6 - The Spanish Armada

• Armada

  Large fleet of ships
• Calais


  Place on the French coastline where Spanish armada anchored
• Crescent


  Formation of Spanish fleet
• Fireships


  Tactic used by the English
• Netherlands


  Country at war with Spain
• Pirates

  English thieves 'Sea-Dogs'/Privateers
• Spanish Main


  Place in South America where Spain had established a trading colony
• Weather


  One of the reasons for the failure of the armada
• Spain (Catholic)

  In 1558 - Catholic country. Powerful. Friends with England.

  In 1603 - War between England and Spain ongoing (1585 – 1604)
• Ireland (Mainly Catholic)

  In 1558 - Elizabeth claimed rule but only a small area. Mainly a Catholic country. Hostile to England.

  In 1603 - Following rebellion and unrest from 1594, England had regained control by 1603. English settlers controlled parts but hated by Irish Catholics.
• France (Catholic)

  In 1558 - Allied to Scotland. At war with England.

  In 1603 - During the Civil War between Catholics and Protestants. Elizabeth sent her army to support Protestants.
• Scotland (Catholic)

  In 1558: Allied to France – Mary Queen of Scots married to French prince.

  Hostile.

  In 1603 - Victory against Scotland and their French allies in 1560. Threat from Mary Queen of Scots controlled. Scotland friendly Protestant country in 1603.
• Netherlands (Protestantism growing)


  In 1558 - Ruled by Spain

  In 1603 - Elizabeth first sent financial help then army to support Dutch

  Protestants. Spain facing defeat in Holland by 1603.
• Trade, Voyages, Colonies

  In 1558 - Limited

  In 1603 - More voyages, improved trade with new colonies.
• Piracy:

  English piracy was a cause in the deterioration of the relationship. Drake

  regularly attacked Spanish ships and stole their treasure. Elizabeth knighted him instead of punishing him which angered Philip.
• Execution of Mary Queen of Scots:


  Spain became increasingly implicated in plots to overthrow Elizabeth, The relationship between the two deteriorated. The expulsion of Spanish Ambassadors de Spes and de Mendoza made it worse. Both Elizabeth and Philip believed in the Divine Right of Kings, therefore executing

  MQS was seen as an act which should be punished and Philip believed he had to set about a holy crusade against Elizabeth.
• Religious Conflict:


  In the early stages, the Religious Settlement of 1559 was not challenged because they wanted to maintain a positive trading relationship with England. Philip also hoped that it would not be permanent. As the early

  toleration changed and particularly after Elizabeth’s excommunication Philip began to see her as the devil and that it was his duty to convert England back to Catholicism.
• Trading Rivalry:


  English involvement in establishing trade links in the New World (Spanish

  main) was seen as a threat and seriously damaged Spain’s economic power.
• War in the Netherlands:

  The Treaty of Nonsuch led to Elizabeth agreeing to supply Dutch

  rebels with a small military force in their fight against the Spanish. Spain

  saw this as an act of aggression and undeclared war.
• War in the Netherlands:


  • Spain controlled the Netherlands

  • 1566 Dutch Protestants rebelled against Spanish rule

  • King Philip of Spain sent the Duke of Alba with 10,000 men to stop the rebellion

  • Over 1,000 Dutch rebels were brutally burnt to death.

  • Elizabeth supplied the rebels with money and weapons
• War in the Netherlands:

  • 1575 there was a second rebellion which, by 1579 had split the country

  in half. The Northern half was led by William of Orange and rejected

  Spanish rule. The Southern half formed the Union of Arras and made

  peace with Spain.

  • The Duke of Parma was sent to stop the second rebellion.

  • 1584 William of Orange was assassinated
• War in the Netherlands:


  • 1585 Elizabeth signed the Treaty of Nonsuch with Dutch rebels. She

  promised protection for the Protestant rebels and sent the Earl of

  Leicester with an army of 5,000 to support their campaign against Spain.

  • Philip of Spain was extremely angry.

  • England and Spain were now unofficially at war.
• Spain Preparation for the Spanish Armada:

  • Phillip ignored his commanders advice that they should delay the launch of the armada.

  • The leader of the armada, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, was unqualified,

  hated sailing and got very seasick. The Duke requested to be replaced,

  but Phillip ignored him.
• Spain Preparation for the Spanish Armada:


  • Spain had 30,000 men; 8000 sailors, 19000 troops, 3000 servants, 180

  friars and priests.

  • Spain had 64 battle ships and a large supply of food and drink.

  • The Spanish planned to defeat the English in the English Channel, land in Margate in Kent, and travel up the Thames to London. English Catholics would help with the invasion.
• England Preparation for the Spanish Armada:

  • The English Navy was commanded by Lord Charles Howard, the Duke of Effingham

  • They had 20,000 men, 200 ship; 54 battle ships, 140 merchant ship. The

  English ships were light and fast moving.

  • England would be warned of an invasion by warning beacons being lit across the boats, and bells would be rung to warn people.

  • The plan was for the land force to be split into three; one in the North of

  England, one in Kent and one in Tilsbury, Essex, to guard the coast of

  England
• 12 July 1588


  The 130 ships of the Spanish Armada set sail from Corunna in Northern Spain under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia
• 19 July 1588


  The English saw the Armada sailing in a crescent formation off the coast of Plymouth.
• July 1588


  English ships chased the Spanish up the English Channel, there were several battles
• 27th July 1588


  The Spanish Armada anchored near Calais. The English navy sent 8 burning fireships, their ships coated in tar and guns primed to explode when the fire reached them, towards the Armada.

  The Armada captains panicked and sailed away. The fire ships did not actually damage the Spanish ships.
• 28 July 1588


  The English and Spanish ships engaged in a fierce battle near Gravelines. Spanish ships sailed close in an attempt to board
• 30th July, 1588


  The Armada tried to sail back to Spain by going north via the North Sea and around Scotland. The Spanish soldiers were left in the Netherlands
• August 1588


  Many Spanish ships were wrecked by storms along the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.
• September 1588


  Only about 65 of the 130 warships of the Spanish Armada returned to Spain.
• English Success:

  • High confidence following Elizabeth’s speech

  • Use of fire ships to break up the armada

  • Duke of Parma did not turn up on time

  • English ships had long cannons

  • English ships were smaller and faster
• Spanish Weakness:

  • Sailors became ill

  • No accurate maps

  • Lack of food and water

  • Duke of Parma didn’t turn up on time

  • Spanish Commander inexperienced

  • Confidence was low – ships outgunned.

  • Cannons didn’t work

  • Wind blew the Spanish troops off course

  • Spanish Crescent formation was broken by the English
• Success of the defeat of the Spanish Armada for Elizabeth:

  • Elizabeth remained Queen of England

  • There were no further Catholic plots or rebellions

  • There were great celebrations

  • The country remained Protestant

  • English Catholics had not supported Spain
• Limitations of the defeat of the Spanish Armada for Elizabeth:


  • There was still a risk of invasion, and Philip built a new armada of 100

  ships and tried to do it again

  • English sailors continued to attack Spanish treasure ships

  • The English continued to support Dutch Protestants against Spain

  • There was still a successful Spanish army in the Netherlands, not far

  from England