What was the armada 1588

The series of battles that unfolds with these seven maps is considered one of the most important campaigns in naval history; a campaign that ended with the defeat of the powerful Spanish Armada in Cartographer Robert Adams created these maps for a book chronicling the famed naval campaign.

The massive galleons of the Spanish Armada were virtual floating fortresses, but these square-rigged vessels could only sail with the wind at their back. The English had recently developed smaller ships that could sail closer to the wind i. These much more maneuverable English ships became an essential element of the confrontation. As you watch the battle unfold across these historical maps, note that wind direction is included on each map.

The Spanish Armada left Lisbon for England in May after years of preparation with vessels, more than 20, troops, sailors, and guns. They traveled—with good winds—an average of 2. The fleet was under the command of the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, a well-respected nobleman with no military training.

The galleys were not designed for rough seas of the north and three of the four galleys perished on the French coast after a squall en route to England. The Armada also had four hybrid ships called galeases with both masts and oars, designed to have the strength of the galleons, but maneuverability of the galleys. Close inspection of the maps shows these galeases in the Armada formation. Meanwhile, all English ships had been gathered—both military and armed merchant ships.

A hundred of these vessels were at Plymouth and the other hundred were helping the Dutch blockade Flemish ports where the Duke of Parma and his contingent of the Spanish army were located. Many of the English ships were the new form of fast ship that could sail close to the wind with increased maneuverability. In , Philip's Armada finally set sail.

When the Armada anchored at Calais, the English used fireships to scatter the Spanish fleet and then attack it at the Battle of Gravelines in July The Armada was forced to abandon its invasion attempt and was destroyed by storms, which Philip I called the Protestant Wind , whilst trying to sail home round the north of Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth had a portrait painted to publicise her 'famous victory'. The conflict with the Spanish Armada represented the height of the long struggle between Protestant England and Catholic Spain. The rivalry between Spain and England grew throughout the late sixteenth century. England meanwhile, led by Queen Elizabeth I, readied a counterforce of vessels, 16, men, and 2, guns. The Spanish fleet entered the English Channel on July 30, and the two sides engaged in skirmishes for the next few days as the Spanish moved north.

On August 8, the fighting culminated in the Battle of Gravelines, in which the English navy decisively defeated the Armada. What remained of the badly damaged Spanish fleet returned to Spain by sailing up through the North Sea, around the British Isles, and into the Atlantic.