English political intrigue during the Dutch Revolt facts for kids
England's involvement in the Dutch Revolt (1585–1648) was a big deal for Queen Elizabeth I and her country. This conflict saw the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands fighting for its freedom from Habsburg Spain, led by King Philip II. England's support helped the Dutch gain independence and also made England take a more active role in international politics.
England was worried about Spain becoming too powerful in the Netherlands, which was very close to England. There were fears that Spain might even use the Netherlands as a base to invade England. Also, French involvement in the area, especially by the Duke of Anjou, was another concern for Elizabeth's government.
Important leaders like Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and Francis Walsingham, along with Queen Elizabeth herself, openly talked about the situation. They all believed that what happened in the Netherlands was important for England's own safety and independence. However, the Earl of Leicester and the Queen disagreed on the best way to help. Should England get directly involved with soldiers, or just offer money and a safe place for Dutch rebels?
Contents
Why England Cared About the Netherlands
Worries About Spain
The biggest worry for England came from Spain. Elizabeth's advisors, known as the Privy Council, feared that Spain might use the Netherlands to launch an invasion of England. Their goal would be to remove Elizabeth from the throne and bring back the Catholic Church.
After Pope Pius V officially removed Elizabeth from the Church in 1570 (an act called the Regnans in Excelsis), some English Catholics felt torn. They had to choose between loyalty to their country and loyalty to their church. This made it hard for Elizabeth's government to predict what King Philip II would do next.
Some English Catholics who had left England because of Elizabeth's rule hoped that Philip would help bring Catholicism back. They especially hoped this after Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, was seen as no longer having a claim to the English throne.
Spanish Governors in the Netherlands
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, the 3rd Duke of Alba, was a Spanish governor who became a symbol of harsh rule for the Protestant Dutch. His actions, like the executions of Lamoral, Count of Egmont and Philip de Montmorency, Count of Horn, made him very unpopular.
Don John of Austria, who was Philip II's half-brother, was also appointed governor. He was known for wanting his own kingdom. Some English Catholics even thought Don John would be a good husband for Mary, Queen of Scots, which could give him a claim to the English throne. This idea worried Elizabeth's Privy Council a lot.
The Croÿ Family
In the Netherlands, the Croÿ family was a powerful Catholic family. They were rivals to the Protestant House of Orange. Led by brothers Charles Philippe de Croÿ, Marquis d’Havré and Philippe III de Croÿ, the Croÿ family supported Spain's involvement in the Netherlands. They wanted to stop French influence. They preferred Archduke Matthias of Austria, a relative of Philip's, to be the Dutch governor. He became Governor-General of Brussels in January 1578. However, William the Silent, the leader of the House of Orange, became his second-in-command. This was an attempt to find a solution that both Catholics and Protestants could accept.
The Croÿ family had a specific view on English help. They, along with other Catholic noble families, accepted English money. But they did not want English soldiers, especially those led by the Earl of Leicester, who was friends with the House of Orange. In late 1577, they managed to get the Dutch Council of State to block English troops. But they still held onto Elizabeth's promise of £100,000 for the conflict. Later, the Council changed its mind, and English soldiers were allowed to help starting November 19, 1577.
William the Silent's Assassination
In 1584, William the Silent, the Prince of Orange, was assassinated by a Catholic who supported Philip II. Philip had ordered William's death. This event, instead of stopping the Dutch resistance, made Protestants even more determined against Spain. Queen Elizabeth responded by increasing her support for the Dutch revolt.
Concerns About French Influence
Even though France wasn't as big a threat to England as Spain was, Elizabeth's government still worried about France using the Netherlands against England's interests. France itself was dealing with its own religious conflicts between the Catholic Crown and the Protestant Huguenots.
The Duke of Anjou
England's interest in the Duke of Anjou started in April 1578. Dutch representatives were talking with the Duke. The Dutch wanted him to invade other Spanish-held areas, like Burgundy, that were not part of the revolt. These talks didn't lead to anything, but they made Queen Elizabeth react.
When Elizabeth learned about these dealings, she ordered her diplomat, William Davison, to speak with the Dutch. She changed the terms of England's financial help. England was giving money to Prince Casimir of the Palatinate to hire soldiers for the Dutch. Now, Elizabeth said that if the Dutch wanted a second payment of £20,000, they could no longer deal with the Duke of Anjou.
By late May, the Duke tried to make a deal with the Dutch. He offered 10,000 foot soldiers and 2,000 horsemen under his command for two months. This made Elizabeth furious. She ordered Davison to stop all English money to the Dutch and told Casimir to wait. She said English officials Walsingham and Cobham would arrive to sort things out.
However, in the spring of 1578, Protestant uprisings happened in the southern Netherlands, which was controlled by Spain. Protestants took over churches, removed religious items, and demanded the right to practice their faith openly. These protests made Elizabeth worry that Dutch disunity would benefit Spain. So, she quickly changed her mind about the Duke of Anjou. She allowed secret agents to talk directly with him and gave the Dutch freedom to deal with him.
Important Leaders and Their Views
Queen Elizabeth I
Over time, Queen Elizabeth slowly changed her approach to helping the Netherlands. She became willing to give more and different kinds of help. Her Privy Council's worries about Philip II invading England grew stronger after William, the Prince of Orange, was assassinated in 1584. This event made Elizabeth believe that Philip was ready to attack.
At first, the Queen wanted to help the Netherlands indirectly. She hoped to create a formal alliance among Protestant princes in the Holy Roman Empire. This would build a strong Protestant group ready to act when needed. She approached several German princes for this alliance.
Frederick II of Denmark, who was also the Duke of Holstein, was seen by Elizabeth as a key ally. He first refused a direct alliance with England in September 1577. But throughout the late 1570s and 1580s, Frederick started to agree with Elizabeth's idea of Protestant cooperation. He offered to mediate between England and Spain in the Dutch conflict. If Philip II didn't accept his help, Frederick said he would close the Sound (a sea passage) to Spanish ships. He also offered direct military support to Protestant opponents, including Elizabeth.
Duke Casimir of the Palatinate was one of Elizabeth's closest allies from the start. In early 1578, after the Protestant Dutch army lost the Battle of Gembloux, Elizabeth didn't want to use English forces. She worried this might provoke France. So, she gave Duke Casimir money to hire 6,000 Swiss and 5,000 German horsemen to help the Dutch. Casimir, who already supported the Protestant cause, took the opportunity. Elizabeth paid him £20,000 immediately and another £20,000 later, as part of a £100,000 loan. This payment was later stopped when the Dutch dealt with the Duke of Anjou, but it was restarted when Elizabeth changed her mind about Anjou's involvement.
The Protestant states of the Netherlands, led by William, also officially agreed to the alliance Elizabeth was trying to build with other German states. William, through his diplomat Daniel Rogers, suggested a direct military alliance with Elizabeth against Spain. This would prepare for war and act against Philip II's "Catholic re-conquest." Elizabeth rejected this offer. Instead, she made a counter-proposal to unite the Netherlands with other Protestant states in Europe. Other German states that could be allies included Brunswick, Hesse, Württemberg, and Saxony.
Direct involvement became a new policy for Elizabeth with the Leicester Expedition. This allowed English troops, directly under an English leader, to be present in the Netherlands.
In November 1585, Elizabeth wrote a letter to the Dutch States-General. She nominated Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, to lead the expedition. She also declared her support for the Netherlands. However, later in the campaign, she disagreed with the Earl's goals. He wanted to set up a completely new Dutch government independent of Spain, which the Queen did not want.
Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester
His History with the Netherlands
Before the Leicester Expedition, Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, already had connections in the Netherlands. He supported the Protestant cause led by the House of Orange. This close relationship between the Earl and the House of Orange made others, like the Croÿ family, wary of him. When the Croÿ family successfully blocked direct English aid in the States-General in late 1577, the Earl was offended. He had a disagreement with William of Orange, seeing it as an insult, until William Davison helped calm things down. The Earl and the Queen would also have disagreements during the Leicester Expedition about his actions.
The Leicester Expedition
The idea for the Leicester Expedition came from the Privy Council. They advised Elizabeth to take a more active role in the Netherlands.
Elizabeth initially disagreed with this advice. She worried about setting a bad example by helping rebellions against a ruler, especially against Philip II, given her own risks with the Catholic world. By September 1585, it was decided that the Queen would nominate Robert Dudley. He was chosen because he was seen as very knowledgeable and close to the Queen. He was her "personal favorite" and didn't have an irreplaceable role at her Court.
Direct letters between Robert Dudley and the Court began in December 1585. Francis Walsingham wrote to Dudley, explaining the Queen's direct orders for the campaign. Dudley was to stabilize the government. He should not fight battles unless he had a "great advantage." He needed to maintain discipline among soldiers and punish those who didn't follow rules. Leaders had to ensure their forces were at full strength. Soldiers were to be paid "by the head," with money first going to captains. Leaders who abused their positions would be punished. Dudley was to use "well chosen persons" to collect money for the war effort. He also had to respect the authority of Dutch nobles, especially William of Orange's children. Finally, he had to make it clear that England would not take control of the Netherlands after the expedition. He was also to be available to advise Dutch nobility when needed.
However, the Earl wanted to bring back the kind of government that the Prince of Orange had led before his assassination. This angered the Queen. Dudley wrote to Walsingham and other important officials, admitting that the Queen did not like his support for a separate Dutch government. Even though he understood this and begged for forgiveness, he insisted that his actions were only to benefit the Queen and England. Elizabeth's anger with Dudley was clear in letters she sent him through Sir Thomas Heneadge on February 10, 1585–6. She demanded that he publicly give up his authority. She also told him to inform the Dutch States that his actions in accepting the government did not reflect her wishes as Queen.
