The invincible armada was a large military flotilla created in Spain. She numbered about 130 ships. The flotilla was compiled in 1586-1588. Let us further consider in which year the invincible armada was defeated. More on this later in the article.
goal
Before telling why and when the defeat of the Invincible Armada happened, the situation that was happening at that time should be described. For decades, English privateers drowned and plundered Spanish ships. This caused tremendous losses to the country. So, for 1582, Spain suffered losses amounting to more than 1,900,000 ducats. Another reason why the decision was made to create a flotilla was the support of the Dutch uprising by Elizabeth I , the Queen of England. Philip II - the monarch of Spain - considered it his duty to help the English Catholics who fought against the Protestants. In this regard, almost 180 clergymen were present on the ships of the flotilla. Moreover, during the recruitment, every sailor and soldier was required to confess and receive communion. For their part, the rebellious British hoped for victory. They hoped that they could destroy the Spanish monopoly trade with the New World, as well as spread the Protestant ideas in Europe. Thus, both parties had their own interest in this event.
Camping plan
The king of Spain ordered the flotilla to approach the English Channel. There she was to unite with the 30,000th army of the Duke of Parma. The troops were located in Flanders. Together, they had to go through the English Channel to the county of Essex. After that, a march to London was supposed. The Spanish king hoped that the Catholics would leave Elizabeth and join him. However, this plan was not fully thought out. In it, in particular, the shallow water was not taken into account, which did not allow the ships to approach the shore in order to take on board the army of the duke. In addition, the Spaniards did not take into account the power of the fleet of England. And, of course, Philip could not even imagine that the defeat of the Invincible Armada would happen.
Command
The head of the Armada was appointed Alvaro de Bazan. He was rightly considered the best Spanish admiral. He was the initiator and organizer of the flotilla. As contemporaries later said, if he had been navigating ships, the invincible armada would hardly have been defeated. The year 1588, however, was the last in the life of an admiral. He died in the 63rd year, before the flotilla entered the sea. Instead, Alonso Perez de Guzmán was appointed. He was not an experienced navigator, but was distinguished by excellent organizational skills. They allowed him to quickly find a common language with experienced captains. Thanks to their joint efforts, a powerful fleet was created, which was equipped with provisions and equipped with everything necessary. In addition, the command staff has developed a system of signals, orders and battle order, common for the entire multinational army.
Organization Features
The Armada included about 130 ships, 30.5 thousand people, 2,430 guns. The main forces were divided into six squadrons:
- "Castile".
- "Portugal".
- "Bizkaia".
- Gipuzkoa.
- "Andalusia".
- "Levant".
The Armada also included four Neapolitan galleas and the same number of Portuguese galleys. In addition, the flotilla included a large number of reconnaissance vessels for messenger service and supplies. Food supplies included millions of biscuits, 400 thousand pounds of rice, 600 thousand pounds of corned beef and salted fish, 40 thousand gallons of butter, 14 thousand barrels of wine, 6 thousand bags of beans, 300 thousand pounds of cheese. Of the ammunition on the ships there were 124 thousand cores, 500 thousand powder charges.
The beginning of the campaign
The flotilla left the Lisbon harbor on May 29, 1588. However, on the way it was overtaken by a storm that drove the ships to La Coruña, a port in northwestern Spain. There, sailors had to repair ships and replenish food supplies. The flotilla commander was concerned about the shortage of provisions and the illnesses of his sailors. In this regard, he openly wrote to Philip that he doubted the success of the campaign. However, the monarch insisted that the admiral follow the given course and not deviate from the plan. Two months after parking in the Lisbon harbor, the flotilla reached the English Channel.
Failed meeting with the Duke of Parma
The admiral of the flotilla strictly followed the orders of Philip and sent ships to the shore to receive troops. Waiting for a response from the duke, the commander of Armada ordered to anchor at Calais. This situation was very vulnerable, which was in the hands of the British. On the same night, they sent 8 set fire ships with explosives and combustible materials to the Spanish ships. Most captains began to cut the ropes and frantically tried to escape. Subsequently, a strong wind and a powerful current carried the Spaniards to the north. They could not return back to the Duke of Parma. The next day a decisive battle took place.
Place and date of the defeat of the Invincible Armada
The flotilla was defeated by Anglo-Dutch maneuvering light ships. They were commanded by C. Howard. In the English Channel, there were several fighting clashes that ended the Battle of Graveline. So, in what year was the defeat of the Invincible Armada? The flotilla did not last long. She was defeated in the same year in which the campaign began - in 1588. Battles at sea lasted two weeks. The Spanish flotilla failed to regroup. Collisions with enemy ships took place in extremely difficult conditions. Great difficulties were created by a constantly changing wind. The main skirmishes occurred at Portland Bill, Start Point, Isle of Wight. During the battles, the Spaniards lost about 7 ships. The final defeat of the Invincible Armada took place at Calais. Refusing further invasion, the admiral led the ships north, across the Atlantic, along the west coast of Ireland. At the same time, enemy ships followed her at a small distance, moving along the eastern coast of England.
Return to Spain
It was very difficult. After the battles, many ships were badly damaged and barely kept afloat. Near the northwestern coast of Ireland, the flotilla fell into a two-week storm. Many ships during it crashed onto rocks or went missing. In the end, on September 23, the first ships, after long wanderings, reached the north of Spain. Only 60 ships managed to return home. Human casualties were estimated from 1/3 to 3/4 of the crew. A huge number of people died from wounds and diseases, many drowned. Even those who managed to return home almost died of starvation, since all food supplies were depleted. One of the ships ran aground in Laredo, because the sailors did not even have the strength to lower the sails and anchor.
Value
Great losses brought Spain the defeat of the Invincible Armada. The date when this event occurred will forever remain in the history of the country as one of the most tragic. However, the defeat did not lead to the immediate fall of Spanish power at sea. The 90s of the 16th century are generally characterized by fairly successful campaigns. So, the British attempt to invade the Spanish waters with their Armada ended in a crushing defeat. The battle took place in 1589. After 2 years, Spanish ships defeated the British in the Atlantic Ocean in several battles. All these victories, however, could not compensate for the losses that the country brought the defeat of the Invincible Armada. Spain has learned an extremely important lesson for itself from this unsuccessful campaign. Subsequently, the country abandoned the clumsy and heavy ships in favor of lighter ships equipped with long-range weapons.
Conclusion
The defeat of the Invincible Armada (1588) buried all hope for the restoration of Catholicism in England. The involvement of this country to one degree or another in the foreign policy of Spain was also out of the question. This, in fact, meant that Philippe's position in the Netherlands would deteriorate sharply. As for England, for her the defeat of the Spanish flotilla was the first step towards gaining dominance at sea. For Protestants, this event put an end to the expansion of the Habsburg empire and the widespread spread of Catholicism. In their eyes, it was a manifestation of God's will. Many people who lived in Protestant Europe at that time believed that only heavenly intervention helped to cope with the flotilla, which, as one of his contemporaries said, was difficult to carry in the wind, and the ocean groaned under its weight.