Spanish Armada Attack (1588) Timeline

• 28th May - Armada leaves Lisbon

  21st June – Sets sail for England in crescent formation, designed for maximum strength
• 29th July – Fleet spotted sailing by Cornwall, beacons are lit to alert London

  31st July to 4th August – Fleet attacked by the English navy, little damage done

  6th August – Arrives at Calais and drops anchor, the Spanish soldiers weren’t there though
• 7th August – An attack led by Francis Drake used fireships to attack the Spanish

  8th August – Battle of Gravelines, Spanish poorly prepared and took large
• Route home blocked so the Armada sailed to the North Sea to go around Scotland

  Reached the coast of Scotland and Ireland, battered by storms

  Returned to Spain with only 65 ships, Philip was humiliated