The Invincible Armada was a large military fleet created in Spain. It consisted of about 130 ships. The flotilla was composed in 1586-1588. Let us consider further in what year the defeat of the Invincible Armada took place. More on this later in the article.
Target
Before telling why and when the defeat of the Invincible Armada happened, it is necessary to describe the situation that took place at that time. For decades, English privateers sank and robbed Spanish ships. This brought enormous losses to the country. So, for the 1582nd Spain suffered losses in the amount of more than 1,900,000 ducats. Another reason why the decision to create a flotilla was made was the support of the Dutch uprising by Elizabeth the First, 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 clerics were present on the ships of the flotilla. Moreover, during recruitment, every sailor and soldier had to confess and take communion. For their part, the rebellious Britishhoped to win. They hoped that they could destroy the Spanish monopoly trade with the New World, as well as spread Protestant ideas in Europe. Thus, both sides had their own interest in this event.
Travel 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 were to cross the English Channel to Essex. After that, a march on London was supposed. The Spanish king expected the Catholics to leave Elizabeth and join him. However, this plan was not fully thought out. In particular, it did not take into account the shallow water, which did not allow ships to approach the coast to take on board the duke's army. In addition, the Spaniards did not take into account the power of the English fleet. And, of course, Philip could not even imagine that the defeat of the Invincible Armada would happen.
Command
Alvaro de Bazan was appointed leader of the Armada. He was rightfully considered the best Spanish admiral. It was he who was the initiator and organizer of the flotilla. As contemporaries later said, if he had led the ships, then the defeat of the Invincible Armada would hardly have happened. The year 1588, however, was the last for the admiral in his life. He died in the 63rd year, before the flotilla went to sea. Alonso Pérez de Guzman was appointed instead. He was not an experienced navigator, but he had excellent organizational skills. They let himquickly find a common language with experienced captains. Thanks to their joint efforts, a powerful fleet was created, which was supplied with provisions and equipped with everything necessary. In addition, the commanding staff developed a system of signals, orders and battle order, the same for the entire multinational army.
Features of the organization
The Armada had about 130 ships, 30.5 thousand people, 2430 guns. The main forces were divided into six squadrons:
- "Castile".
- "Portugal".
- "Biscay".
- "Gipuzkoa".
- "Andalusia".
- "Levant".
The Armada also included four Neapolitan galleasses and the same number of Portuguese galleys. In addition, the flotilla included a large number of reconnaissance vessels, for messenger service and with supplies. Food stocks included millions of biscuits, 400,000 pounds of rice, 600,000 pounds of corned beef and s alted fish, 40,000 gallons of butter, 14,000 barrels of wine, 6,000 bags of beans, 300,000 pounds of cheese. Of the ammunition on the ships, there were 124 thousand cores, 500 thousand powder charges.
Start hike
The flotilla left the harbor of Lisbon on May 29, 1588. However, on the way she was overtaken by a storm, which drove the ships to La Coruña, a port in northwestern Spain. There, the sailors had to repair ships and replenish food supplies. The commander of the flotilla was concerned about the shortage of provisions and the illness of his sailors. In this regard, hefrankly wrote to Philip that he doubted the success of the campaign. However, the monarch insisted that the admiral follow the set course and not deviate from the plan. Two months later, after anchoring in Lisbon harbor, the flotilla reached the English Channel.
The failed meeting with the Duke of Parma
The admiral of the flotilla clearly followed Philip's order and sent the ships to the shore to receive the troops. While waiting for a response from the duke, the commander of the Armada ordered to anchor off Calais. This position was very vulnerable, which played into the hands of the British. On the same night, they sent 8 ships set on fire with explosives and combustible materials to the Spanish ships. Most of the 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 to the Duke of Parma. The decisive battle took place the next day.
Place and date of the defeat of the Invincible Armada
The flotilla was defeated by the Anglo-Dutch maneuverable light ships. They were commanded by Ch. Howard. Several clashes took place in the English Channel, which ended the Battle of Gravelines. So, in what year was the defeat of the Invincible Armada? The fleet did not last long. She was defeated in the same year in which the campaign began - in 1588. The battles at sea continued for two weeks. The Spanish flotilla failed to regroup. Collisions with enemy ships took place in extremelydifficult conditions. Great difficulties were created by the constantly changing wind. The main skirmishes took place 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. Abandoning further invasion, the admiral led the ships north across the Atlantic, along the western coast of Ireland. At the same time, enemy ships followed her at a short 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. Off the northwest coast of Ireland, the flotilla was caught in a two-week storm. Many ships crashed on the rocks during it 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 losses were estimated from 1/3 to 3/4 of the number of crews. A huge number of people died from wounds and diseases, many drowned. Even those who managed to return home practically starved to death, as 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.
Meaning
The defeat of the Invincible Armada brought Spain heavy losses. The date when this event happened will forever remain in the history of the country as oneof the most tragic However, the defeat did not lead to an immediate decline in Spanish power at sea. The 90s of the 16th century are generally characterized by fairly successful campaigns. So, the attempt of the British 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 defeat of the Invincible Armada brought to the country. Spain learned an extremely important lesson for itself from this unsuccessful campaign. Subsequently, the country abandoned 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 Philip'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 marked the end of 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 living 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 hard for the wind to carry, and the ocean groaned under its weight.
