Political violence and persecution
The Crisis of Protestantism
The confrontation between Queen Elizabeth I and Europe's
Catholic powers built up in the early years of her reign.
In 1570 the Pope issued a sentence of excommunication against
her - effectively indicating his support for attempts to remove
her from power. Elizabeth responded by supporting Protestants
in the Netherlands and France with arms, money and soldiers.
Tensions grew between Protestant England and Catholic Spain
and were a constant feature of Elizabeth's reign, but it wasn't
until 1585 that the two countries drifted into war. In 1588
Philip II of Spain unleashed a massive invasion force, the
Armada, against England.
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The English Fleet Pursuing the Spanish Fleet Against Fowey,
Richard Burchett, Palace of Westminster Collection.
Though greater in size than the English fleet, the Spanish
Armada was defeated by a combination of English tactics and
bad weather. After being mauled by the faster English ships
in the channel the Spanish made for the North Sea to try and
re-group but bad weather forced them off course and only 10,000
of Philip's men managed to return home.
The English saw the defeat of the Armada as showing that
God supported the Protestants against the Catholics. Yet despite
the defeat of the Spanish fleet, the war between the two countries
dragged on.
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