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Queen of the Sea (Phonics Museum, Vol 23)
Queen of the Sea - Phonics Museum, Vol 23 Author:Douglas Jones Phillip II was King of Spain from 1556 to 1598, and ruled over a great empire. One of the richest parts of his empire was the Spanish Netherlands, where Calvinism was making inroads. In that region, many nobles resented Philip's heavy-handed policies and his strong opposition to Calvinism. Philip's taxes also alienated the merchant class... more »es. By 1566, Philip faced a revolt.
England's shrewd Queen Elizabeth I had sought to weaken the power of France and Philip's Spain. To do this, for a time she secretly supported French and Dutch Calvinists who were resisting Roman Catholic rule in their respective countries. By 1585, Elizabeth settled upon a policy of active and open military intervention in the Netherlands, which directly challenged Philip's interests. Philip responded by ordering preparations for an armada to invade England. The armada which set out in 1588 was ill-prepared to meet England's faster, sturdier ships which were equipped with superior firepower.« less