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The Battle That Made Francis Drake Spain’s Worst Nightmare
Drake contributed more than anyone to the war in which England famously defeated the Armada in 1588. But mere patriotism and fear of Catholicism didn't drive him to harass the Spanish. For Drake, it was personal. One battle drove him mad with vengeance and convinced him he could no longer trust or trade with the Spanish.
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Reformation without the People: How the English Became Protestant
The Protestant Reformation did not come to England because of a religious revival or a sudden change of heart by the English people. King Henry VIII created the Church of England for personal reasons, and he never truly became Protestant in belief and practice. The schism with Rome did, however, allow for the political and ecclesiastic infiltration of Protestants that set in motion a thorough reformation under Edward VI and Elizabeth I.
