Spanish victory in Anglo-Spanish War?

Orsino

Banned
Would it be possible for Spain to win a decisive victory over England in the period 1585–1604? What does a victory for Spain look like in this conflict? Could the Armada have prevailed? Is an occupation of Elizabethan England possible?

And what are the long term consequences of a decisive Spanish victory? Would the British Empire be butterflied? Could Spain be a superpower into the 19th or even 20th century?
 
They probably would have a similar policy than they had in France, during the Wars of Religion.
As Mary and its restauration disappeared as a strategic objective, it was replaced by the necessity to cut off England and Netherlands, isolating the latter as much as possible.

At the very least, tough, a successful Armada would be a huge prestige victory (that may not be fit, that said, to crush Dutch revolt). Meaning an improvement of Spanish politics on the continent (especially in France and Netherlands) that eventually mattered more than England specifically.

As for England proper...
It depends if the Spanish command is politically sound and realistic, or complete idiots.

If the former, they'll put in charge a generic Catholic pretender, or even keep Elizabeth if she'd renounce to the Church of England and agrees to destroy or renounce most of English naval capabilities, giving brething space to Spain in the region.
Remember that Philipp II wasn't that aggressive on Anglicanism or Elizabeth II, preferring relatively more normalized relations, as long it was at Spanish benefit as in : no anti-Spanish Atlantic alliance.

You may end with a pro-Spanish faction in England (among high aristocracy and landed middle-class, maybe?), supported financially and/or militarily, sort of English Ligue.

Obviously, it would be short-lived (would it be only trough the lack of popular support), but would give some breathing space for Spanish policies on the mainland.

Now, if they act as complete idiots, they'd have pulled a Netherlands.
It would be costly and doomed to fail : they could defeat english forces relatively easily but without reinforcement, with the very likely guerilla, France turning all Bourbon...

Spain would be really isolated there, engulfed into another costly conflict that will probably provoke an earlier bankrupt with all that it implies.
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I recall there's an actual novel written on this scenario, with Shakespeare as a dissident in occupied London secretly writing in anti-Spanish propaganda into a Spanish-commissioned propaganda play. The end result was a successful revolt that broke Spanish control over England.

Can't recall the title, though.

EDIT: Ah, found it. Ruled Britannia by Turtledove.
 
-Phillip II marries Elizabeth Tudor or, more likely, Mary Queen of Scots, by force
-Habsburg England, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, etc. If they adopt a son who survives (maybe Phillip has a child by a Tudor mistress and Elizabeth is credited?)
-English insurgency, perhaps with Scottish and Welsh help
-Pax Hispanic might start, depending on who takes throne after Phillip II. A fair ruler might be able to bridge the gaps and, with the Valois dying out, even start recreating a Western Roman Empire by bringing France into the fold. Reunite with the eastern Habsburg lands a generation or two later for a nearly complete Late Roman (European) Empire.
 
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