In the summer of 1588, Spain built a huge fleet, called it the Invincible Armada, and sent it to the shores of England. The British let the armada go to the bottom, the Spanish hegemony in the world came to an end, and Britain began to be called the "mistress of the seas" ...
This is how this event is presented in historical literature. In fact, the defeat of the Invincible Armada is a historical myth.
16th century: England vs. Spain
The defeat of the Invincible Armada - a historical myth
Spain at that time, led by King Philip II, was a huge power, which included southern Italy, the Netherlands, parts of France, Portugal and vast territories in Africa, India, the Philippines, South and Central America. It was said that "in the possessions of the Spanish king, the sun never sets." The population of Spain was over eight million people. Her army was considered the best in the world, the fleet was invincible. From Peru and Mexico there were ships loaded with gold, and from India - caravans with spices. And so England decided to tear off a piece of this "pie".
In 1498, Columbus already regarded England as a maritime power and proposed to King Henry VII to organize a western expedition in search of India. The king refused, and soon he had to regret his decision. Following Columbus, the British sent their expedition to discover Newfoundland, but the furs and timber of North America did not inspire the British. Everyone wanted gold.
Robbery as a means of replenishing the treasury
Queen Elizabeth of Britain
Elizabeth I, who ascended the English throne in 1558, was left with an empty treasury and debts. And then she gave tacit permission to rob Spanish ships and settlements in the West Indies. Joint-stock companies were organized throughout England. The shareholders equipped the ship, hired a team of thugs, and the ship set off. And all this time, Elizabeth I was engaged in, speaking in modern slang, racketeering, answering all the letters of “beloved brother Philip”: “The guilty will be found and punished!” - but did not find anyone and did not punish.
In 1577, the queen decided to put the robbery of Spain on a state basis, equipping an expedition and sending it "to discover new lands." The expedition was led by Francis Drake, who had the fame of a highwayman. Drake visited Spanish ports in Peru and brought back booty worth 500,000 pounds, which was one and a half times the country's annual income. Philip II demanded the extradition of a pirate - and Elizabeth I knighted Drake.
Philip's income was falling, and Elizabeth's was growing. In 1582 alone, Spain was robbed of 1,900,000 ducats by English privateers!
In addition, Elizabeth I supported the uprising of the Netherlands against Spanish rule, sending there in 1585 a military contingent of 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry.
Philip perceived Britain's interference in his affairs as a rebellion of vassals: after a four-year marriage with Queen Mary I of England (Elizabeth's elder sister), Philip could formally claim the throne of Foggy Albion. The advisers whispered to the king that the oppressed Catholics in Protestant England would be happy to see a faithful minister of the Catholic Church on the throne.
At the head of the armada
The idea of organizing a military expedition to conquer England was proposed to Philip in 1583 by the military admiral, the Marquis of Santa Cruz. The monarch liked the idea, and he appointed the marquis responsible for preparing the operation.
All this time, the British interfered with the preparation of the expedition: they intercepted and sank ships with cargo, organized sabotage actions.
In 1587, Drake raided the port of Cadiz, where he plundered and burned the food warehouses for the fleet under construction. For five years, Santa Cruz worked to fulfill the will of the king. In February 1588, the marquis died, and the armada was left without a commander.
The king appointed in place of the deceased marquis the Duke of Medina Sidonia, his cousin, a man not at all military.
The duke begged the king to cancel the appointments, but he was unshakable. The battle fleet was led by a man on whose military "successes" Cervantes exercised his wit.
Casus belli
The official reason for sending the squadron was the news received by the Spaniards of the execution in England of the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart. In fairness, it must be said that Mary was not an innocent victim. She repeatedly found herself at the center of conspiracies to overthrow and kill Elizabeth I. In January 1587, another conspiracy was uncovered. Mary appeared before the court, letters incriminating her were presented, and Elizabeth "with tears in her eyes" signed the death warrant.
The execution of the "righteous Catholic" caused a storm of indignation in Spain. Philip decided it was time to take decisive action. They urgently remembered the Catholics who were oppressed in England and who needed to be saved. On May 29, 1588, the sailors and officers of the squadron were absolved of their sins, and to the sound of bells, the Invincible Armada left Lisbon.
It was really an armada: more than 130 ships, half of them fighting, 2430 guns, about 19,000 soldiers, almost 1,400 officers, sailors, priests, doctors - a total of 30,500 people. In addition, the Spaniards expected to reunite with the army of the Duke of Parma that fought in Flanders - another 30,000 people. The sailors were going to land in Essex and, relying on the support of local Catholics, move to London. The threat of invasion was more than real.
In England, having learned about the departure of the armada, they urgently began to form a militia and build new ships. By the summer, a fleet of 100 ships was ready. On July 29, the British saw the armada from the coast of Cornwall.
Naval battles
Mary Stuart goes to the scaffold. Her execution served as a formal reason for the invasion
On July 31, the Spaniards suffered their first losses near Plymouth: the Rosario collided with the Santa Catalina and was left without a mast, and a fire broke out on the San Salvador. Medina Sidonia ordered the damaged ships to be abandoned. On August 1, the British captured them and celebrated their first victory. The next four days were spent in skirmishes, during which neither side lost a single ship. On August 8, the two fleets met near Gravelines.
The battle was started by the British. Turning into battle formation, they opened artillery fire. The Spaniards responded sluggishly. Medina Sidonia had clear instructions from the king to avoid battle: the goal of the campaign was landing, not the destruction of the English fleet. The battle lasted over nine hours. The British sent two ships to the bottom, four damaged Spanish ships ran aground, were abandoned by the crews and subsequently captured by the British and Dutch. And although the British did not lose a single ship, the general opinion of the battle was expressed by one of the officers of the Royal Navy: "So much gunpowder wasted, and everything was wasted."
And then got up strong wind and began to drive the armada away from the shore. Since there was no news from the Duke of Parma, Medina Sidonia decided to retreat and move north, intending to go around Scotland. When the armada left, the army of the Duke of Parma came ashore. She was just a few days late.
The way home
"The Battle of the Invincible Armada with the English Fleet". Unknown British artist (16th century)
The return of the Spanish fleet was terrible. The ships needed repairs, there was not enough water and food, the sailors did not have maps of these areas. Off the northwestern coast of Ireland, the armada was caught in the worst two-week storm. This is where it was destroyed. 60 ships out of 130 and about 10,000 people returned to Spain. It was really a rout, only the British had nothing to do with it.
In 1588, the English honestly admitted: "The Lord saved England" - and did not ascribe too much to themselves. Recovering their breath and appreciating the gift, they began to urgently prepare a return visit and by 1589 equipped their armada of 150 ships. The end of the English armada was the same as that of the Spanish, only this time there were no God's participation. The Spaniards, having learned the lesson of an unsuccessful campaign, instead of huge clumsy ships began to build small maneuverable ships and equipped them with long-range artillery. The renewed Spanish fleet repulsed the British attack. And two years later, the Spaniards inflicted several serious defeats on the British. Indeed, Britain became the “mistress of the seas” only after 150 years.
Are historical myths necessary?
Every nation has its own historical myths. The French celebrate Bastille Day every year, although its storming is the same fairy tale as the storming of the Winter Palace by the Bolsheviks in 1917. The British equate the battle of El Alamein with the Battle of Stalingrad, although in terms of scale it is like equating an elephant to a rabbit. Appropriate examples are simply needed to educate citizenship and patriotism. If there are none, they are invented.
And the Spanish landing in England did take place! In 1595, 400 former participants in the tragic campaign landed in Cornwall. The local militia fled. The foreigners were met by 12 soldiers led by the commander, they entered the battle and all died. The Spaniards celebrated a Catholic mass on the battlefield and promised that next time a temple would be laid on this site.
In the summer of 1588, off the coast of France, the British defeated a powerful Spanish flotilla. What was it: a coincidence or a natural outcome of the confrontation between the two maritime powers?
Death of the Invincible Armada: What really happened?
Journal: July 2018
Category: Politics
Text: Taras Repin
background
In the 16th century, Spain was a real empire. During the reign of Philip II, it included Portugal, the Netherlands, part of France, southern Italy, as well as the territories of Africa, Asia, Central and South America. No wonder they said that "in the possessions of the Spanish king, the sun never sets." Spain possessed the strongest army and navy in the world and excelled everyone in power and wealth.
England had long encroached on Spanish colonial treasures, and there were reasons for this. Elizabeth I, who ascended the English throne in 1558, found only an empty treasury and a lot of debts. The only way to quickly solve the problem of the state deficit was the robbery of Spanish merchant ships and settlements in the West Indies. For decades, English privateers attacked the ships of Spain, causing serious damage to it. In the year 1582 alone, England deprived the Habsburg Empire of almost two million ducats. In addition, Elizabeth annoyed Philip II in Holland, she supported the uprising against Spanish rule there. For the Spanish king, this was tantamount to an attempt on the Holy Catholic Church. The drop that broke Philip's patience was the execution of the "righteous Catholic" Mary Stuart.
Those close to him advised the Spanish monarch to put an end to the atrocities of the English atheists. They were sure that if the Habsburgs entered London, they would certainly be supported by thousands of English Catholics who were oppressed in Protestant England. The military campaign was only a matter of time.
Armada
The idea of organizing a military expedition to the British Isles belonged to Admiral Santa Cruz. He also began to prepare the fleet. However, he soon died suddenly, without having time to finish what he started. His place was taken by the Duke of Perez de Guzman, a man not a military man, but very ambitious.
The preparation of the expedition was accelerated by the frequent sorties of the British. So, in 1587, the corsair Francis Drake attacked the city of Cadiz, destroying warehouses with provisions intended for the builders of the fleet, but this did not violate the plans of the Spaniards. By the summer of 1588, the Spanish fleet was ready to go to sea. 30,000 soldiers and 2,430 guns were placed on 130 ships. In addition, the Spaniards counted on the allied army of the Duke of Parma, consisting of another 30 thousand people.
They did not sit idly by in England: there, throughout the spring and part of the summer of 1588, they increased the strength of their flotilla. By July, it had increased from 34 to 100 ships. It must be said that in Foggy Albion they created excessive excitement around the planned invasion of the Spanish fleet, exaggerating the power of their future enemy. Actually, the name "Invincible Armada", which the British first saw on July 29 from the shores of Cornwall, was invented by the inhabitants of Britain themselves.
Battle
Before going on the offensive, de Guzman, in a letter to the king, expressed concern about the upcoming operation: according to him, the Spanish forces "were by no means superior to the enemy." In addition, failures began to haunt the Armada: a strong headwind, mass poisoning of the crews, a storm that damaged some of the ships. However, Philip was sure that in this way the Lord tested the strength of his faith. He forced the admiral to continue sailing.
But the main misfortunes awaited the Spaniards ahead. Instead of quickly attacking the enemy ships while they were at anchor, the Armada missed a blow from Francis Drake's flotilla, which captured two Spanish galleons on the move. De Guzman did not have time to regroup - the English ships repeated their attack maneuver, forcing the Spaniards to withdraw to the French coast.
On the night of August 8, 1588, an event occurred that largely predetermined the course of the confrontation: in the direction of the Armada ships anchored in the Strait of Dover, 8 burning English fireships loaded with brushwood, tar and straw rushed at full sail. The Spaniards began to break away in a panic and go to the side - to where Drake's galleons were already waiting for them. The decisive battle took place near Gravelines, a fortified port on the border of France and the Netherlands. The British did not lose a single ship, the Spaniards lost ten, five more were captured. Despite approximately equal forces, the Spaniards retreated under pressure from the British. Who knows, the Duke de Guzman would have decided on a second attempt to break through to the British shores, if not for the storm that battered the Invincible Armada for several days and completed the work begun by Drake.
Outcome
About half of the Armada's galleons and less than a third of the sailors returned to Spain. A large part of the Spanish casualties were not in combat - many died of starvation, dehydration and disease. The defeat, contrary to expectations, did not lead to the loss of Spain's power. A year later, the British decided to repeat their feat, only this time off the Spanish coast. They equipped the expedition with 150 ships, but they had to return back unsalted slurping.
Nevertheless, the victory at Gravelines shook the dominance of the Spanish fleet. It was here that the superiority of the British in naval art began to emerge: the heavy and clumsy Armada noticeably lost to the light and maneuverable British fleet. But it will be another century before England can call herself "mistress of the seas."
The decline of Spain can only be indirectly connected with the rise of Britain's power. Its main reasons were still internal political problems in the country. The Habsburgs who inherited the throne after Philip II did not differ in managerial talent or in the scale of their personality. Spain was forced to repeatedly declare itself bankrupt, primarily because of the oversupply of American gold, which caused hyperinflation in the economy.
The defeat of the Invincible Armada symbolizes not only the decline of the Habsburg Empire, but also the completion of the expansion of Catholicism. In Europe, the era of Protestantism was beginning, which brought fundamentally new cultural, economic, and socio-political relations to European society.
She did her best to make England a Protestant country. In contrast, Spain professed Catholicism. Disagreements on religious grounds did not contribute to the friendship of the two countries. In addition, English corsairs constantly robbed the Spanish galleons, carrying untold wealth from the New World. And finally, the Spanish fleet reigned supreme on the seas, limiting commercial activity English.
All these reasons provoked political tension between England and France. In 1585 it turned into an Anglo-Spanish war. The British started it, openly supporting the rebels in the Netherlands, who fought for liberation from Spanish rule. In response, the Spanish king Philip II assembled a huge fleet, called the "Invincible Armada". With his help, the Spaniards hoped to land their troops on English lands, establish Catholicism on them and forever destroy England as a political enemy.
The invincible armada was supposed to conquer England
The Spanish fleet consisted of 130 ships, divided into 6 squadrons. In addition, warships escorted ships with food supplies, for messenger service and maritime reconnaissance. Warships belonged to the galleon class. These were modern at that time sailboats with a displacement of more than 1000 tons. They had several decks, a high stern, and could accommodate up to 600 soldiers and 60-80 guns. One of the main drawbacks of the galleons was considered low maneuverability.
The cousin of the Spanish king, Alonso Perez de Guzman, commanded this sea power. This man did not understand anything in maritime affairs, but he had the title of Duke of Medina Sidonia and owned vast lands in southern Spain. In addition, this gentleman was distinguished by a striking weakness of character and indecision. He was appointed commander of the fleet after the death of Admiral Alvaro de Basan, Marquis de Santa Cruz. The duke himself resisted this appointment in every possible way, but the king insisted, and had to agree.
Campaign of the Invincible Armada against the British
The invincible armada left the port of Lisbon on May 28, 1588. She rushed to the north, not moving far from the Spanish coast. However, the Spaniards were only able to overcome a quarter of the way, as a severe storm began. He pretty much battered the ships, and they were forced to stop near the city of La Coruña in northwestern Spain. The sailors stayed there for almost 2 months, patching up ships battered by the storm.
Only on July 29, the fleet of the mistress of the seas was at the western tip of England. She was immediately noticed by British reconnaissance ships. And already on July 30, an English squadron left Plymouth to meet the enemy. I must say that the British fleet was slightly inferior in the number of ships. In addition, the English ships were smaller, which was not at all a minus, but a plus, since they had greater maneuverability compared to the Spanish galleons. The guns of the subjects of Elizabeth I, for the most part, had a high range, which can also be considered an advantage.
Spanish warship (galleon)
But the ships of Philip II had low maneuverability due to their large size, and the guns hit targets at close range, that is, their firing range was low. But any skilled commander could easily turn all these disadvantages into advantages. However, as already mentioned, the Spaniards were not commanded by a sailor, but by an absolutely land man. The English fleet was headed by such admirals as Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Martin Frobisher. Their whole life was connected with the sea and naval battles.
Lord Admiral (Commander) of the English Navy Ball Charles Howard. On July 31, on a personal pinnace (sailing and rowing vessel), he sailed to the Spanish ships. In accordance with maritime tradition, he had to challenge the enemy and declare war on him.
But it turned out a little embarrassment. The British confused the flagship. Instead of the San Martin, which was Alonso Perez de Guzman, pinas was near another ship and fired a cannon shot. Immediately after this, the admiral's standard was raised on the San Martin. Thus, the Spaniards made it clear which ship is the flagship. But the shot had already been fired, the challenge had been issued, war had been declared.
After that, and until August 8, when the Battle of Gravelines took place, there was a whole series of naval combat clashes that were fought in the English Channel. The Spaniards, taking into account the narrowness of the strait, arranged their ships in a crescent. At the edges were the most powerful warships with long-range guns, in the center the most maneuverable. Also, small sea transport was located near them, thereby securing it. All ships were required to keep order and provide mutual support to each other.
The British, attacking the "crescent", tried to break it, however, they did not succeed for a very long time. The invincible armada was moving east along the English Channel, successfully repulsing the attacks of the English squadron. At the same time, not a single ship was sunk by the British. There were only 2 damaged ships. They broke down, their crews left, and the subjects of Elizabeth I seized these ships.
What was the meaning of the movement of the Spanish fleet along the English Channel? According to the military plan, the Invincible Armada was to unite with the land army of Duke Alessandro Farnese (Duke of Parma). She was waiting for warships in Flanders. After the unification, the army was supposed to board the ships, and those to cross the English Channel and land the 30,000th army on the English coast. After that, it was planned to capture London, overthrow the Queen of England and, with the help of the Catholic English, seize power in England.
The plan was good for everyone, but the Spaniards did not take into account one thing - the forces of the English fleet. It was he who became the main obstacle in the successful completion of the military campaign. The British wore down the Spanish by shooting at their ships from a long distance. But the Invincible Armada managed to reach the French port of Calais by the end of the day on August 5. The commandant of this fortress was Giraud de Moleon. He was a devout Catholic and hated English Protestants.
Therefore, the commandant gave the warmest welcome to his fellow believers. But the harbor at the fortress did not have enough area to accommodate the entire Spanish fleet on it. Accordingly, most of the galleons anchored in the strait, but near the fortress walls of Calais, thus finding themselves under the protection of its guns.
Commander of the Invincible Armada Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia
The Spanish fleet has come a long way, overcame the weight of the English Channel, constantly repulsing the attacks of the British, and was very close to the army of the Duke of Parma. However, the remaining short path proved to be almost insurmountable for heavy galleons. The point was that from Calais to Dunkirk, where the land army was stationed, the seabed almost protruded above the water, that is, it was replete with numerous shoals.
The British prudently removed all buoys showing dangerous places, and the Spanish naval commanders found themselves in a hopeless situation. The invincible armada was stuck in the harbor of Calais, and a further plan of military action could only be developed by contacting the Duke of Parma.
The Spanish galleons swayed on the waves, waiting for the decision of the command, and the British decided to take advantage of this advantageous situation for them. On the night of August 7-8, 1588, the subjects of Elizabeth I loaded several wooden platforms with straw, brushwood, doused them with pitch, set them on fire and sent them towards the ships of Philip II.
At the sight of the blazing ships moving in their direction, the Spaniards panicked. They decided that they were filled with gunpowder and that they would start to explode. The captains gave the command to cut the anchor ropes in order to quickly take the ships to a safe distance. But after that, the order of battle of the Invincible Armada was broken. In an atmosphere of general panic, the ships began to collide with each other, receiving damage in the process. The situation was aggravated by the wind and current, which carried part of the galleons to the north.
English sailors failed to take advantage of this chaos. They were far away, besides, the ships did not have enough shells. The only thing they did was to attack one Spanish ship that was blocking the entrance to the bay of Calais. But much more important was the moral victory that the British experienced to the fullest.
Battle of Gravelines
The battle of Gravelines began on the morning of August 8, 1588. Fresh forces approached the British, and the subjects of Elizabeth I finally decided to give a decisive battle to the Spaniards. And the Spanish ships scattered over the nearest waters tried to line up in battle formation. They more or less succeeded to the east of Calais in the area of the Gravelines shoals.
The attack on the Invincible Armada was led by Francis Drake. His ships came within 100 meters and opened fire on the enemy. As a result of the shelling, 3 Spanish ships were seriously damaged and sank. But the return fire of the Spaniards was less effective. The poor quality of cast-iron cores affected here. As soon as they touched the skin of an enemy ship, they shattered into fragments.
Battle of Gravelines
The cannonade continued almost all day. During this time, in addition to the sunken ships, 4 more Spanish ships were blown to the east by the wind, and there they ran aground. Of the personnel, the Invincible Armada lost a total of about 1.5 thousand people killed and wounded. As for the British, all their ships remained intact, and the total loss of people did not exceed 100 people.
By the evening of August 8, the naval battle had ceased. The wind picked up, the sea began to storm, and the British ran out of ammunition. But it must be said that the British did not win the Battle of Gravelines. The only thing they did was beat up the Spaniards badly. But the fleet of the latter was still extremely strong and combat-ready.
End of the Invincible Armada
The next morning, August 9, the opponents decided to continue the battle. But the second day of the Battle of Gravelines did not work out. The Spanish ships lined up in battle formation in the form of a crescent, and the British, having received ammunition at night, prepared to attack them. But then nature intervened with its eternal inconstancy. A strong wind picked up and a storm began. The Spanish galleons were carried north, and the Duke of Medina Sidonia decided not to resist fate.
Being an indecisive man, he came to the conclusion that there was no possibility of establishing control over the English Channel and transporting ground troops to the English coast. Therefore, he decided to return home to Spain by the northern route around Scotland and Ireland. The duke did not dare to swim into the Pas de Calais again, as he was afraid of new attacks by the British.
What he did not know, however, was that the British were very low on ammunition, and this could have played a decisive role in further battles. Therefore, the commander of the Spanish fleet made the wrong decision. He led the Invincible Armada north, thereby missing the opportunity to return to his native Spanish soil before the onset of strong autumn storms.
But the British naval commanders did not know about the plans of the Spanish command. They assumed that going north was some kind of military maneuver. Therefore, the British began to pursue the Spanish fleet. But it only lasted 2 days. After that, the English ships turned back, as they began to run out of water and food.
The path of the Invincible Armada on the map (The Gravelines battle is shown in red circle)
With no enemy behind them, the Spanish fleet circled Scotland and ended up in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This happened at the end of August, and in the first days of September an endless series of storms began. By mid-September, the badly battered Spanish ships were near the northern coast of Ireland. But then a very strong storm began. It went on for two weeks.
As a result of this, some ships crashed on the rocks, others sank in the open sea. Those Spanish soldiers who got ashore were either killed by local residents or taken prisoner in order to obtain a ransom for them.
Only in the first days of October did the first Spanish ships appear near the native coast of Spain, and on October 14 the last surviving ship sailed. In total, the Spanish fleet lost 70 ships and up to 70% of its personnel. Someone drowned, someone died in battle, and many died of starvation, disease and wounds on the way to their native shores. The survivors were extremely exhausted, some did not even have the strength to go ashore.
So shamefully for Spain ended the campaign of the Invincible Armada. After that, the Spanish kings no longer tried to restore Catholicism in English lands. And after the Battle of Gravelines and the defeat of the Spanish fleet, England began to claim the status of the mistress of the seas. As for the Protestants, they declared that victory depended entirely on God. It was by his will that the wicked Catholics were punished, who decided to forcibly establish their faith on the lands of Foggy Albion.
In the 21st century, the media are often accused of creating fake news aimed at achieving certain propaganda goals.
In fact, this practice is as old as the world. During the Crimean War, the English media were full of reports of correspondents talking about the atrocities of Russian sailors who finished off the unfortunate Turks after a naval battle. The British inhabitants, horrified by the cruelty of "official Petersburg", ardently advocated a military expedition against the "bloody Russians".
Protestants versus Catholics: a little faith, a lot of business
But these are trifles. There were fakes in history and much larger. From the school bench, many remember that the expression "invincible armada" has become a symbol of a crushing defeat, a military catastrophe. And this name went on behalf of the grandiose Spanish fleet, defeated by the British. Moreover, it was so defeated that it allegedly led to the loss of the status of a great maritime power by Spain.
In reality, things were somewhat different.
War broke out between England and Spain in 1585. The reason for it was London's support for the Protestant rebels in the Netherlands, which was the possession of the Spanish crown.
The problem was actually not only in the Netherlands. Pirates in English service attacked the caravans of ships carrying gold and other valuables from the colonies in America to Spain, causing significant damage to Madrid. In addition, the British tried to extend their influence to Portugal, neighboring Spain, supporting a candidate loyal to them in the struggle for the throne. Spain, in turn, provided assistance to the rebels in Ireland who opposed British rule.
Big dream of Philip II
King Philip II of Spain decided to take extreme measures. Having assembled a fleet of 130 ships, divided into 6 squadrons, he planned to land an army of about 30,000 people in Britain, defeat the English forces and restore Catholicism in the country.
It cannot be said that the hopes of Philip II were groundless. The positions of Catholics in England at that time were quite strong. Emphasizing the religious component of the campaign, the king of Spain gathered for the fleet, called the "Invincible Armada", a whole "army" of priests - 180 people.
The idea of the expedition belonged to the Spanish Admiral Alvaro de Bazan, Marchioness of Santa Cruz. However, while preparations were underway, the admiral died, and command was transferred Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia.
The duke was a good organizer, but he was not endowed with the talents of a naval commander, which seriously affected the outcome of the entire campaign.
Duke prophesies trouble
On May 29, 1588, about 130 ships left the harbor of Lisbon, on which there were 30,500 people, including 18,973 soldiers, 8,050 sailors, 2,088 rowing slaves, 1,389 officers, nobles, priests and doctors.
The Armada did not manage to go far - due to a powerful storm, they had to make a stop in the port of A Coruña.
The Duke of Medina Sidonia, assessing the situation, honestly reported to the king - the situation is unfavorable, there are not enough food supplies, there are many sick sailors among the sailors. The commander warned that the risk of failure of the whole undertaking was high. But Philip II had already set his mind on the victory of Catholicism in England and was not going to change his plans.
There was no question of any suddenness in such conditions. When the "Invincible Armada" nevertheless approached the shores of England, there she was met by assembled Queen Elizabeth I a force consisting not only of the regular British navy, but also of Dutch ships, as well as pirates led by Francis Drake.
Illustration from the book "Royal Navy".
"Decisive" battle
The Spanish ships were much heavier, and the basis of their weapons was a large number of close combat cannons. Light British ships had an advantage in maneuver, and due to long-range guns they could hit the enemy, remaining invulnerable to return fire.
In small skirmishes in the early days of August 1588, pirates were the most successful. Drake, for example, managed to capture one of the badly damaged Spanish ships. However, this did not bring a decisive advantage to the British.
"Armada" anchored at Calais, waiting for the approach of the allied forces, led by the Spanish Viceroy of the Netherlands, Duke of Parma. However, the actions of the British, strong winds and currents prevented the Spaniards from getting help.
On August 8, 1588, the Battle of Gravelines took place, which is considered the main one in the history of the defeat of the "Invincible Armada". British ships by this time were able to get new stocks of gunpowder and cores, and the Spaniards the situation was close to critical.
The nine-hour skirmish showed that the British artillery had a significant advantage over the Spanish. The British sank two enemy ships and damaged several more. Several ships ran aground due to damage and were captured by the British and their allies.
Spanish gun from the ship Duquesa Santa Ana. Ulster Museum. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Bazonka
Storm and disease are worse than guns
However, there was no talk of any decisive victory. The British were cautious, fearing a boarding battle. The commander of the Armada, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, in turn, came to the conclusion that under the circumstances he could not fulfill his goals, and gave the order to leave.
The British did not pursue a long pursuit, fearing the Spanish cunning and realizing that the Armada still had enough forces. But in fact, the Spaniards, having rounded Scotland, entered the Atlantic and headed home.
And this is where the real disaster happened. This area was new to the Spanish captains. The ships of the Armada were swept away by storms, some of them crashed off the coast of Ireland, some simply drowned. On those ships that survived, many sailors were washed overboard, the rest suffered from hunger and disease.
By mid-October 1588, about half of the ships that had taken part in the campaign had returned to Spain.
The blow to Spain was serious, but far from fatal. The pride of Philip II suffered the most - the idea of restoring Catholicism in England suffered a complete collapse.
Return visit of the "English Armada"
The English began to extol their success, declaring that it was possible only because of God's will.
The British convinced themselves so much that Spain was beaten to smithereens and would never rise again that in 1589 they sent their own fleet to the coast of Spain, known as the "English Armada".
The campaign cost a lot of money, so it had to be sponsored by a "pool" - Elizabeth I herself, the English and Dutch rich. Each of the "sponsors" had their own plans for this campaign, and each tried to set his own goals for the fleet. As a result, the “English Armada” was given several difficult (and multidirectional) tasks at once: to burn the Spanish navy in the Atlantic, to seize ships with a cargo of silver coming from America, to organize an anti-Spanish uprising in Portugal and to create a base for the English fleet in the Azores. A significant part of the "sponsors" (including Drake himself) directly hoped to recoup their costs by plundering the weakly protected Spanish cities.
The command was entrusted to the same Drake. The "English Armada" included six royal galleons, 60 armed English merchant ships, 60 Dutch punts and about 20 pinnaces.
At first, everything went well for the British - having attacked A Coruña, they destroyed 13 ships in the harbor, captured part of the city, killing several hundred Spaniards and having wine cellars at their disposal.
The failure of Francis Drake
However, the British did not completely take A Coruna - the defenders withstood the siege, causing serious damage to the enemy. The siege of Lisbon also ended in nothing, which was not possible to take without heavy guns. In any case, it was the absence of such weapons that Drake referred to.
To top it off, the pirates messed up something and captured the French merchant ships. Despite the fact that France was not only a “neutral” country in this case, the English treasury during the last wars got into huge debts, including to France. Elizabeth herself had to apologize.
Soon Drake realized that it was time to get out - the losses were growing, the "gentlemen of fortune", who joined the campaign in the hope of easy prey, deserted en masse, epidemics began on the ships.
Like the Spaniards, the British suffered the main losses on the way back - if the Spaniards destroyed 14 ships of the English Armada, then more than 20 died as a result of storms. The English Armada lost up to 15,000 people killed, wounded and died from diseases.
Peace on the basis of the "status quo"
The Anglo-Spanish war continued until 1604, ending with the Peace of London, which was concluded by the successors of the previous monarchs - Jacob I And Philip III. In fact, the agreement was formalized on the terms of the "status quo" - the parties did not acquire any territories, the Spaniards pledged to no longer support Catholicism in England, and the British refused to further help the rebellious Netherlands.
The Spaniards lost in one thing - in PR. It never occurred to them to exalt the defeat of Drake's Armada as much as the British did with the victory over the Invincible Armada.
The Invincible Armada was a large military fleet created in Spain. It consisted of about 130 ships. The flotilla was composed in 1586-1588. Consider further in what year the defeat of the Invincible Armada took place. More on this later in the article.
Target
Before telling why and when the defeat of the Invincible Armada happened, it is necessary to describe the situation that took place at that time. For decades, English privateers sank and robbed Spanish ships. This brought enormous losses to the country. So, for the 1582nd Spain suffered losses in the amount of more than 1,900,000 ducats. Another reason why it was decided to create a flotilla was the support of the Dutch uprising - the Queen of England. Philip II - the monarch of Spain - considered it his duty to help the English Catholics who fought against the Protestants. In this regard, almost 180 clerics were present on the ships of the flotilla. Moreover, during recruitment, every sailor and soldier had to confess and take communion. For their part, the rebellious British hoped for victory. They hoped that they could destroy the Spanish monopoly trade with the New World, as well as spread Protestant ideas in Europe. Thus, both sides had their own interest in this event.
Hike plan
The King of Spain ordered the flotilla to approach the English Channel. There she was to unite with the 30,000th army of the Duke of Parma. The troops were located in Flanders. Together they were to cross the English Channel to Essex. After that, a march on London was supposed. The Spanish king expected the Catholics to leave Elizabeth and join him. However, this plan was not fully thought out. In particular, it did not take into account the shallow water, which did not allow ships to approach the coast to take on board the duke's army. In addition, the Spaniards did not take into account the power. And, of course, Philip could not even imagine that the defeat of the Invincible Armada would happen.
Command
Alvaro de Bazan was appointed head of the Armada. He was rightfully considered the best Spanish admiral. It was he who was the initiator and organizer of the flotilla. As contemporaries later said, if he had led the ships, then the defeat of the Invincible Armada would hardly have happened. The year 1588, however, was the last for the admiral in his life. He died in the 63rd year, before the flotilla went to sea. Alonso Pérez de Guzman was appointed instead. He was not an experienced navigator, but he had excellent organizational skills. They allowed him to quickly find a common language with experienced captains. Thanks to their joint efforts, a powerful fleet was created, which was supplied with provisions and equipped with everything necessary. In addition, the commanding staff developed a system of signals, orders and battle order, the same for the entire multinational army.
Organization Features
The Armada included about 130 ships, 30.5 thousand people, 2,430 guns. The main forces were divided into six squadrons:
The Armada also included four Neapolitan galleasses and the same number of Portuguese galleys. In addition, the flotilla included a large number of reconnaissance vessels, for messenger service and with supplies. Food stocks included millions of biscuits, 400,000 pounds of rice, 600,000 pounds of corned beef and salted fish, 40,000 gallons of butter, 14,000 barrels of wine, 6,000 sacks of beans, 300,000 pounds of cheese. Of the ammunition on the ships, there were 124 thousand cores, 500 thousand powder charges.
Start of the hike
The flotilla left the Lisbon harbor on May 29, 1588. However, on the way she was overtaken by a storm, which drove the ships to La Coruña, a port in northwestern Spain. There, the sailors had to repair ships and replenish food supplies. The commander of the flotilla was concerned about the shortage of provisions and the illness of his sailors. In this regard, he frankly wrote to Philip that he doubted the success of the campaign. However, the monarch insisted that the admiral follow the set course and not deviate from the plan. Two months later, after stopping in the Lisbon harbor, the flotilla reached the English Channel.
Failed meeting with the Duke of Parma
The admiral of the flotilla strictly followed Philip's orders and sent the ships to the shore to receive the troops. While waiting for a response from the duke, the commander of the Armada ordered to anchor off Calais. This position was very vulnerable, which played into the hands of the British. On the same night, they sent 8 ships set on fire with explosives and combustible materials to the Spanish ships. Most of the captains began to cut the ropes and frantically tried to escape. Subsequently, a strong wind and a powerful current carried the Spaniards to the north. They could not return to the Duke of Parma. The decisive battle took place the next day.
Place and date of the defeat of the Invincible Armada
The flotilla was defeated by the Anglo-Dutch maneuverable light ships. They were commanded by Ch. Howard. Several clashes took place in the English Channel, which ended the Battle of Gravelines. So, in what year was the defeat of the Invincible Armada? The fleet did not last long. She was defeated in the same year in which the campaign began - in 1588. The battles at sea continued for two weeks. The Spanish flotilla failed to regroup. Collisions with enemy ships took place in extremely difficult conditions. Great difficulties were created by the constantly changing wind. The main skirmishes took place at Portland Bill, Start Point, Isle of Wight. During the battles, the Spaniards lost about 7 ships. The final defeat of the Invincible Armada took place at Calais. Abandoning further invasion, the admiral led the ships north across the Atlantic, along the western coast of Ireland. At the same time, enemy ships followed her at a short distance, moving along the eastern coast of England.
Return to Spain
It was very difficult. After the battles, many ships were badly damaged and barely kept afloat. Off the northwest coast of Ireland, the flotilla was caught in a two-week storm. Many ships crashed on the rocks during it or went missing. In the end, on September 23, the first ships, after long wanderings, reached the north of Spain. Only 60 ships managed to return home. Human losses were estimated from 1/3 to 3/4 of the number of crews. A huge number of people died from wounds and diseases, many drowned. Even those who managed to return home practically starved to death, as all food supplies were depleted. One of the ships ran aground in Laredo because the sailors did not even have the strength to lower the sails and anchor.
Meaning
Great losses were brought to Spain by the defeat of the Invincible Armada. The date when this event took place will forever remain in the history of the country as one of the most tragic. However, the defeat did not lead to an immediate decline in Spanish power at sea. The 90s of the 16th century are generally characterized by fairly successful campaigns. So, the attempt of the British to invade the Spanish waters with their Armada ended in a crushing defeat. The battle took place in 1589. After 2 years, the Spanish ships defeated the British in Atlantic Ocean in several battles. All these victories, however, could not compensate for the losses that the defeat of the Invincible Armada brought to the country. Spain learned an extremely important lesson for itself from this unsuccessful campaign. Subsequently, the country abandoned clumsy and heavy ships in favor of lighter ships equipped with long-range weapons.
Conclusion
The defeat of the Invincible Armada (1588) buried any hope of restoring Catholicism in England. The involvement of this country to one degree or another in the foreign policy of Spain was also out of the question. This, in fact, meant that Philip's position in the Netherlands would deteriorate sharply. As for England, for her the defeat of the Spanish flotilla was the first step towards gaining dominance at sea. For Protestants, this event marked the end of the expansion of the Habsburg Empire and the widespread spread of Catholicism. In their eyes, it was a manifestation of God's will. Many people living in Protestant Europe at that time believed that only Heavenly intervention helped to cope with the flotilla, which, as one of his contemporaries said, was hard for the wind to carry, and the ocean groaned under its weight.
