what is spanish armada essay

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Spanish Armada

By: History.com Editors

Updated: September 6, 2019 | Original: May 2, 2018

The Spanish Armada was an enormous 130-ship naval fleet dispatched by Spain in 1588 as part of a planned invasion of England. Following years of hostilities between Spain and England, King Philip II of Spain assembled the flotilla in the hope of removing Protestant Queen Elizabeth I from the throne and restoring the Roman Catholic faith in England. Spain’s “Invincible Armada” set sail that May, but it was outfoxed by the English, then battered by storms while limping back to Spain with at least a third of its ships sunk or damaged. The defeat of the Spanish Armada led to a surge of national pride in England and was one of the most significant chapters of the Anglo-Spanish War.

Philip and Elizabeth

King Philip II ’s decision to attempt an overthrow of Queen Elizabeth I was several years in the making.

Despite their family connections—Philip had once been married to Elizabeth’s half-sister, Mary —the two royals had severe political and religious differences and had engaged in a “cold war” for much of the 1560s and 1570s.

Philip was particularly incensed by the spread of Protestantism in England, and he had long toyed with the idea of conquering the British Isle to bring it back into the Catholic fold.

Tensions between Spain and England flared in the 1580s, after Elizabeth began allowing privateers such as Sir Francis Drake to conduct pirate raids on Spanish fleets carrying treasure from their rich New World colonies.

By 1585, when England signed a treaty of support with Dutch rebels in the Spanish-controlled Netherlands, a state of undeclared war existed between the two powers. That same year, Philip began formulating an “Enterprise of England” to remove Elizabeth from the throne.

What Was the Spanish Armada?

The Spanish Armada was a naval force of about 130 ships, plus some 8,000 seamen and an estimated 18,000 soldiers manning thousands of guns. Roughly 40 of the ships were warships. 

The Spanish plan called for this “Great and Most Fortunate Navy” to sail from Lisbon, Portugal, to Flanders, where it would rendezvous with 30,000 crack troops led by the Duke of Parma, the governor of the Spanish Netherlands.

The fleet would then guard the army as it was ferried across the English Channel to the Kent coast to begin an overland offensive against London.

England Prepares for Invasion

It was impossible for Spain to hide the preparations for a fleet as large as the Armada, and by 1587, Elizabeth’s spies and military advisors knew an invasion was in the works. That April, the Queen authorized Francis Drake to make a preemptive strike against the Spanish.

After sailing from Plymouth with a small fleet, Drake launched a surprise raid on the Spanish port of Cadiz and destroyed several dozen of the Armada’s ships and over 10,000 tons of supplies. The “singeing of the king of Spain’s beard,” as Drake’s attack was known in England, was later credited with delaying the launch of the Armada by several months.

The English used the time bought by the raid on Cadiz to shore up their defenses and prepare for invasion.

Elizabeth’s forces built trenches and earthworks on the most likely invasion beaches, strung a giant metal chain across the Thames estuary and raised an army of militiamen. They also readied an early warning system consisting of dozens of coastal beacons that would light fires to signal the approach of the Spanish fleet.

Led by Drake and Lord Charles Howard, the Royal Navy assembled a fleet of some 40 warships and several dozen armed merchant vessels. Unlike the Spanish Armada, which planned to rely primarily on boarding and close-quarters fighting to win battles at sea, the English flotilla was heavily armed with long-range naval guns.

Spanish Armada Sets Sail

In May 1588, after several years of preparation, the Spanish Armada set sail from Lisbon under the command of the Duke of Medina-Sidonia. When the 130-ship fleet was sighted off the English coast later that July, Howard and Drake raced to confront it with a force of 100 English vessels.

The English fleet and the Spanish Armada met for the first time on July 31, 1588, off the coast of Plymouth. Relying on the skill of their gunners, Howard and Drake kept their distance and tried to bombard the Spanish flotilla with their heavy naval cannons. While they succeeded in damaging some of the Spanish ships, they were unable to penetrate the Armada’s half-moon defensive formation.

Over the next several days, the English continued to harass the Spanish Armada as it charged toward the English Channel. The two sides squared off in a pair of naval duels near the coasts of Portland Bill and the Isle of Wight, but both battles ended in stalemates. 

By August 6, the Armada had successfully dropped anchor at Calais Roads on the coast of France, where Medina-Sidonia hoped to rendezvous with the Duke of Parma’s invasion army.

Fireships Scatter the Armada

Desperate to prevent the Spanish from uniting their forces, Howard and Drake devised a last-ditch plan to scatter the Armada. At midnight on August 8, the English set eight empty vessels ablaze and allowed the wind and tide to carry them toward the Spanish fleet hunkered at Calais Roads.

The sudden arrival of the fireships caused a wave of panic to descend over the Armada. Several vessels cut their anchors to avoid catching fire, and the entire fleet was forced to flee to the open sea.

Battle of Gravelines

With the Armada out of formation, the English initiated a naval offensive at dawn on August 8. In what became known as the Battle of Gravelines, the Royal Navy inched perilously close to the Spanish fleet and unleashed repeated salvos of cannon fire.

Several of the Armada’s ships were damaged and at least four were destroyed during the nine-hour engagement, but despite having the upper hand, Howard and Drake were forced to prematurely call off the attack due to dwindling supplies of shot and powder.

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

With the Spanish Armada threatening invasion at any moment, English troops gathered near the coast at Tilbury in Essex to ward off a land attack. 

Queen Elizabeth herself was in attendance and - dressed in military regalia and a white velvet gown - she gave a rousing speech to her troops, one that is often cited as among the most inspiring speeches ever written and delivered by a sovereign leader:

"I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field."

Bad Weather Besets the Armada

Shortly after the Battle of Gravelines, a strong wind carried the Armada into the North Sea, dashing the Spaniards’ hopes of linking up with the Duke of Parma’s army. With supplies running low and disease beginning to spread through his fleet, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia resolved to abandon the invasion mission and return to Spain by rounding Scotland and Ireland.

The Spanish Armada had lost over 2,000 men during its naval engagements with the English, but its journey home proved to be far more deadly. The once-mighty flotilla was ravaged by sea storms as it rounded Scotland and the western coast of Ireland. Several ships sank in the squalls, while others ran aground or broke apart after being thrown against the shore.

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

By the time the “Great and Most Fortunate Navy” finally reached Spain in the autumn of 1588, it had lost as many as 60 of its 130 ships and suffered some 15,000 deaths.

The vast majority of the Spanish Armada’s losses were caused by disease and foul weather, but its defeat was nevertheless a triumphant military victory for England.

By fending off the Spanish fleet, the island nation saved itself from invasion and won recognition as one of Europe’s most fearsome sea powers. The clash also established the superiority of heavy cannons in naval combat, signaling the dawn of a new era in warfare at sea.

While the Spanish Armada is now remembered as one of history’s great military blunders, it didn’t mark the end of the conflict between England and Spain. In 1589, Queen Elizabeth launched a failed “English Armada” against Spain.

King Philip II, meanwhile, later rebuilt his fleet and dispatched two more Spanish Armadas in the 1590s, both of which were scattered by storms. It wasn’t until 1604—over 16 years after the original Spanish Armada set sail—that a peace treaty was finally signed ending the Anglo-Spanish War as a stalemate.

The Spanish Armada. By Robert Hutchinson . The Spanish Armada. BBC . Sir Francis Drake. By John Sugden . The Spanish Armada: England’s Lucky Escape. History Extra . Elizabeth's Tilbury speech: July 1588. British Library .

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Spanish Armada

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The 1588 Spanish Armada was a fleet of 132 ships assembled by King Philip II of Spain (r. 1556-1598) to invade England , his 'Enterprise of England'. The Royal Navy of Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603) met the Armada in the English Channel and, thanks to superior manoeuvrability, better firepower, and bad weather, the Spanish were defeated.

After the battle , the remains of the Armada were then obliged to sail around the dangerous shores of Scotland and so more ships and men were lost until only half of the fleet eventually made it back to Spanish waters. The English-Spanish war continued, and Philip tried to invade with future naval expeditions, but the defeat of the 1588 Armada became the stuff of legend, celebrated in art and literature and regarded as a mark of divine favour for the supremacy of Protestant England over Catholic Spain.

Prologue: Three Queens & One King

Philip of Spain's interest in England went back to 1553 when his father, King Charles V of Spain (r. 1516-1556) arranged for him to marry Mary I of England (r. 1553-1558). Mary was a staunch Catholic but her reversal of the English Reformation and proposed marriage to a prince of England's great rival and then the richest country in Europe led to open revolt - the Wyatt Rebellion of January 1554. Mary quashed the revolt, persecuted Protestants to earn her nickname 'Bloody Mary', and married Philip anyway. As it turned out, the marriage was not a happy one, and Philip spent most of his time as far as possible from his wife. Philip became the King of Spain in 1556 and so Mary its queen but she died in 1558 of cancer. Philip wasted no time whatsoever and proposed to Mary's successor, her sister Elizabeth. The Virgin Queen rejected the offer, along with many others, and she steered her kingdom away from Catholicism.

Elizabeth reinstated the Act of Supremacy (April 1559), which put the English monarch at the head of the Church (as opposed to the Pope). As a result, the Pope excommunicated the queen for heresy in February 1570. Elizabeth was also active abroad. She attempted to impose Protestantism in Catholic Ireland but this only resulted in frequent rebellions (1569-73, 1579-83, and 1595-8) which were often materially supported by Spain. The queen also sent money and arms to the Huguenots in France and financial aid to Protestants in the Netherlands who were protesting against Philip's rule.

The queen's religious and foreign policies put Elizabeth directly against Philip who saw himself as the champion of Catholicism in Europe. Then a third monarch arrived on the stage, Mary, Queen of Scots (r. 1542-1567). Catholic Mary was the granddaughter of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, and she had been unpopular in Protestant Scotland and forced to abdicate in 1567 and then flee the country in 1568. Kept in confinement by her cousin Elizabeth, Mary became a potential figurehead for any Catholic-inspired plot to remove Elizabeth from her throne. Indeed, for many Catholics, Elizabeth was illegitimate as they did not recognise her father's divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536). Several plots did occur, notably a failed rebellion in the north of England stirred up by the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, both staunch Catholics. Then the conspiratorial Duke of Norfolk, who had plotted with Spain to mount an invasion of England and crown Mary queen (the 1571 Ridolfi plot), was executed in 1572. These were dangerous times for Elizabeth as seemingly everyone wanted her throne, none more so than Philip of Spain.

English-Spanish Relations

When Mary, Queen of Scots was executed on 8 February 1587, Philip had one more reason to attack England. Philip was angry at rebellions in the Netherlands which disrupted trade and Elizabeth's sending of several thousand troops and money to support the Protestants there in 1585. If the Netherlands fell, then England would surely be next. Other bones of contention were England's rejection of Catholicism and the Pope, and the action of privateers, 'sea dogs' like Francis Drake (c. 1540-1596) who plundered Spanish ships laden with gold and silver taken from the New World. Elizabeth even funded some of these dubious exploits herself. Spain had not been entirely innocent either, confiscating English ships in Spanish ports and refusing to allow English merchants access to New World trade. When Drake attacked Cadiz in 1587 and 'singed the king's beard' by destroying valuable ships and supplies destined for Spain, Philip's long-planned invasion, what he called the 'Enterprise of England', was delayed, but the Spanish king was determined. Philip even gained the blessing and financial aid of Pope Sixtus V (r. 1585-90) as the king presented himself as the Sword of the Catholic Church.

Philip finally assembled his massive fleet, an 'armada' of 132 ships, although his financial problems and the English attacks on supplies from the New World did not allow him to build a navy quite as large as he had hoped. The Armada, packed already with 17,000 soldiers and 7,000 mariners, sailed from Lisbon (then under Philip's rule) on 30 May 1588. It was intended that the Armada would establish dominance of the English Channel and then reach the Netherlands in order to pick up a second army led by the Duke of Parma, Philip's regent there. Parma's multinational army consisted of Philip's best troops and included Spaniards, Italians, Germans, Burgundians, and 1,000 disaffected Englishmen. The fleet would then sail to invade England. Philip's force was impressive enough but the king hoped that once in England, it would be swelled by English Catholics eager to see Elizabeth's downfall. The Armada was commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and Philip had promised Medina on his departure, "If you fail, you fail; but the cause being the cause of God , you will not fail" (Phillips, 123).

Henry VIII of England (r 1509-1547) and Mary I had both invested in England's Royal Navy and Elizabeth would reap the rewards of that foresight. England's fleet of around 130 ships was commanded by Lord Howard of Effingham. The large Spanish galleons - designed for transportation, not warfare - were much less nimble than the smaller English ships which would, it was hoped, be able to dash in and out of the Spanish fleet and cause havoc. In addition, the 20 English royal galleons were better armed than the best of the Spanish ships and their guns could fire further. The English also benefitted from such experienced and audacious commanders as vice-admiral Drake whom the Spanish called 'El Draque' ('the Dragon') and who had circumnavigated the globe in the Golden Hind (1577-80). Another notable commander with vast sailing experience was Martin Frobisher (c. 1535-1594) in the Triumph , while old sea salts like John Hawkins (1532-1595) had ensured, as treasurer since 1578, the navy had the best equipment Elizabeth could afford, including such fine ships as Drake's flagship, the Revenge, and Howard's flagship, the ultra-modern Ark Royal .

Facing storms, the Armada was obliged to first make for the port of Coruña and so it took two months to finally reach the English Channel. By this time, the invasion was no surprise to the English who spotted the Spanish galleons off the coast of Cornwall on 19 July. Fire beacons spread the news along the coast and, on 20 July, the English fleet sailed from its homeport of Plymouth to meet the invaders. There were about 50 fighting ships on each side and there would be three separate engagements as the navies battled each other and storms. These battles, spread over the next week, were off Eddystone, Portland, and the Isle of Wight. The English ships could not take advantage of their greater manoeuvrability or the superior knowledge of tides of their commanders as the Spanish adopted their familiar disciplined line-abreast formation - a giant crescent. The English did manage to fire heavily at the wings of the Armada, 'plucking their feathers' as Lord Howard put it (Guy, 341). Although the English fleet outgunned the Spanish, both sides found themselves with insufficient ammunition and commanders were obliged to be frugal with their volleys. The Spanish prudently retreated to a safe anchorage off Calais on 27 July having lost only two ships and suffered only superficial damage to many others.

Six fireships, organised by Drake, were then sent into the Spanish fleet on the night of 28 July. Strong winds blew the unmanned ships into the anchored fleet and quickly spread the devastating flames amongst them. The English ships then moved in for the kill off Gravelines off the Flemish coast on 29 July. The Spanish fleet broke its formation still having lost only four ships but many more were now badly damaged by cannon shots. Even worse, 120 anchors had been hastily cut and lost in order to escape the fire ships. The loss of these anchors would be a serious hindrance to the manoeuvrability of the Spanish ships over the coming weeks. The Armada was then hit by the increasingly strong winds from the south-west. The Duke of Medina Sidonia, unable to get close enough to grapple and board with the flighty English ships and with Parma's force blockaded in by Dutch ships, ordered a retreat and abandonment of the invasion.

God hath given us so good a day in forcing the enemy so far to leeward as I hope in God that the Prince of Parma and the Duke of Sidonia shall not shake hands these few days; and whensoever they shall meet, I believe neither of them will greatly rejoice of this day's service. (Ferriby, 226)

The Armada was forced by the continuing storm to sail around the tempestuous and rocky shores of Scotland and Ireland in order to return home. Several English ships pursued the Spanish to Scotland but the bad weather and unfamiliar coastlines did the real damage. Stores quickly ran out, horses were thrown overboard, ships were wrecked, and those mariners who escaped to shore were handed over to the authorities for execution. There was another bad storm in the Atlantic, and only half of the Armada made it back to Spain in October 1588. Incredibly, England was saved. 11-15,000 Spaniards had died compared to around 100 Englishmen.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth visited her land army in person, gathered at Tilbury in Essex in order to defend London should the Armada make landfall. Another English army had been stationed on the north-east coast and a mobile force followed the Armada as it had progressed along the English coast. The army at Tilbury, consisting of infantry and cavalry totalling 16,500 men, was to have been led by the queen's favourite Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (l. c. 1532-1588) but he was too unwell to do so. Elizabeth, wearing armour and riding a grey gelding, roused her troops with the following celebrated speech:

My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes for fear of treachery, but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear…I always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects, and therefore I am come amongst you as you see me at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all, to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too, and think it foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any Prince of Europe, should dare invade the borders of my realm, to which, rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you, on the word of a Prince, they shall be duly paid to you…By your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of God, of my kingdom and of my people. (Phillips, 122)

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Philip did not give up despite the disaster of his great 'Enterprise', and he tried twice more to invade England (1596 and 1597) but each time his fleet was repelled by storms. The Spanish king also supported rebellions in Catholic Ireland by sending money and troops in 1601, as he had done prior to the Armada in 1580. On the other side, Elizabeth sanctioned the failed counterattack on Portugal in 1589. A mix of private and official ships and men, this expedition had confused aims and so achieved nothing. In essence, the queen then continued to favour defence over attack as the backbone of her foreign policy. In addition, high taxes were needed to pay for the war with Spain and this was a burden that added to the many others the English people had to endure, such as rises in inflation, unemployment and crime, all of which went on top of a run of bad harvests.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada did give England a new confidence and showed the importance of sea power and modern cannon firepower. A well-armed fleet with well-trained crews could extend the power of a state far beyond its shores and seriously damage the supply lines of its enemies. This was perhaps the most lasting legacy of the Armada's defeat. The Tudors had both built and now thoroughly tested the foundations of the Royal Navy which under the next ruling dynasties would grow ever-bigger and sail on to change world history from Tahiti to Trafalgar.

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Bibliography

• Brigden, Susan. New Worlds, Lost Worlds. Penguin Books, 2002.
• Cannon, John. The Kings and Queens of Britain. Oxford University Press, 2009.
• Cavendish, Richard. Kings & Queens. David & Charles, 2007.
• Elton, G.R. England Under the Tudors. Routledge, 2018.
• Ferriby, David. The Tudors. Hodder Education, 2015.
• Guy, John. Tudor England. Oxford University Press, 1988.
• Morrill, John. The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain. Oxford University Press, 1996.
• Phillips, Charles. The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Kings & Queens of Britain. Lorenz Books, 2006.
• Woodward, Geoff et al. Rebellion & Disorder Under the Tudors 1485-1603. Hodder Education, 2016.

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Cartwright, Mark. " Spanish Armada ." World History Encyclopedia . Last modified May 28, 2020. https://www.worldhistory.org/Spanish_Armada/.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

• Early Modern

Why Did the Spanish Armada Fail?

Tristan Hughes

28 jul 2018, @ancientstristan.

In 1586, Philip II of Spain had had enough of England and its queen,  Elizabeth I . Not only had English privateers been raiding Spanish possessions in the New World, but Elizabeth had also been sending troops to aid Dutch rebels in the Spanish-controlled Netherlands. Philip could no longer tolerate English meddling in Spanish interests and he began making preparations to do something about it.

Two years later, Philip ordered a huge fleet – some 130 ships carrying 24,000 men – to set sail for the English Channel and support a Spanish land invasion of England from Flanders.

The ensuing English victory against this Spanish Armada became a pivotal moment in the rise of Protestant England as a global power. It is also widely regarded as one of England’s greatest naval victories. But why exactly did the Spanish Armada fail?

A lack of secrecy

As far back as 1583, news that Philip was planning to build a great fleet was common knowledge throughout Europe. Various rumours surrounded the intended destination of this new navy – Portugal, Ireland and the West Indies were all touted.

But Elizabeth and her chief adviser, Francis Walsingham, soon learnt from their spies in Spain that this armada (the Spanish and Portuguese word for “naval fleet”) was intended for an invasion of England.

And so, in 1587, Elizabeth ordered Sir Francis Drake, one of her most experienced sea captains, to lead a daring raid on the Spanish port at Cadiz. The April raid proved extremely successful, severely damaging preparations for the Armada – so much so that it forced Philip to postpone the invasion campaign.

Sir Francis Drake. In 1587, Drake had recently returned from a great pillaging expedition against Spanish colonies in the New World.

This gave the English precious time to prepare for the impending attack. Drake’s daring actions at Cadiz became known as  “singeing the beard of the King of Spain” because of how successfully it hindered Philip’s preparations.

For Philip, his inability to keep the planned invasion campaign a secret cost him dearly both in time and in money.

Santa Cruz’s death

Thanks to Drake’s raid at Cadiz, the Armada’s launch was delayed until 1588. And this delay led to further catastrophe for the Spanish preparations; before the Armada had set sail, one of Philip’s most capable naval commanders died.

The 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz.

The Marquis of Santa Cruz had been the designated leader of the Armada. He had also been a leading advocate of attacking England for years – although by 1588 he had grown increasingly sceptical of Philip’s plan. His death in February 1588, just prior to the invasion campaign being launched, added further turmoil to the planning.

Santa Cruz was replaced by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, a nobleman who lacked the naval experience of his predecessor.

Philip’s impatience

Following multiple postponements of the invasion, Philip grew increasingly impatient. In May 1588 , he ordered Medina Sidonia to launch the fleet, despite preparations still not being complete.

Many galleons therefore lacked necessary provisions such as experienced gunners and high-quality cannon shot. Although a magnificent sight to behold, the Armada had severe faults in its weaponry when it set sail.

These faults soon revealed themselves in the Battle of Gravelines where the Spanish cannons proved ineffective because of the inexperience of the crews using them.

England’s superior ships

Unlike the Spanish galleons, the smaller, more versatile English ships were well-provisioned to fight. By 1588 the English navy consisted of many swift-moving ships filled with cannon and gunner specialists that were deadly against enemy vessels.

Their speed and mobility also proved highly important. It allowed them to sail close to the more cumbersome Spanish vessels, fire deadly cannon volleys point-blank and then sail away before the Spanish could board them.

A lack of ingenuity

Medina Sidonia had a golden opportunity to defeat the English navy very early on in the invasion campaign. As the Armada sailed along the Cornwall coast, the English navy was re-supplying in Plymouth harbour, leaving them trapped and extremely vulnerable to attack.

Many Spanish officers advised launching an attack on the English vessels, but Medina Sidonia was under strict orders from Philip to avoid engaging the English fleet unless absolutely necessary. Desiring to follow Philip’s orders to the letter, the duke avoided engaging the fleet. Many historians argue that this was a critical mistake.

The weather

The English were able to both outsail and outgun the Spanish at the Battle of Gravelines.

Following the Battle of Gravelines – during which the English ships used their better cannon and agility to both outsail and outgun their Spanish counterparts – a strong south-westerly wind forced the Spanish fleet to head into the North Sea. Although massive, the Spanish galleons lacked flexibility and could only sail with the wind at their back.

This proved to be their ultimate undoing as the wind drove what remained of Medina Sidonia’s fleet away from the Spanish army at Flanders. Unable to turn around because of the wind and the English pursuit, Medina Sidonia continued north and the invasion plan was abandoned.

The English later dubbed this south-westerly wind the “Protestant wind” – sent by God to save their country.

The weather continued to work against the Armada. After the English fleet gave up its pursuit off the east coast of Scotland, it looked as though the majority of the Spanish ships would be able to make it home safely. But after rounding the top of Scotland, the Armada ran into severe storms and nearly a third of its ships were driven ashore on the coasts of Scotland and Ireland.

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The history of the Spanish Armada

Learn more about the defining moment of Elizabeth I's reign

The Spanish Armada was the defining moment of Elizabeth I's reign. Spain's defeat secured Protestant rule in England, and launched Elizabeth onto the global stage. 

History of the Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada was one part of a planned invasion of England by King Philip II of Spain.

Launched in 1588, ‘la felicissima armada’, or ‘the most fortunate fleet’, was made up of roughly 150 ships and 18,000 men. At the time, it was the largest fleet ever seen in Europe and Philip II of Spain considered it invincible. 

What happened?

Why did the Spanish Armada happen?

Years of religious and political differences led up to the conflict between Catholic Spain and Protestant England.

The Spanish saw England as a competitor in trade and expansion in the ‘New World’ of the Americas.

Spain's empire was coveted by the English, leading to numerous skirmishes between English pirates and privateers and Spanish vessels. English sailors deliberately targeted Spanish shipping around Europe and the Atlantic. This included Sir Francis Drake's burning of over 20 Spanish ships in the port of Cadiz in April 1587.

Meanwhile, Walter Raleigh had twice tried - unsuccessfully - to establish an English colony in North America.

Plans for invasion accelerated however in 1587.

The turning point came following the execution of Mary Queen of Scots – Spain’s Catholic ally. The killing of Mary Queen of Scots, ordered by Elizabeth, was the final straw for Philip II in the religious tensions between the two countries.

Royal history in Greenwich

How did the campaign begin?

In 1588, Philip II intended to sail with his navy and army, a total of around 30,000 men, up the English Channel to link up with the forces led by the Duke of Parma in the Spanish Netherlands. From there they would invade England, bring the country under Catholic rule, and secure Spain's position as the superpower of Western Europe.

Beacons were lit as soon as the Armada was sighted off the English coast, informing London and Elizabeth of the imminent invasion.

According to legend, Francis Drake was first told of the sighting of the Armada while playing bowls on Plymouth Hoe. He is said to have answered that ‘there is plenty of time to finish the game and beat the Spaniards’ - but there is no reliable evidence for this.

The English ships were longer, lower and faster than their Spanish rivals. The decks fore and aft had been lowered to give greater stability, and this meant more guns could be carried to fire lethal broadsides. The ships were also more manoueverable than the heavy Spanish vessels.

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What happened when the armada attacked.

The commander of the Armada was the Duke of Medina Sidonia. The Duke had set out on the enterprise with some reluctance, as he was wary of the abilities of the English ships. However, he hoped he would be able to join with the forces of the Duke of Parma in the Netherlands, and find safe, deep anchorage for his fleet before the invasion of England. To his dismay this did not happen.

The Spaniards maintained a strict crescent formation up the Channel, which the English realised would be very difficult to break.

Despite this, two great Spanish ships were accidentally put out of action during the initial battles. The Rosario collided with another ship, was disabled and captured by Drake, while the San Salvador blew up with tremendous loss of life.

The two fleets skirted round each other up the Channel with neither gaining advantage.

How did English fireships help break the Spanish Armada?

On 27 July 1588, after the Armada had anchored off Calais, the English decided to send in eight 'fireships'.

These were vessels packed with flammable material, deliberately set alight and left to drift towards enemy ships.

At midnight, the fireships approached the Spanish Armada. The Spanish cut their anchor cables ready for flight, but in the darkness many ships collided with each other. While none of the Spanish ships were set on fire, the Armada was left scattered and disorganised.

Next morning, there was the fiercest fighting of the whole Armada campaign during the Battle of Gravelines. By evening, the wind was strong and the Spanish expected a further attack at dawn, but as both sides were out of ammunition none came.

That afternoon the wind changed and the Spanish ships were blown off the sandbanks towards the North Sea. With no support from the Duke of Parma and their anchorage lost, Medina Sidonia's main aim was to bring the remains of the Armada back to Spain.

Why did the Spanish Armada fail?

Many ships were wrecked off the rocky coasts of Scotland and Ireland. Of the 150 ships that set out, only 65 returned to Lisbon. The following year, Philip sent another smaller fleet of about 100 ships. This too ran into stormy weather off Cornwall and was blown back to Spain.

It was not until the reign of James I (ruler of Scotland and England 1603–1625) that peace was finally made between the two countries.

Spanish Armada timeline: 1588 

12 July : The Spanish Armada sets sail

18 July : The English fleet leaves Plymouth but the south-west wind prevents them from reaching Spain

19 July : The Spanish Armada is sighted off the Lizard in Cornwall, where they stop to get supplies

21 July : The outnumbered English navy begins bombarding the seven-mile-long line of Spanish ships from a safe distance, using the advantage of their superior long-range guns

22 July : The English fleet is forced back to port due to the wind

22 - 23 July : The Armada is pursued up the Channel by Lord Howard of Effingham’s fleet. Howard was the commander of the English forces, with Francis Drake second in command. The Spaniards reach Portland Bill, where they gain the weather advantage, meaning they are able to turn and attack the pursuing English ships

27 July : The Armada anchors off Calais to wait for their troops to arrive. The English send in fireships that night

28 July : The English attack the Spanish fleet near Gravelines

29 July : The Armada is re-joined by the rest of the missing ships

30 July : The Armada is put into battle order

31 July : The Spanish fleet tries to turn around to join up with the Spanish land forces again. However, the prevailing south-west winds prevent them from doing so

1 August : The Armada finds itself off Berry Head with the English fleet far behind. Howard is forced to wait for his ships to re-join him

2 August : The Armada is located to the north of the English, near Portland Bill. Both fleets turn east

6 August : Both fleets are once again close but avoid any conflict

9 August : After the main danger is over, Elizabeth travels to speak to the English troops at Tilbury

12 August : The fleets come close again, with the Armada in good shape. However, still no fighting takes place, and the Spanish ships are ordered to sail north. Stormy weather plagues them for the rest of the voyage

1 September : the ship Barca de Amburgo sinks in a storm near Fair Isle, Scotland

3 September : the Duke Of Medina Sidonia, commander of the Armada, sends a message Philip II that there have been four nights of storms, and 17 ships have disappeared

12 September : The ship  Trinidad Valencera is caught in a bad storm, and is eventually forced to land near Kinnagoe Bay in Ireland

October : The remaining Armada ships manage to return home.  safety in the north and many lives were spared.

Main image: English ships and the Spanish Armada, August 1588 (BHC0262, © NMM)

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Spanish Armada summary

Know about the spanish armada sent by philip ii of spain in 1588 and the factors that led to its defeat.

Spanish Armada , Great fleet sent by Philip II of Spain in 1588 to invade England in conjunction with a Spanish army from Flanders. Philip was motivated by a desire to restore the Roman Catholic faith in England and by English piracies against Spanish trade and possessions. The Armada, commanded by the duke of Medina-Sidonia, consisted of about 130 ships. In the weeklong battle, the Spanish suffered defeat after the English launched fire ships into the Spanish fleet, breaking the ships’ formation and making them susceptible to the English ships’ heavy guns. Many Spanish ships were also lost during the long voyage home, and a total of perhaps 15,000 Spaniards died. The defeat of the Armada, in which Francis Drake played a principal role, saved England and the Netherlands from possible absorption into the Spanish empire.

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2016

Last exams 2025

The Spanish Armada, 1588 ( Edexcel GCSE History )

Revision note.

The Impacts of the Spanish Armada on Elizabethan England - Timeline & Summary

Why did Philip II Launch the Spanish Armada?

Philip II of Spain wanted to invade England from late 1585

There were multiple reasons why Philip launched the Spanish Armada in 1588

In your revision, you could categorise the information in the mind map above into ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors .

‘Push’ factors are events or motivations for someone to act. Elizabeth's actions against Spain in the Netherlands and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots pushed Philip to form an invasion force.

‘Pull’ factors are benefits from performing an action. England would become a profitable colony for Spain if the Armada was successful. Defeating England would strengthen Catholicism in Europe. It would increase Spain's reputation as a European power. This ‘pulled’ Philip to plan and launch the invasion of England.

Considering the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors will help you to explain why Philip II launched the Spanish Armada in 1588 .

The Events of the Spanish Armada

Comparison of the forces of england and spain .

What was Philip's Strategy for the Armada?

Once Philip became aware of the amount of Spanish troops and ships available, he created a plan for the Armada

Philip requested that:

The Armada sailed from Lisbon to Calais through the English Channel

The Duke of Parma marched an army of 20,000 soldiers from the Netherlands. Parma would meet the Armada in Calais

Parma's army would land in Kent, England with the protection of the Armada

The arrival of the Spanish army in England would trigger an uprising from English Catholics

The Spanish army, along with the English Catholics, would depose Elizabeth and restore Catholicism in England

What Happened to the Spanish Armada?

Philip launched the Armada in May 1588

The storyboard below shows the events of the Spanish Armada:

AWAITING IMAGE

A storyboard illustrating the key events of the Spanish Armada, 1588

Worked Example

Describe one feature of the Spanish Armada, 1588

 One feature of the Spanish Armada was the use of the Duke of Parma (1) . Phillip II wanted the Spanish Armada to collect the Duke of Parma and 20,000 soldiers from Calais (1).

This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025 , Edexcel will split this question into two subsections , asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.

How did England Defeat the Spanish Armada?

Some historians argue that England's actions defeated the Spanish Armada

Why did the Spanish Armada Fail?

Some historians argue that Spain failed to invade England because Philip and his commanders made mistakes

Historians state that England experienced luck in their defeat of the Spanish Armada. The wind hampered the Spanish Armada. The bad weather delayed Spain's departure from Lisbon and blew Spanish ships off-course i n the Battle of Gravelines. Historians still argue that the weather conditions highlighted the weakness of Spain's plannin g. This is because:

Philip should have enlisted a more skilled commander for the Armada. An experienced sailor would know how to handle challenging weather conditions

Spain did not plan a secure harbour to dock their Armada . If they had planned for poor weather, a secure harbour would have sheltered their fleet and allowed them to attack England at a more convenient time

The Consequences of England's Victory Over Spain

England's victory over the Spanish Armada caused vital consequences for England and Spain

The diagram below explains the impacts of the Spanish Armada on both countries:

How did the Spanish Armada Affect England and Spain?

How did the Victory Against the Spanish Armada Affect Elizabeth?

The defeat of the Spanish Armada had important impacts on Elizabeth's reign

In August, Elizabeth spoke to her troops in Tilbury. Her speech became famous as she stated the line:

I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and the stomach of a king

The victory against the Armada proved that a queen regnant   could win military campaigns . This improved her legitimacy as England's monarch

Elizabeth created propaganda   to celebrate the defeat of the Spanish Armada

She commissioned the Armada portrait in 1588 . It drew Elizabeth's hand resting on a globe. This showed her subjects that Elizabeth's ambition was for England to dominate and explore the world

Elizabeth emphasised that the defeat of the Armada was a religious victory

It strengthened Protestantism across Europe

In England, the Spanish Armada shows Catholicism as hostile and foreign

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Author: Zoe Wade

Zoe has worked in education for 10 years as a teaching assistant and a teacher. This has given her an in-depth perspective on how to support all learners to achieve to the best of their ability. She has been the Lead of Key Stage 4 History, showing her expertise in the Edexcel GCSE syllabus and how best to revise. Ever since she was a child, Zoe has been passionate about history. She believes now, more than ever, the study of history is vital to explaining the ever-changing world around us. Zoe’s focus is to create accessible content that breaks down key historical concepts and themes to achieve GCSE success.

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The spanish armada, building the spanish armada, defence of england, attack at calais.

Primary Sources

(a1) letter from philip ii to count feria, the spanish ambassador in england (12 february, 1559).

Tell her (Elizabeth) from me that... I must warn her to consider deeply the evils which may result in England from a change in religion... if this change is made all idea of my marriage with her must be broken off.

(A2) Letter from Count Feria to Philip II (19 March, 1559)

Queen Elizabeth... said that so much money was taken out of the country for the Pope every year that she must put an end to it... she kept repeating to me that she was a heretic and consequently could not marry your Majesty.

(A3) Pope Gregory XIII, letter to his ambassador in Spain (1580)

Since that guilty woman (Elizabeth) ... is the cause of so much injury to the Catholic faith... there is no doubt that whosoever sends her out of the world... not only does not sin but gains merit... And so, if those English gentlemen decide actually to undertake so glorious a work, your Lordship can assure them that they do not commit any sin.

(A4) Petruccio Ubaldino came from Italy but was living in London during 1588.

The change of religion threatened by the Spaniards will not so much encourage their rebellion as anger them. It being easier to find flocks of white crows than one Englishman (whatever his religion) who loves a foreigner, either as a master or companion.

(A5) L. Ortiz Munoz, The Glorious Spanish Empire (1940)

The greatest armada the world had seen was prepared... The Invincible Armada of the Imperial Spanish Fleet was for the first time conquered. But not by the men, nor by the squadrons, it put out to fight. It was vanquished by the elements, against which valour and human daring are impotent, because it is God who rules the seas. Only against the hurricane and the gales did we lose, because the Lord wished it, the naval supremacy of the world.

(A6) James Oliphant, A History of England (1920)

Though the English ships were smaller and fewer than those opposed to them, they were better built and better manned... their skillful use of artillery gave them a great advantage.

(A7) King Philip II , letter to Duke of Medina Sidonia (May 1588)

You should see that your squadrons do not break battle formation and that their commanders, moved to greed, do not give pursuit to the enemy and take prizes.

(A8) Juan Bentivollo was an Italian who observed the Spanish Armada on the way to England in 1588.

You could hardly see the sea. The Spanish fleet was stretched out in the form of a half moon with an immense distance between its extremities. The masts and rigging, the towering sterns and prows which in height and number were so great that they dominated the whole naval concourse, caused horror mixed with wonder and gave rise to doubt whether that campaign was at sea or on land and whether one or the other element was the more splendid. It came on with a steady and deliberate movement, yet when it drew near in full sail it seemed almost that the waves groaned under its weight and the winds were made to obey it.

(A9) In Lisbon, the Duke of Medina Sidonia gave instructions to the Spanish captains (8 May, 1588)

It is of great importance that the Armada should be kept well together... Great care must be exercised to keep the squadron of hulks always in the middle of the fleet... No ship belonging to the Armada shall separate from it without my permission... Any disobedience of this order shall be punished by death.

(A10) After he arrived in Corunna from Lisbon, the Duke of Medina Sidonia sent a letter to King Philip II of Spain (24 June 1588)

Many of our largest ships are still missing... on the ships that are here there are many sick... these numbers will increase because of the bad provisions (food and drink). These are not only very bad, as I have constantly reported, but they are so scanty that they are unlikely to last two months... Your Majesty, believe me when I assure you that we are very weak... how do you think we can attack so great a country as England with such a force as ours is now?

(A11) In June 1588 a ship from Cornwall called the Mousehole was on the way to France to collect a cargo of salt. On 27th July the captain of the Mousehole saw the Spanish Armada. He decided to return to England to report what he had seen.

Being bound for France to collect salt, I encountered great ships between Scilly and Ushant... they were Spaniards... three of them gave chase... but I managed to escape... They were all great ships, and as I might judge... from 200 tons to 800 tons. Their sails were all crossed over with a red cross.

(A12) A sailor aboard the Spanish ship San Lorenzo later reported what happened on the night of 7th August 1588 at Calais Harbour.

The eight ships, filled with artificial fire, advanced in line... they went drifting... with the most terrible flames that may be imagined... the ships of the Armada cut their cables at once, leaving their anchors, spreading their sails, and running out to sea.

(A13) Geronimo de Torre was a Catholic priest aboard the Paloma Blanca . In his log he described the Battle of Gravelines (8 August 1588)

The San Mateo was a thing of pity to see, riddled with shot like a sieve... If they had not managed to get the water out of her, she must have gone to the bottom with all hands. All her sails and rigging were torn... of her sailors many perished, and of her soldiers few were left.

(A14) Bemado de Gongoro was a priest aboard the Rosario . He later described what happened at the Battle of Gravelines .

The enemy did not dare to come alongside because he knew the advantage we had. The Duke offered him battle many times and he never wanted it, but only to fire on us, like a man who had better artillery with longer range.

(A15) Antonio de Vanegas, was a sailor aboard the Spanish ship San Martin .

The enemy... did well because of the extreme nimbleness and the great smoke that came from their artillery.

(A16) Pedro Coco Calderon was aboard the San Salvador . He later reported what happened on 11th August 1588.

The Duke of Medina Sidonia ordered.. the captain of the Santa Barbara, to be hanged; and condemned to the galleys other ship captains... this was because on the day of the battle they allowed themselves to drift out of the fight.

(A17) Report sent by Bemadino Mendoza, Spanish ambassador in France to King Philip II (20 August 1588)

The English lost seven ships, and amongst them three of the largest the Queen possessed... Drake was wounded in the legs by a cannon ball... As the London people were so alarmed, Don Pedro de Valdez and the rest of those who were captured... had been taken in carts to London, so that the people might see that some prisoners had been captured; the rumour being spread that the Armada had been defeated.

(A18) Report sent by Bemadino Mendoza, Spanish ambassador in France to King Philip II (23 September 1588)

The Queen of England... has been much injured by your Majesty's Armada... She has lost 4,000 men and over 12 ships, two of them the finest she possessed, and she is now sorry she went to war.

(A19) John Hawkins , letter sent to Francis Walsingham after the battle of Gravelines (July, 1588)

All that day Monday we followed the Spaniards with a long and great fight, wherein there was great valour showed generally by our company ... In this fight there was some hurt done among the Spaniards... Our ships, God be thanked, have received little hurt. . . Now their fleet is here, and very forcible, it must be waited upon with all our force, which is little enough. There should be an infinite quantity of powder and shot provided... The men have long been unpaid and need relief.

(A20) In September a report reached King Philip II of Spain from Calais in France.

The spy I sent to England has returned... the Spanish Armada is beyond Newcastle in Scotland... The ships are in very bad condition... It is reported that horses had to be thrown overboard because of a lack of water.

(A21) Nicholas Gorgas was the captain of the English ship Susan Pamell . In 1597 he wrote about why the English defeated the Armada.

Our swiftness in out sailing them, our nimbleness.... carrying more artillery than the Spanish ships.. discharging our cannons... double for their single-having far better gunners.

(A22) Thomas Fenner was captain of the English ship Nonpariel . After the Battle of Dunkirk he wrote a report on what he thought would happen to the Spanish ships that had fled towards Scotland (23 September, 1588.

Their masts and sails are much spoiled... I believe they will pass about Scotland and Ireland to take themselves home... when the season of the year is considered, and the long distance they have to travel... it will be to their great ruin... In my opinion... many of them will never see Spain again.

(A23) Juan de Nova was on board the Trinidad Valancera . On 14 September, 1588 the Trinidad Valancera ran aground on the Irish coast at Donegal.

We were about two days landing our men... We had nothing to eat but our horses... The English told us that if the Spanish did not surrender at once, 3,000 of the Queen's troops would cut their throats... in view of this and that his men were dying of hunger... the colonel decided to surrender... The next morning, at daybreak, the enemy came to separate the officers who were among the soldiers, and put them inside a square... The remaining soldiers were then made to go into an open field, and men armed with guns on one side and a body of cavalry on the other, killed over 300 of them with lance and bullet.

(A24) Juan de Saavedra was a Spanish army officer on board the ship Zuniga . In his diary he recorded what happened when he reached Liscannor Bay on the west coast of Ireland (23 September 1588).

We were in dire need of food... nearly 80 of our soldiers and galley slaves had died of hunger and thirst, the inhabitants refusing to allow us to obtain water; nor would they sell us food. To survive, we took up arms and obtained supplies by force.

(A25) Francisco de Cuellar was captain of the San Pedro . His ship sunk in Donegal Bay in September, 1588. When he arrived back in Spain in October 1589 he wrote about his experiences.

There sprang up so great a storm... we were driven ashore upon rocks... Many were drowning inside the ships, others were throwing themselves into the water, vanishing from sight; others were clinging to rafts and barrels.... when one of our people reached the beach, two hundred savages fell upon him and stripped him of what he had... they maltreated and wounded without pity, all of which was clearly visible from the battered ships - within an hour all three ships were broken in pieces... more than one thousand were drowned.

(A26) On 1 October 1588, Sir Richard Bingham, Governor of Cannaught in Ireland sent a report to the English government.

After the Spanish fleet had rounded Scotland, and were heading homewards, bad weather caused many ships to be wrecked... About 6,000 or 7,000 men have been cast away on these coasts... some 1,000 escaped to land... which since were all put to the sword.

(A27) Petruccio Ubaldino was born in Italy but was living in England in 1588. After the defeat of the Armada he interviewed several English sailors who had taken part in the fighting. In 1589 he published his account of how the Spanish Armada was defeated.

After meeting the English fleet... and seeing that, with the type of ships they had which were a good deal smaller than the Spanish, they were able to get very near to the much larger ships and fight against them to their own advantage, the Spaniards confessed... they had lost much of their hope in the victory of their fleet... The English ships... not crowded out with useless soldiers, but with decks clear for the use of artillery... could harm the enemy, at any moment which suited them best.

(A28) After the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Walter Raleigh described the tactics used by Lord Howard of Effingham, the English Lord Admiral.

The Spaniards had an army aboard their ships and Howard had none; they had more ships than he had, and of larger size... had he entangled himself with those great and powerful vessels, he would have greatly endangered England.

(A29) Juan de Recalde was Vice-Admiral of the Spanish Armada. After he arrived in Santander he sent King Philip II a report where he criticised the people who had served in the Spanish Armada.

I heard great complaints about the command of ships in the Spanish Armada being given to young fellows just because they were nobles. Very few of them knew what to do, and their officers were no better.

(A30) Duke of Medina Sidonia , letter to King Philip II of Spain after the battle of Gravelines (July, 1588)

This Armada was so completely crippled and scattered that my first duty to your Majesty seemed to save it, even at the risk which we are running in undertaking this voyage, which is so long and in such high latitudes. Ammunition and the best of our vessels were lacking, and experience had shown how little we could depend upon the ships that remained, the Queen's fleet being so superior to ours in this sort of fighting, in consequence of the strength of their artillery and the fast sailing of their ships.

(A31) Walter Raleigh , The History of the World (c. 1610)

He that will happily perform a fight at sea must believe that there is more belonging to a good man of war upon the waters than great daring, and must know there is a great deal of difference between fighting loose and grappling. To clap ships together without consideration belongs rather to a madman than to a ship of war; for by such an ignorant bravery was Peter Strozzi lost at the Azores when he fought against the Marquis of Santa Cruz. In like sort had the Lord Charles Howard, Admiral of England, been lost in the year 1588 if he had not been better advised than a great many malignant fools were who found fault with his behaviour.

(A32) L. Ortiz Munoz, The Glorious Spanish Empire (1940)

The greatest armada the world had seen was prepared. It was called invincible. One fine day in June 1588, it unfurled its sails before the wind in Lisbon harbour. There were ten squadrons with a total of a hundred and thirty sail, galleons, ships of the line, galleys, hookers, caravels, tenders and cutters. In command of the fleet was the Duke of Medina Sidonia, a loyal man of proud lineage and great wealth, but in no wise versed in naval science. Aboard the fleet sailed seven army regiments numbering nineteen thousand men, and a further eight thousand sailors and two thousand oarsmen. It was the posthumous achievement of the genius of the Marquis of Santa Cruz, almost a floating city, with all its services marvellously arrayed. The ships built in Antwerp by Farnese were to join this armada; and a part of the seasoned Regiments of Flanders, numbering twenty-six thousand men, were to join this army. The ten squadrons of the Empire advanced upon the Atlantic with crushing impetus. But soon there befell that adversity which was to herald worse evils. A storm lashed the galleys in the latitude of Finisterre, and the Armada had to regroup in Corunna. Then again they sailed in imposing majesty and perfect formation to give battle to the British fleet. In England the news produced a thrill of horror. Greater still was the panic when at dawn on the 30th of July, in the Port of Plymouth, the sun showed on the horizon the splendid advance of those enormous galleons with their high prows, tall poops, billowing sails and waving standards. They moved on steadily. They formed a crescent and their line stretched for seven miles. The English squadron, smaller in number and size, but lighter and more agile, was anchored in the port. The Spanish admiral deliberated as to what was best to do. The most capable captains were hotly of the opinion that not a moment should be lost in taking advantage of the magnificent opportunity. This was the time to attack the enemy fleet and annihilate it. But the Duke turned down the idea. The King had ordered that the squadron should not give battle until the ships of Farnese joined it, The opportunity and the initiative having been lost - even the favouring wind - the English fleet, seeing ours pass by, harried it cunningly, making use of its agility. Our ships suffered slight losses in this first skirmish. But at last the Armada made fast at Calais, where it awaited Farnese. This was the beginning of calamity. The English hatched a plot. During the night they sent in some ships which had been set on fire. The alarm was raised. Men began to think they were like the terror-ships laden with gunpowder which had been encountered at Antwerp. The Duke, hasty and inexperienced, dashed out to the open sea to fight his adversary. A terrible wind from the south-east was stirring the waves. The rain began in a flood. Lightning and thunderbolts lighted the thick darkness. The hurricane beat upon the galleons and played havoc with them, delighting in scattering them and sending them crashing into one another, or against the coastal reefs, sweeping over them and sinking them. When dawn came, the fleet was broken and dispersed. Heroism did not suffice against the attack of the English ships. The storm came on again and the damage was made greater still. The Duke ordered a retreat, to save what remained of the vessels. But the way back was by North Scotland and Ireland, and the squalls there delivered the final blow and wrought further havoc upon the fleet. The Invincible Armada of the Imperial Spanish Fleet was for the first time conquered. But not by the men, nor by the squadrons, it put out to fight. It was vanquished by the elements, against which valour and human daring are impotent, because it is God who rules the seas. Only against the hurricane and the gales did we lose, because the Lord wished it, the naval supremacy of the world.

(A33) Charles Howard , letter to William Cecil (20th August, 1588)

It is a most pitiful sight to see, here at Margate, how the men, having no place to receive them into here, die in the streets. I am driven myself, of force, to come a-land, to see them bestowed in some lodging; and the best I can get is barns and outhouses. It would grieve any man's heart to see them that have served so valiantly to die so miserably.

(A34) Philip II talking to the survivors of the Armada (1588)

I sent you to fight with men, and not with the weather.

(A35) Inscription on the Armada medal issued by Elizabeth I in 1588

God blew with His wind, and they were scattered.

Student Activities

(1) philippa jones , elizabeth: virgin queen (2010) page 226, (2) robert hutchinson , elizabeth spy master (2006) page 205, (3) stephen budiansky , her majesty's spymaster (2005) page 184, (4) robert hutchinson , elizabeth spy master (2006) page 208, (5) harry kelsey , sir john hawkins (2002) page 208, (6) roger lockyer , tudor and stuart britain (1985) page 180, (7) elizabeth jenkins , elizabeth the great (1958) page 282, (8) harry kelsey , sir john hawkins (2002) page 206, (9) alexander mckee , from merciless invaders: the defeat of the spanish armada (1963) pages 45-46, (10) winston graham , the spanish armadas (1972) page 123, (11) peter ackroyd , tudors (2012) page 429, (12) roger lockyer , tudor and stuart britain (1985) page 180, (13) elizabeth jenkins , elizabeth the great (1958) page 283, (14) philippa jones , elizabeth: virgin queen (2010) page 227, (15) winston graham , the spanish armadas (1972) page 106, (16) alexander mckee , from merciless invaders: the defeat of the spanish armada (1963) pages 103-104, (17) winston graham , the spanish armadas (1972) page 128, (18) roger lockyer , tudor and stuart britain (1985) page 181, (19) elizabeth jenkins , elizabeth the great (1958) page 284, (20) alexander mckee , from merciless invaders: the defeat of the spanish armada (1963) page 204, (21) sir john hawkins , letter sent to sir francis walsingham (30th july, 1588), (22) peter ackroyd , tudors (2012) page 433, (23) elizabeth jenkins , elizabeth the great (1958) page 284, (24) harry kelsey , sir john hawkins (2002) pages 228-229, (25) charles howard , letter to william cecil (20th august, 1588), (26) roger lockyer , tudor and stuart britain (1985) page 181, (27) philippa jones , elizabeth: virgin queen (2010) page 227.

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Early Elizabethan England (1558-1588): Reasons for the Spanish Armada

Last updated 15 Jul 2024

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The initial decision to send an invasion force and Armada to England was first thought up in 1585. This is important to realise, as for many, it was the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, that caused the Armada to be launched as some form of revenge against England and Elizabeth.

Philip II had one simple aim, which as to replace Elizabeth and restore Catholicism back in England under a new Catholic monarch. The plan through which he was to achieve this included 130 ships together with roughly 30,000 soldiers. They would sail up the English Channel, before docking in the Netherlands, pick up soldiers, ferry them to England and depose Elizabeth.

Reasons for the Armada

There are four reasons why Philip launched the Spanish Armada...

England was a Protestant country under Elizabeth, and Philip II as a Catholic wanted to restore Catholicism to England. He had the support of the pope in his efforts, with the pope even offering a reward for the successful restoration of Catholicism. In addition to this, Spain had worked on a number of plots to attempt to remove Elizabeth.

Philip II wanted to increase his power significantly, so adding England to the Spanish Empire would be a great asset. As well as this, the French and Spanish had signed the Treaty of Joinville in 1584 which committed the French and Spanish to wiping out Protestantism in Europe. As a counter to this, Elizabeth and the Dutch had signed the Treaty of Nonsuch in 1585 to combat Spanish aggression.

Elizabeth was a ruler who was often hesitant to make decisions, a fact which often angered her advisors. During the conflict with the Netherlands, it was clear that this hesitation could be exploited by the Spanish and showed a crucial weakness of Elizabeth. Spain’s confidence and power had been growing building up to the Armada with the annexation of Portugal in 1580 and the relative success that Spanish forces were having on the continent against the Dutch.

Spain had for a long time starting building an empire in the New World with huge Spanish galleons sailing to and from Spain to the New World. This effort was often frustrated by Sir Francis Drake who would have attacked and raided Spanish efforts. This ultimate insult came from the Raid on Cadiz where Drake had managed to destroy and damage significant proportions of the Spanish fleet.

• Age of Exploration
• Sir Francis Drake
• The Spanish Armada
• Mary, Queen of Scots

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Home — Essay Samples — History — Spanish Armada — The English Defeat of the Spanish Armada in the Anglo-Spanish War

The English Defeat of The Spanish Armada in The Anglo-spanish War

• Categories: England Spanish Armada The Spanish American War

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Published: Dec 18, 2018

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Drawing of a Spanish frigate showing measurements and armament (SP 9/205/1) View in image library

God blew and they were scattered

Lesson at a glance, did god really help the english defeat the spanish armada, teachers' notes, external links, connections to curriculum.

In 1588, King Philip II of Spain sent an armada (a fleet of ships) to collect his army from the Netherlands, where they were fighting, and take them to invade England. This was done in the name of religion, because England had become Protestant and no longer accepted the Pope as the head of the Church; Spain was Catholic and the Pope had encouraged Philip to try to make England become Catholic again. He also had a political reason to go to war with England because Spain ruled the Netherlands, but the people there were rebelling against Spanish control and England had been helping them.

The English were worried about the threat of invasion and they attacked the Spanish ships as they sailed along the Channel, but the Armada was so strong that most of the ships reached Calais safely.

The Armada was difficult to attack because it sailed in a ‘crescent’ shape. While the Armada tried to get in touch with the Spanish army, the English ships attacked fiercely. However, an important reason why the English were able to defeat the Armada was that the wind blew the Spanish ships northwards. To many English people this proved that God wanted them to win and there were pictures and medals made to celebrate this fact.

Use this lesson to work with original documents which tell the story of England and the invasion of the Spanish Armada.

1. This is an extract from a letter to the English government which gives details about the progress of the Armada.

• How useful do you think this information would be to the English government?
• Why were there more soldiers than sailors?

2. This is a report from Lord Howard of Effingham, the Admiral of the English fleet.

• How do you think the news that the Spanish Armada had been sighted was able to reach Lord Howard so quickly when he was at Plymouth, over a hundred miles away?
• Why do you think Howard complained to Walsingham about the wind?
• Howard says that the Spanish fleet was ‘soe strong’. What made it strong?

3. The dates mentioned in this account are based on an old calendar which is slightly different from the one we use now. These events took place at the end of July and first week of August according to our calendar.

• According to Hawkins, what was the main problem for the English fleet in the battle near Portland?
• Why was the ‘fyring of ships’ a turning point in the fighting?
• Does Hawkins think that the English have a chance to beat the Spanish Armada?
• What is causing the biggest problem to the Spanish ships?
• Does Hawkins seem confident that the Spanish have been defeated?
• Why did the English chase the Spanish as they sailed towards Scotland?

4. An extract from a Spanish captain’s account of the events. He had survived after being shipwrecked on the Irish coast and was then interrogated by the English, but eventually returned home to Spain.

• The Spanish Armada fought the English fleet for two days without losing any ships. What happened next that changed this?
• Why was it a good thing that the Spanish plans were stopped?
• If you could change one thing to give the Spanish a better chance of winning what would it be and why?
• The English celebrated their victory with a medal saying ‘God Blew and they were Scattered’ – how would the Spanish have explained their defeat?

5. As this was an invasion in the name of religion, it was felt that any unexpected event was a sign from God; study the points below and decide which ones show God helped the English and which ones show other reasons for English success.

• Santa Cruz, the Spanish admiral who was to lead the Armada, died and the man who took over, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, had very little experience
• The Armada set sail on 28 May but bad weather forced the ships to go back into port for repairs
• The Armada kept a very strong crescent shaped formation which protected the smaller ships as they sailed up the Channel and the English were unable to make a proper attack
• The Armada was supposed to sail up the channel to the Netherlands and collect the Duke of Parma with an army to invade England. However, the Spanish army was attacked and could not get to the ships in time
• The weather was very bad during the Battle of Gravelines and the storms got worse as the Spanish sailed towards the North Sea
• The English were constantly complaining that they were short of gunpowder, cannon balls, food etc.
• Bad weather continued as the Spanish ships sailed up around the coast of Scotland and down the coast of Ireland on their way home, so that only half the Armada actually got back to Spain

6. Explain in a short paragraph why many people thought that God had helped the English defeat the Spanish Armada.

When Mary I died in 1558, England and Spain were allies in a war against France. As the war ended, Philip II of Spain wanted to stay on good terms with the new queen, Elizabeth I, and even suggested that they marry but Elizabeth politely refused. However, Elizabeth also wanted to stay friends with Spain because there was an alliance between Scotland and France – a situation which was very dangerous for her. Until Elizabeth married and had children, the next in line for the throne was her relative, Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scotland. Many Catholics believed Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn had not been not lawful, which meant Elizabeth should not be queen at all and Mary, Queen of Scots, should take over immediately. To make matters worse, Mary was going to marry the French prince, so it was possible that French and Scottish armies would invade England to make Mary queen. Luckily for Elizabeth, Philip did not want to see France becoming so powerful and he was willing to protect her, even though she made England Protestant again.

When Philip had to deal with a rebellion in the Netherlands, it was even more important to him to be on good terms with England because his ships had to sail along the English Channel. However, England felt some sympathy with the people in the Netherlands because one of the reasons they were rebelling against Spain was that some of them wanted to be Protestant. On top of this, there was a lot of anger among English sailors and traders because Philip would not let other countries share in the wealth that had been found in the areas Spain controlled in Central and South America. Meanwhile, England was less threatened because Mary, Queen of Scots’ husband had died, which ended the link with France and she had returned to Scotland. Also, two groups in France were fighting for control, which meant there was far less danger to England.

By the 1580s, the two countries were clearly enemies and Spain was supporting attempts to make England Catholic again. Plans for an invasion began in 1585 but had to be delayed when Francis Drake burned some ships and destroyed lots of water barrels. Drake called this ‘singeing the King of Spain’s beard’ (burning the edges), but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Armada which was ready to sail in 1588.

Students are introduced to a range of different original documents. The first is an extract from a letter giving details of the progress of the Spanish Armada from Lord Howard of Effingham, the Admiral of the English fleet and a letter from John Hawkins, a sea captain and one of the earliest English people to be involved in the Transatlantic Slave trade and was later funded by Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his service in the fleet against the Spanish invasion. The final source is an extract from a Spanish captain’s account of the events. He had survived after being shipwrecked on the Irish coast and was then interrogated by the English.

All documents are provided with transcripts and simplified transcripts will be added. Students can work through the questions individually or in pairs and report back to the class.

If you are using these documents with Key stage 2 for work on Significant Events it suggested that you limit the size of the extracts again and introduce some visual sources relating to Armada.

You could also carry out some of these activities:

Activities for Key stage 2

1. Hold a Privy Council meeting to give Elizabeth advice on:

• how to get sufficient supplies to the ships
• where the army should meet
• how to arrange sufficient food etc. to keep the army supplied
• how to get news of the invasion from the coast to London
• what to do about English Catholics

2. Draw of list items which could be included in a painting of Elizabeth intended to commemorate the English victory and explain the symbolism of each item. This could then be compared with Elizabeth I’s Armada portrait by George Gower. This video explains the portrait.

3. Draw a strip cartoon showing at least four key events, e.g. :

• the first sighting of the Armada
• the English sailing behind the Armada in its strong crescent formation
• the use of fire-ships
• the battle at Gravelines
• the Spanish sailing towards Scotland
• Spanish ships being shipwrecked on the coast of Ireland

4. After this defeat, when fewer than half the ships managed to get back to Spain, why did Philip send other ‘armadas’ against England?

5. As the English troops waited at Tilbury to fight against an invasion, Elizabeth made a famous speech in which she said that even though she was a ‘weak and feeble woman’, the fact that she was the ruler of England made her strong. What did she mean by this? Do you think a female ruler would have been at a disadvantage if the invasion had taken place?

6. Find the text of Elizabeth’s speech at Tilbury and put it your own words

Find more detail on the Spanish Armada here: https://www.britishbattles.com/the-spanish-war/the-spanish-armada/

The first visual representations of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The maps are a set of ten ink and watercolour drawings: https://www.nmrn.org.uk/membership-fundraising/armada-maps/view-armada-maps

Key stage 2 Significant Event: Invasion of Spanish Armada; Significant People, Elizabeth I Key stage 3 The Elizabethan religious settlement and conflict with Catholics (including Scotland, Spain and Ireland) Key stage 4 Edexcel GCSE History: Early Elizabethan England, 1558–88: The Armada OCR GCSE History: The Elizabethans, 1580–1603: the Armada and war with Spain

Related resources

Elizabethan propaganda.

How did England try to show Spain planned to invade in 1588?

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Book/Printed Material The Spanish story of the Armada, and other essays;

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About this Item

• The Spanish story of the Armada, and other essays;
• Froude, James Anthony, 1818-1894.

Created / Published

• New York, C. Scribner's sons, 1892.
• -  Armada, 1588
• -  Pérez, Antonio,---1611
• -  Teresa,--of Avila, Saint,--1515-1582
• -  Templars
• -  Norway--Description and travel
• -  Also available in digital form.
• vii, 344 p. 20 cm.

Call Number/Physical Location

Library of congress control number, oclc number, online format.

• online text

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/12032373

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• MODS Record
• Dublin Core Record

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• Manifest (JSON/LD)
• Selected Digitized Books (156,053)
• General Collections (197,467)
• Library of Congress Online Catalog (1,621,212)
• Book/Printed Material

Contributor

• Froude, James Anthony
• Description and Travel
• Of Avila, Saint
• Pérez, Antonio

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Credit Line: Library of Congress

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Chicago citation style:

Froude, James Anthony. The Spanish story of the Armada, and other essays . New York, C. Scribner's sons, 1892. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/12032373/.

APA citation style:

Froude, J. A. (1892) The Spanish story of the Armada, and other essays . New York, C. Scribner's sons. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/12032373/.

MLA citation style:

Froude, James Anthony. The Spanish story of the Armada, and other essays . New York, C. Scribner's sons, 1892. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/12032373/>.