spanish armada 1588

• • duke of medina led it
  • 30,000 men
  • 130 ships
  • 2431 guns
  • plan - sail along channel, join duke of parma, restore catholicism
• causes

  • religious conflict - plots and papal bull failed to restore catholicism
  • england would be a good addition to the spanish empire
  • treaty of nonsuch 1585 put them at war so invasion was justified
  • drakes action threatened spanishs trade
• reasons for english victory

  • English tactics - stayed out of fire range, used fireships
  • english ships - galleons had better guns, fast
  • weather - winds forced spain to retreat
  • communication- no coms between duke of medina and parma, had no deep water ports so had to use smaller ships
  • spanish supplies - provisions stored in inferior wood, at sea for 10 weeks
• result

  • Showed power of english navy
  • Protestantism grew as god blew and they were scattered
  • elizabths authority increased