Spanish Armada

• What were the causes of war?

  • English involvement in the Netherlands
  • Religious rivalry
  • Political rivalry
  • Trade and commercial rivalry
• When was the Treaty of Nonsuch?

  1585
• What was the Treaty of Nonsuch?

  An alliance between England and the Dutch Protestant rebels. It meant an army of 7,000 were sent to their aid under the Earl of Leicester
• When was the Singeing of the King's Beard?

  1587
• Who 'Singed the King's Beard'?

  Francis Drake
• What was the Singeing of the King's Beard?

  A raid on Cadiz led by Drake which delayed the Armada by a year
• Why was religious rivalry not the main reason for the Spanish Armada?

  If religion was the main reason, the Armada would have sailed years earlier when the Religious Settlement (1559) happened.
• Why did leadership mean the Spanish lost?

  The Spanish leader was the Duke of Medina-Sidonia and he was not very confident and was seasick making him a terrible fit for leading the Armada
• Why did tactics mean that the Spanish lost?

  The English had better tactics:

  • fireships
  • beacons
  • long range weapons
  • small and fast ships
• What were the Spanish tactics?

  They aimed to get close so they could board the ships and take over. This tactic failed because the English kept their distance
• Why did the weather mean the Spanish lost?

  Following the battle of Gravelines, the wind changed direction and forced the Spanish ships out to the North Sea. 40 ships were wrecked.

  Additionally, the winds blew the fireships towards the Spanish ships.
• What bad decision did the Spanish make during the Battle of Gravelines?

  They panicked at the sight of the fireships and cut their anchors which prevented them form being able to combat the winds pushing them to the North Sea