaching, this book also taught
people that rebellion against the Crown was a sin against God.
The struggle between Catholics and Protestants continued to endanger Elizabeths position.
Both France and Spain were Catholic, and Elizabeth wanted to avoid open quarrels with them.
Both kings wanted to marry Elizabeth and join England to their own country. There was a
danger that the pope would persuade Catholic countries to attack England. And another
danger from those nobles in England, who wished to remove Elizabeth and replace her with
the queen of Scotland, who was a Catholic.

The new foreign policy

During the Tudor period (1485-1603) English foreign policy changed several times.
Henry VII had been careful to remain friendly with neighbouring countries. His son, Henry
VIII, had been hoping to play an important part in European politics. He was unsuccessful.
Mary allied England to Spain by her marriage; England had nothing to gain from being allied
to a more powerful country. Elizabeth and her advisors considered trade the most important
foreign policy matter. For them whichever country was Englands greatest trade rival was also
its greatest enemy. This idea remained the basis of Englands foreign policy until the 19 th
century.
Henry VII had built a large fleet of merchant ships. His son, Henry VIII, had spent money on
warships and guns, making English guns the best in Europe.
Elizabeths foreign policy carried Henry VIIs work much further, encouraging merchant
expansion. She recognised Spain as her main trade rival and enemy. Spain ruled the
Netherlands, although many of the people were Protestant and were fighting for their
independence from Catholic Spanish rule. Spanish soldiers could only reach the Netherlands
from Spain by sea, so they had to sail up the English Channel. Elizabeth helped the Dutch
Protestants by allowing their ships to use English harbours, which from they could attack
Spanish ships. When it looked as if the Dutch rebels might be defeated, after they lost the city
of Antwerp in 1585, Elizabeth helped them with money and soldiers. It was almost an open
declaration of war on Spain.
English ships had already been attacking Spanish ships as they returned from America loaded
with gold and silver. This had been going on since 1570, and was the result of Spains refusal
to allow England to trade freely with Spanish American colonies. The treasure was shared
with the queen.
sea dogs seamen were traders as well as pirates and adventurers. The most famous of them
were John Hawkins, Francis Drake and Martin Frobisher
Philip decided to conquer England in 1587. He believed this had to be done before he would
be able to defeat the Dutch rebels in the Netherlands. Philip built a great fleet of ships, an
armada, to move his army across the English Channel from the Netherlands. But in 1587
Francis Drake attacked and destroyed part of this fleet in Cadiz harbour.
Philip built a great fleet again, but most of the ships were designed to carry soldiers, English
ships were longer and narrower. Finally, the Spanish Armada was defeated more by bad
weather than by English guns. For England it was a glorious moment, but it didnt lead to an
end of the war with Spain, and England found itself having to spend more than ever on
Englands defence. Peace was only made with Spain once Elizabeth was dead.