1.The decision to send the Armada was the culmination of plans laid at least as early as the previous year: "In the fall of 1587, . . . Parma had been instructed by Philip that the invasion of England was to go forward without fail, and no peace was to be made on any terms" (192). The negotiations between England and Spain were slowed by Spain while Spain still gave the impression of wanting peace, with the intention of getting England to lower its guard while Spain prepared the Armada and the invasion. The ploy apparently failed (193) and Philip, abandoning his long-time caution (203), began to urgently press for the sailing of the Armada and the invasion. Mattingly seems to suggest that Philip was suddenly in the grip of the belief that God wanted him to invade England, another departure from what had been a modest attachment to religion and power: "He fretted and fumed . . . as if he . . . would be held accountable for the delay by the only Superior he recognized." Now he pushed for the attack on England "as confidently, as unswervingly, as blindly as any saint or world conqueror in history" (203). Part of his decision was based on the death of his wife and Mendoza's use of it to spur Philip on to attack. Also, Philip saw himself as a major world leader, perhaps the world leader, or at least European leader, increasing convinced that God wanted him to send the Armada, and at the same time the strategic and tactical circumstances produced a now or never situation. As it turned out, it would have been better for the Armada had Philip not sent them, or had waited until the military conditions were more favorable for the Spanish.
2. More than any other consideration of Philip's and Spain, victory over the English was seen by them as a fulfillment of God's uniting of the two nations under the banner of the Catholic Spanish Empire according to what they saw as the will of God. Philip hoped to gain the land, power, and prestige of vict...