The Ottoman-Spanish truce freed both empires to pursue other enemies

Evidence

The abstractions of the high style of the Ottoman chancery muffle the impact of a really astonishing alliance. It was not an alliance that was destined to last, but what alliances ever do? At this moment in Mediterranean history, suddenly all bets were off. The Ottomans had acquired the time to organize themselves better against the dangerous Safavids. Philip had time and space to digest the prize of Portugal that he had just swallowed. He might also have proceeded against his fractious Morisco subjects. He chose instead to confront not only Protestant dissidence in the Low Countries but to plan action against Elizabeth of England. — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 1585

Categorization

• SEED: The counterfactual — Philip could have crushed the Moriscos but chose the Armada instead — is a rich angle for an essay on how great powers misallocate power against distant threats while ignoring domestic ones.