Anglo-Spanish treaty signed 1605
These decorated pages come from the ratification of the Treaty of London by Philip III of Spain on 15 June 1605. The first image features the coat of arms of the Spanish monarchy. The second image shows Philip in all his majesty.
The Treaty of London brought an end to almost two decades of war between Spain and England.
The trouble had begun in 1533 when Henry VIII led England to break away from the Catholic Church. From that date, England had been threatened many times by Catholic countries keen to restore the authority of the Pope. Spain was one of those countries. Several times Spain attempted to invade England, most famously launching an Armada in 1588.
However, by the time that James became king of England in 1603, the situation had changed. Twenty years of war had cost too much and both countries wanted to make peace. It helped that, although James was a Protestant, he seemed easy-going towards Catholics.
This treaty ended the fighting, but didn't settle the status of Catholics in England. Philip III let the issue drop after James told him that persecution of Catholics would stop. His trust in James was misplaced. The discovery of Catholic plots to remove the King and Parliament, especially the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, led to the passing of even more severe anti-Catholic laws in England.
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