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===Background===
In the sixteenth century, Europe was divided into two mutually hostile religious groups. The North of Europe was dominated by Protestantism and the south was mainly Catholic. England had become a Protestant realm by the mid-sixteenth century, but this was opposed by many Catholics. Contrary to popular belief, Catholicism had been popular in England before the Reformation and many people still sympathized with what they called the ‘old religion.’<ref> Duffy, E. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300108281/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300108281&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b06f0eb9358da3a5da4c6146421bcff6 Stripping of the Altars]</i> (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2000), p. 113</ref> Queen Elizabeth, I initially pursued a moderate religious policy to minimize religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant. However, Elizabeth soon found herself under pressure from the great Catholic power of the time, Spain. It was the dominant Catholic power in Europe because of its vast territories in Europe and the Americas.
The Spanish King Phillip II was an ardent Catholic and he had two ambitions, the first was to return the Protestants to the Catholic faith and to expand the power of Spain. The Spanish King had been married to Mary I of England and it seemed that for a time that England would become part of the Spanish dominions. However, the coronation of Elizabeth I had changed all of this and she was determined on a policy of independence from Spain. Spain wanted to force the English back into the Catholic fold and to end the attacks of English pirates on their shipping and colonies in the Americas.
Elizabeth, I had encouraged English privateers, such as Sir Francis Drake to mount attacks on Spanish targets. Elizabeth sought to limit the power of Spain and to secure some of the riches ‘of the America colonies for her subjects.’<ref> Holmes, Richard. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198662092/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198662092&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=94311aba3c2131eec83402c57e9f3338 The Oxford Companion to Military History]</i> (Oxford, Oxford University Press. 2001), p. 214</ref> The English Queen also supported the Dutch in their revolt against Phillip II. Relations between Spain and England began to deteriorate and by the mid-1580s the two countries were in an undeclared war, that was to last the rest of Elizabeth’s reign. Spain was the richest and the most powerful Empire in Europe and Phillip decided that he would invade England, believing that if he was successful it would help him to secure many of his strategic objectives in Europe. The Spanish presented the Armada as a Catholic crusade and it was partially funded by the Papacy.
===The Spanish Armada===
