The surprising fact about the 17th century Spain is not so much its Essay

The surprising fact about the 17th century Spain is not so much its decline as a great power but its survival for so long.' Do y - Essay Example Spain was able to survive. The Spanish government’s decline as a great power is not as important as the how long Spain continues to survive until the end of the 17th century. Henry Arthur (1980) emphasized the English general Oliver Cromwell’s death in 1658 had inflicted a huge loss on the English Army as well as the strength of the French army. Cromwell had joined forces with the French to prevent the Stuarts from regaining the throne in England. The French were interested in the alliance because they did not want the Stuarts to return the English throne. History shows that the Stuarts did return to the English Throne in 1658 after the political turmoil that erupted in England in the same year. When King Charles II ascended the English throne, England stopped its attacks on Spain. Initially, the English commander, Cromwell, sought Catholic France’s alliance in order to defeat Catholic Spain because Cromwell believes God prefers that the Protestant religion shoul d flourish in Europe. Cromwell initially attacked the Spanish trade and treasure routes. Cromwell tried to attack the Spanish forced on Hispaniola. However, the Cromwell attacked failed because the Spanish defensive forces in Hispaniola were too strong compared to the incoming English army. Defeated, Cromwell’s forces fled and reached the shores of Jamaica in May 1655. Overall, the English Admiral Robert Blake attacks did not completely win the war against Spain. The English – French alliance was entitled the Treaty of Paris was signed in March 1657. The treaty emphasised France will join England in attacking Spain in the battle of Flanders. The treaty specified that English will send an estimated 4,900 soldiers and France will send 19,900 soldiers to fight the Spanish soldiers. The war reached the Gravelines, Mardyck and Dunkirk localities where Spain had more gains compared to the English side. Further, during Spain’s war against England, England suffered huge losses. The Spanish counter attack had eradicated the English shipping trade. In the same light, Spain also suffered huge losses when Admiral Blake blockaded Cadiz. The blockade caused a stoppage of the Spanish economy which generated most of its cash inflows from imported silver and gold coming from the Americas. Spain’s King Philip IV was extremely worried with the English Attacks in Italy, Flanders, and Portugal. Furthermore, William Guthrie (2003) reiterated the 30 years French – Spanish war precipitated from the Habsburg rivalry. France attacked Spain at Les Avins in 1635. In response, the Spanish forces used its Southern Netherlands forces to implement speedy counter attacks on French defensive positions. The counterattacks had literally maimed the French economy. In 1643, the French army crushed the previously invincible Spanish army in Rocroi, Northern France. During this time, the Catalonia revolts and the Portuguese revolts had undermined the strength of the Spanish army. During this war, the Spanish forces were trapped between the French forces on one side and the Dutch forces on the other side. As expected, the Spanish forces were trounced by the advancing French forces at the battle of Lens. However, could not overrun the losing Spanish forces strategically entrenched in Flanders. The In the Peace of Westphalia, France was given the Alsace territory. Likewise, Spain