Elizabeth the Golden Age Review

Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Stuart was found guilty of treason so by law, she was to be executed. Queen Elizabeth I reluctantly order Mary Stuart 's execution. Mary Stuart's execution gave Philip King of Spain a just cause to invade and declare war on England. Without a death of a Catholic queen, Philip wouldn't find a just cause so he planned it all with the help of Jesuit. Now he has a cause and a God driven army to invade England.

As Queen Elizabeth I was feeling despair because she ordered Mary Stuart 's execution and now England was facing a formidable enemy, she confided in Sir Walter Raleigh.

Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada was at sea with an army of 10,000 men and Philip 's friend, the Duke of Parma, has 15,000 men on the French coast. The Spanish army planned to cross the England Channel in barges and sail into the Thames. At Tilbury, the English had 3,000 men to defend themselves with.

To prepare for the war, the Queen ordered all laborers to fight in the war instead. All prisoners were released. Sir Walter Raleigh was also released and the Queen gave words that he was forgiven. Sir Walter Raleigh then took his post leading in the fight with the Spanish.

At first the Spanish ships outgunned the English. The English army wanted to fall back and defend the coast. The Spanish army continued to gain territory over the English. Many ships were lost without much damage to the Spanish ships. England figured out that they had to make the Spanish ship break formation. The Spanish fought to not break formation. However, the English sea was too much for Spanish ships. The English had the wind in their favor. The English worked smarter and forced the Spanish to break formation. Once that was accomplished, it was easy to defeat the Spanish with the wind in their favor.

The Spanish was defeated. Queen Elizabeth I remained Queen instead of being captured prisoner by the Spanish or killed. Against all odds, Philip King of Spain was defeated. He couldn't believe it because he truly believed it was God's will that he attacked England. Now his ships were destroyed and his armies perished. The loss of the Spanish Armada was the most humiliating defeat in Spain's naval history. Philip died ten years later leaving Spain bankrupt. England entered a time of peace and prosperity, called the Golden Age. Elizabeth died in 1603.