The Spanish Armada

What was the Spanish Armada?

The Spanish Armada was a fleet of ships launched by Philip II in an attempt to invade England.

When was the Spanish Armada attack?

The Spanish Armada attacked in 1588.

Who led the Spanish Armada?

The Armada was led by Alonso Perez de Guzman y de Zuniga-Sotomayor, the duke of Medina Sidonia.

What were the causes of the Spanish Armada?

There were five main causes for the attack by the Spanish Armada.

• ❖ The religious differences between the two countries were a main cause. Spain was Catholic while England was Protestant. The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, increased religious tensions as she was seen as a Catholic martyr by many.
• ❖ After Philip II was widowed by the death of Mary I, he proposed to Elizabeth. His aim was to unite Spain and England under a Catholic king and queen. However, Elizabeth did not respond to his proposal.
• ❖ Elizabeth supported Protestant uprisings in the Spanish Netherlands in 1585, which angered Philip.
• ❖ Sir Francis Drake and other English privateers had spent years raiding Spanish ports and ships, and stealing treasures from Spanish colonies in South America. Elizabeth encouraged these acts.
• ❖ In 1570, Pope Pius V issued the papal bull that excommunicated Elizabeth from the Catholic church. This encouraged Philip II to attack England.

What happened during the attack of the Spanish Armada?

There were four main events in the attack of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

• ❖ The Armada left Spain in May and reached Cornwall in July. The Armada was spotted off the coast and beacons were lit, sending news of their arrival. Philip was unprepared for a naval battle as he had filled his ships with land weapons, expecting hand-to-hand combat.
• ❖ On 6th August the Spanish fleet was anchored in Calais harbour, waiting for more soldiers from the duke of Parma. Drake sent in eight fireships, which caused the Armada to scatter and break its crescent formation.
• ❖ On 8th August at the Battle of Gravelines the English damaged many Spanish ships by firing from 100 metres away. The Spanish could barely defend themselves.
• ❖ Strong winds blew the Armada into the North Sea. They were forced to sail around Scotland and Ireland in order to return home. With no maps and bad weather, many ships were wrecked on rocks close to the shore or sank. Only 65 out of the 151 ships returned.

Why was the Spanish Armada defeated?

There were four main reasons for the defeat of the Armada.

• ❖ The weather blew the Armada into the North Sea, which were unsailed waters, causing many to sink.
• ❖ The duke of Medina Sidonia was an inexperienced sailor and an incompetent leader, whereas Francis Drake was an experienced sailor.
• ❖ The Spanish galleons were large and only used to the deep seas of the Mediterranean, not the shallower waters of the English Channel.
• ❖ The English had superior ships, weapons and tactics.

What were the main results of the defeat of the Spanish Armada?

There were four important results of the attack by the Spanish Armada.

• ❖ Elizabeth ransomed the captured Spanish troops and earned money to pay her navy and nobles.
• ❖ King Philip II planned two more attacks but one was unsuccessful and the other was never launched.
• ❖ The defeat of the Armada brought England together and strengthened the sense that England was living through a 'golden age'.
• ❖ It proved that England was a major naval power.