Did Philip II of Spain attack England solely because of religion?
A. No, it went beyond that. Philip was certainly a Catholic zealot. He supported the Inquisition, and backed the Pope in encouraging English Catholics to kill or overthrow Elizabeth. But Philip would probably never have attacked England had not Elizabeth offered some provocation, which the film downplays. Elizabeth coveted Spain’s New World riches, and encouraged privateers like Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh to attack Spanish ships and settlements and plunder their treasures. She also authorized aid to the rebels in the Netherlands, who were struggling to overthrow Spanish rule. To Spain, such provocations warranted an attack. Q. Did Elizabeth really yearn for the dashing Walter Raleigh? A. Elizabeth liked men. Throughout her reign she attracted a constant stream of them jockeying to become her latest favorite. Raleigh came to her court as a young man in his twenties, and as the film shows, Elizabeth was immediately taken with his looks, charm, and wit. But the movie misrepresents R
