IOTL Queen Elizabeth I of England held a policy of pretending to 'help' the Dutch while secretly making peace negotiations with the Spaniards at the exact same time, due to this she refused to become the sovereign of the Netherlands and even forced the Earl of Leicester to step down as Governor-General of the Netherlands as it would make her de facto sovereign of the United Provinces.
However what if Elizabeth didn't hold this view? And she in fact believed that a decisive victory against the Spanish in the Netherlands was necessary in order to win the Anglo-Spanish War, thus believing that becoming the Queen of the Netherlands was a necessary move.
What would we see happen? Both politically in England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France and Spain but also militarily. If we saw England actually concentrate land forces in the Netherlands while causing havoc in places such as Cadiz for the Spanish Treasure Fleet could we see the Spanish Netherlands falling to the Anglo-Dutch Union as well?
Will this Anglo-Dutch union survive? Both are Protestant and while there is a language barrier and a stretch of water in the way it was a peaceful union and, due to threats from both Spain and primarily France could we see this union be strengthened?
Also how would this English focus in the Netherlands have repercussions in Ireland which IOTL kicked off in about a decade or-so. Would it kick off earlier? When/if it does start will we see England shift its focus? Or will the English stay in the Netherlands and cut a deal with O'Neill?
However what if Elizabeth didn't hold this view? And she in fact believed that a decisive victory against the Spanish in the Netherlands was necessary in order to win the Anglo-Spanish War, thus believing that becoming the Queen of the Netherlands was a necessary move.
What would we see happen? Both politically in England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France and Spain but also militarily. If we saw England actually concentrate land forces in the Netherlands while causing havoc in places such as Cadiz for the Spanish Treasure Fleet could we see the Spanish Netherlands falling to the Anglo-Dutch Union as well?
Will this Anglo-Dutch union survive? Both are Protestant and while there is a language barrier and a stretch of water in the way it was a peaceful union and, due to threats from both Spain and primarily France could we see this union be strengthened?
Also how would this English focus in the Netherlands have repercussions in Ireland which IOTL kicked off in about a decade or-so. Would it kick off earlier? When/if it does start will we see England shift its focus? Or will the English stay in the Netherlands and cut a deal with O'Neill?