Singeing of the King’s beard

• • During the raid on Cadiz, Drake destroyed or captured over 100 Spanish ships, many waiting for the invasion of England, with very few English losses
• • Drake’s destruction of staves intended to make barrels for storing food and water delayed the Spanish Armada
• • By ‘singeing the King of Spain’s beard’, Drake delayed the Spanish Armada by a year, enabling the English to be better prepared
• • since 1586, Spain had been planning the Armada
• • Elizabeth ordered Drake to attack Spanish navy in March 1587
  • Drake destroyed 30 ships and provisions at Cadiz’s harbour
  • the attack on Cadiz was known as “singeing of the King of Spain’s beard”