Spain had recognized the loss of more…

Spain had recognized the loss of more than half of her holdings in the Low Countries to the Protestant Dutch Republic at around the same time as the Morisco Revolt.

The ruling class already thought of Spain as the defender of Catholic Christendom, and this defeat had helped lead to a radicalization of thinking and a desire to strike a blow to regain Spain's honor.

Some critiques of Spain from Protestant countries include insults of the Spanish as corrupted by the Muslims and pseudo-Muslims among them, which some of the nobility may take personally.

The situation further deteriorates in the early 1600s: a recession strikes in 1604 as the amount of gold and treasure in Spain's American holdings falls.

The reduction in the standard of living leads to increased tension between the Christians and the Moriscos for precious jobs.