Conflict leading to battle

Conflict leading to battle

The conflict between Spain and England that led to the attempted Spanish invasion in 1588 began in the 1560's. Spain was taking gold and silver from lands it had claimed in the Americas, and England wanted some of this wealth. Queen Elizabeth I encouraged Francis Drake and other English seamen to raid Spanish ships and towns, even though the countries were officially at peace.

Religious differences also caused conflict between the two nations. Spain was a Roman Catholic country, and most of England was Protestant. In the 1560's, the English began to aid the Dutch Protestants who were rebelling against Spanish rule. In the early 1580's, King Philip II of Spain started planning to send a fleet and army to invade England. He hoped to end the English raids and to make England a Catholic country. He also hoped to stop England from supporting Dutch rebels. The Netherlands had been one of Spain's most valuable possessions. The country rebelled in the 1560's and declared its independence in 1581. Phillip's invasion fleet set sail in 1588 under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia.

Excerpt adapted from the "Spanish Armada" and "Philip II" articles, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999