Reasons for the English victory

• The Spanish Armada was defeated for a number of reasons
• What happened to the Armada of 1588?

  1. 29 July-the Armada is spotted in the English Channel

  2. 31 July-Battle of Plymouth. Two Spanish ships are captured

  3. 3-4 August-Battle of the Isle of Wight. Spanish ships are outgunned by the English and forced to move further up the channel towards Calais

  4. 8 August Battle of Gravelines. Fireships cause the Spanish to panic

  5. The Spanish fleet never links up with the Duke of Parma and is scattered
• There was no communication between the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Medina Sidonia
• The Dutch rebels still possessed Ostend, so the Spanish Armada could not stop at any ports in the Netherlands, but had to rendezvous with the Duke of Parma's army at sea after it had embarked on a series of smaller ships. This made communications very difficult
• Spanish ships lacked supplies and provisions, including food, for a long voyage
• The Spanish fleet was at sea for 10 weeks and by early August the food had rotted. This damaged Spanish morale and their ability to join the English
• English ships


  • Better armed and equipped
  • Cannons were mounted on smaller gun carriages than Spanish ships, allowing them to be reloaded and fired more quickly
• The key turning point seems to have been the Battle of Gravelines, where the English used fireships. Many Spanish captains panicked, cut their anchors and allowed their ships to drift into the North Sea
• English tactics


  • Got close enough to the Spanish ships to fire on them, but stayed far away enough to prevent Spanish sailors and soldiers from boarding
  • Drake's use of fireships at the Battle of Gravelines was also important as it caused the Spanish to panic
• Gale force winds caused most of the destruction to the Spanish ships as they retreated home. Many Spanish ships were destroyed off the west of Ireland