How did the English defeat the Spanish Armada?

• Leadership:

  > Phillip had appointed Duke of Medina Sidonia to lead the Armada: He had no experience at sea.
• Leadership:

  > The English defence was led by Lord Howard and assisted by Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins, excellent sailors.
• Technology:

  > The Spanish had 2,000 large cannons. By comparison, the English had 200 smaller cannons but these were much quicker to load and could fire over longer distances.
• Technology:

  > Phillip had huge resources at his disposal. 134 ships: 64 battleships, 22 huge galleons and 45 converted merchant ships. By comparison, Elizabeth had gathered 200 ships.
• Technology:

  > At the Battle of Gravelines, the English did not lose a single ship while 5 Spanish ships were badly damaged.
• Tactics:

  > A system of beacons that had been built across the south coast were lit and church bells were also rung out in warning.
• Tactics:

  > Spanish strategy was reliant upon the Armada sailing to the Netherlands to pick up an additional 30,000 men.
• Tactics:

  > With the winds rising sharply, the Armada anchored at Calais. Drake used 8 old English ships, he filled them with tar and oil and they were set on fire. These fireships were then allowed to drift into the anchored Spanish fleet. The Spanish crews panicked and never picked up the reinforcements they needed from the Netherlands.
• Luck/weather:

  > The Armada left Lisbon in May 1588. The Fleet ran into storms, losing supplies and forcing them back.
• Luck/weather:

  > After Drake had successfully pushed the Spanish out of their tight crescent formation, strong winds pushed the scattered Spanish fleet to Gravelines.