The hatred for Catholics wasn’t just a Drake thing, it was a Protestant thing. Even in the United States where Protestanism has always been greater than Catholicism, historically there has been an anti-Catholicism slight. John F Kennedy was the first Catholic president, elected in the 1960’s in a country that has existed since 1776. That was important because for being a Catholic he wouldn’t win any presidential elections before then.
English titles of any kind weren’t recognized in the Spanish Empire, especially those granted by its queen.
Of the English, but not of all. Many Spanish had done that before him and before humanity. The first Dominican to sail around the world hasn’t happen yet.
The Spanish Armada was sunk by a storm on its way to invade London. It should be noted that the king of Spain basically decided to invade England after he got news precisely of what Drake had done in Santo Domingo. An actual defeat with abort the invasion attempt, yet it didn’t.
