Queen Elizabeth I hated war and resisted intervention in the Low Countries. However, the impending fall of Antwerp, a vital English trading hub, posed an existential economic threat that finally forced the notoriously cautious monarch into open conflict with Spain, overriding her natural aversion to war.

After a devastating defeat by the Spanish, Sir Francis Drake felt personally humiliated. When the government offered no support, he launched a private war against Spain, driven by a quest for vengeance that ultimately redefined England's naval power and confidence.

Queen Elizabeth I verbally sanctioned Sir Francis Drake's mission against Spain but refused to provide written orders. This allowed the Crown to benefit from his raids while retaining the ability to disavow him as a mere pirate if it became politically inconvenient.

England used Drake's expeditions to strategically target Spain's financial infrastructure. By disrupting the flow of treasure from the Indies, he undermined King Philip II's credit with European bankers, causing the Bank of Seville to go bust and crippling Spain's ability to fund its wars.

Churchill viewed the war as a "glorious, delicious" adventure. This personal excitement and desire for a grand "wheeze" led him to champion the ill-conceived Gallipoli plan, overriding cautious advisors and ignoring clear risks, ultimately leading to a catastrophe.

Elizabeth I's knighting of Francis Drake was a masterclass in political theater. By having a French ambassador, not herself, conduct the ceremony, she publicly demonstrated an alignment with France, sending a clear diplomatic message to her primary rival, Spain, without a formal declaration.

Beyond greed or adventure, Drake's most salient characteristic was his fiery Protestantism. His intense anti-papist convictions provided the "mainspring of his tempestuous career," framing his attacks on Catholic Spain not merely as piracy for profit, but as a righteous crusade.

Despite his talents, Elizabeth saw Philip Sidney's connections and aggressive Protestantism as a threat to her authority. She consistently blocked his military ambitions and appointments, viewing him as "a little bit too much" and preferring to keep powerful figures on a short leash.

In the late 1890s, political leaders like Theodore Roosevelt feared that decades of relative peace were making American men weak and "effete." They actively sought a conflict, viewing the Spanish-American War as a necessary remedy to restore national vigor and martial virtues.