The English defeat of the Spanish Armada was a major naval conflict during the Anglo-Spanish War. Spain was angered by Elizabeth's support for Dutch Protestant rebels and by raids on Spanish ships carrying precious silver. Both sides compromised with allies in the power struggle. This led to a huge battle between the dissenting countries. The defeat weakened Spain's international power and established the English navy as a powerful force. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In August 1580, tension between Spain and England began to increase. England was provoking Spain by financing revolts by Dutch Protestant rebels under Spanish Catholic rule. Elizabeth also encouraged her “sea dogs” to raid Spanish ships carrying silver. The countries had conflicting religions and often contradicted each other. Phillip's main goal was to restore the Catholic faith in England. After the death of Mary Stuart, the "Enterprise against England" was made official. Some considered the Queen of Scots to be a more legitimate ruler than Elizabeth; he strongly supported the Catholic faith and was a rallying point for many Catholics who wanted to dethrone Elizabeth and restore Catholicism as the main religion in England. After Mary's prompt execution, many Catholics were outraged, especially King Philip II. All the conflicts have accumulated to deepen the tension between the divergent countries. In January 1586 the King of Spain had had enough of the torment and Philip organized a plan to invade England. After many delays, the Spanish Armada finally set sail under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, succeeding the original choice of the Marquis of Santa Cruz. The Marquess had died in Lisbon and the new commander had little naval experience, which would later play an important role in the success of the English navy. The English emerged victorious thanks to a very significant battle, the Battle of Gravelines. The English navy carried out a fireship attack which prevented the Spanish from meeting with the Duke of Parma. The larger and slower Spanish galleons were unable to regroup and scattered. The Spanish were forced to make a long and harrowing journey around Scotland to return to their homeland. A final treaty was signed in London in August 1604. The defeat diminished Spain's international power. Due to the severe loss, Spain suffered a strong economic impact and its international influence was weakened. The cost of assembling the Armada had been high and the loss had substantially depleted the coffers. Even as the Spanish suffered a tremendous loss, the resources of the New World began to dwindle. The failed Armada had cost Spain 10 million ducats, much more than the expected cost of 3.5 million. Furthermore, Philip II spent money incessantly. The Spanish king spent around 12 million ducats a year. Due to the failure of the Armada and the continued expenditure, Philip had to create a new tax, the millones. It is estimated that the 1596 tax would have raised eight million ducats over the course of six years. The millones was very harmful to the lower classes and significantly increased the cost of living. The Spanish crown was declared bankrupt again in November 1596. The bankruptcy ended Philip's overseas exploration. Spain's loss of ports and territory, attributable to the war in the Netherlands, also contributed to the decline of the economy, losing even more money and valuable land. This shows.