France was not alone in her desire to possess the riches of the Spanish Main. England and the Netherlands also wanted a piece of the New World, and their motivation to do so was fueled by their hatred of Spain. After the death of Mary I, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I came to power, and her conflicts with the Catholic King Philip of Spain eventually ended in warfare. But even in times of peace between the two countries, of peace between the two countries, Elizabeth was quietly backing piracy — under the guise of privateering.