Is there a big difference between the two?

I ask for what if King Philip the second of Spain did manage to conquer England (Queen Elizabeth) and had everyone in England later convert to Catholiscm.

Let us say King Philip didn't experience bad storms and manage to land his troops onto English soil. England was outnumbered on troops and the likelyhood would have been for Spain to win.

The reason Spain wanted to attack is that Queen Elizabeth wanted Protestant religion for her people and not Catholiscm. Correct?

So if Spain did conquer and then colonized later to the New World. Would we be speaking Spanish now? Would the first settlers be of Catholic faith instead?

Would there have been a significant difference at all?

Faith in Christ

The difference is the faith of christ??

It is interesting to think of the possibility had Spain conquered England. England was still divided between Anglicans and Catholics at the start of Elizabeth's reign. It's like what we see in Northern Ireland today, the split between the two religious factions there. Ireleand's split goes deeper than religious differences just like Spain taking on England. The "native" Irish Catholics deem the Protestants there more as transplants from England forcing the are under English rule.

Elizabeth, the daughter of Anne Bolyne, followed her father's (Henry VII) break with the Roman Catholic church. When she succeeded her half sister, Mary, who was Catholic, she shifted England back maintaining the break. This put her at odds with France, Spain and of course, the Vatican.

Spain certainly was interested in overthrowing Elizabeth, but religious differences were not foremost in their minds. They wanted control of England. Spain unsuccessfully attempted to gain control by trying to get Elizabeth to marry their prince. Elizabeth didn't go for it, so they resorted to religious differences as their wedge to gain control. War between Spain and England became inevitable, all that was needed was an excuse.

It is interesting to think of what the world might be like had Spain won. I suspect we would have backed Argentina against England in the Falkland's war instead of the other way around!

Finally someone replies to this post!


It is indeed interesting of what could have happened if Spain did conquer England at the time.

There are some differances on how they beleive yes

1. There are some differences in doctrine, it depends on the individual how important those differences are.

3. Queen Elizabeth I was one of the strongest monarchs the country has had in that respect (not perfect, no-one is). England has been outnumbered many times, they endured and prevailed.

4. I do not believe so. Religion is just an
excuse used by some. It is more likely to be about, land, resources and power.

Interesting thought, but we will never know for sure.

Thank you for the replies.

If you have a chance watch The Golden Age movie. It shows how possessed King Philip was with Catholiscm and really wanted to convert England to his belief system. He would consistently look at the flame of a candle and ask questions or receive answers. Then when the war was lost his candle went out. Of course this is just for movie sake, but interesting that he was determined to rule England with his Armada. Afterall Spain was at the time the world power. I am sure if the storms wouldn't have hurted his ships and allowed him to lands his troops he would have perhaps won against Queen Elizabeth.

as you say we will never know.

We were a major threat to the rule of the Spaniards in the Caribbean/South America
We had a very strong navy and we were just discovering new places ourselves.

The threat was very real to the Spaniards.

Religion was not the motivating factor, it was to destroy a threat to the Spanish naval superiority.

They also got pis5ed off at the Dutch too, as they were discovering trade and expanding their borders, but the Spaniards were defeated by the weather and then the Irish topography as they tried to escape and finally Rule Britannia!

so in otherwords their empire was getting challenged and it had nothing to do with religion at all or at least wasn't the main point of why Spain wanted to conquer England with its navy at the time.

I think that is a pretty fair summation
from what history reveals to us.

Well, thats what BRITISH history tells us.

I would be interested in seeing the Spanish side of the story.

I think in that time, it was all about expansion.
Europeans were getting pretty equal in terms of navies and armies, so they started looking for trading opportunities.

Dont forget also that the Portuguese were pretty dominant too.

What with Magellan and his strait, and the Jesuits in Asia, the whole of the Catholic religious south was expanding at a phenomenal rate.

It always has been the same with us Euros - who can make the most money ....

so true what you say and highly interesting! Thanks as usual for sharing your insight!