Battle of Gravelines: England vs. Invincible Armada. Why the Spanish armada perished The defeat of the invincible armada 1588

In the summer of 1588, war was brewing in Europe. A poor faraway country had incurred the wrath of the greatest empire in the world, and the instrument of vengeance was already on its way. Spanish Armada went to sea, and the goal of this greatest fleet of all times and peoples was to invade England. Few believed that the armada could be defeated, but its defeat was complete and final. Until today, historians have been worried about the answer to the question hidden on the seabed - what natural phenomenon sank the Spanish Armada?

Defeat in Britain Spanish armada considered one of the greatest victories of the British Navy. It was a battle between David and Goliath and the British won against all odds. The powerful Spanish galleons were defeated by skilled English sailors, and the Spanish fleet was forced to leave the shores of England due to a change in weather. So the legends say, but what is the truth.

Spain was the most powerful power in the era of Elizabeth. During the reign of King Philip II, the country was enriched by the South American colonies, from where it exported a lot of silver and gold.

King Philip II, Queen Elizabeth

England had long annoyed King Philip II. An impoverished barbarian state full of Puritan Protestants, as he said. Elizabeth encouraged adventurers like Francis Drake to attack Spanish ships carrying treasure from the colonies. It was a risky game. For 20 years, the queen provoked Spain, and relations between the two countries experienced ups and downs. The execution of Mary, the Catholic Queen of Scotland, was the last straw in the Spanish cup of patience.

Not far from Madrid, in his palace, Philip had long been preparing for an invasion of the British Isles. According to his plan, as many as two armies were to fall on Great Britain. One of them was supposed to enter the English Channel on the ships of the armada, the other was waiting for the fleet in the Spanish Netherlands. After the unification, both armies were to land on the British Isles in the Kent region and march towards London. Elizabeth knew about the plans of Spain, but could not stop them. Philip had two regular armies, she had none, and the people's militia could hardly offer worthy resistance to the well-trained Spanish troops. The only defense of the country was the ships of the royal fleet, but whether they could win - no one knew.

In the history of England, the era of Elizabeth was marked as the time of the creation of ships of a new generation. It was a real revolution in the field of shipbuilding. The changes affected not only the design of the ships, but the whole. And all these latest achievements were reflected in the ships that opposed the armada.

British new generation sailing ship

Undoubtedly, the design of English sailing ships has undergone major changes. The new generation of ships had a more streamlined shape, and were also faster. In addition to this change, the sailing armament also underwent a change, which now withstood much greater loads than before. As a result, new generation ships were much more manoeuvrable.

July 29, 1588 watching armada, entering the English Channel, the British for the first time realized the true size and power of the Spanish invasion. At that time, more and more signal beacons were lit on the coast. The English in Plymouth anxiously awaited further action, for there had been nothing like it since Roman times. However, in the era of sailboats, both sides were at the mercy of nature.

On the day when spanish armada entered the English Channel, it seemed that they were lucky. A high pressure area had formed in the northwest and a clockwise wind was blowing from the west. Everything seemed to favor Spain. The armada was on the high seas, and a fair wind filled the sails of their galleons.

The Spanish Armada consisted of more than 160 ships

The English ships anchored in Plymouth proved to be an immovable target. It was a dramatic moment. The Spanish fleet of 160-odd ships was approaching the coast of Britain, but Sir Francis Drake declared that he would have time to deal with the enemy after he had finished the game of bowls. But why was Drake inactive. After analyzing the tide map of that July day, oceanographers believe that he had a choice - because of the high tide, which began around 09:00, he simply could not bring his own into the English Channel.

The English fleet was defenseless, but the Spaniards did not attack it. The commander of the Spanish armada, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, was ordered to strictly adhere to the plan developed by the king of Spain himself.

In other words, he simply missed the opportunity to pulverize the British fleet. This opportunity was not slow to take advantage of the British, who went to sea with a change in the tide. Positioned downwind, the Spaniards were confident in their strength, but they soon became disconcerted at the sight of the maneuverability of the English ships, it turned out that the English ships were capable of steeper gybes. Soon they were horrified to find the English fleet behind them. Unexpectedly for the Spaniards, the British took all the strategic advantageous positions.

Spanish galleon of the time

The British avoided the center for fear of being trapped between the Spanish galleons. However, they had a secret weapon with which they could sink the enemy fleet from a distance. This new weapon was a long-barreled cannon, which was called "kulivrina", which means a snake. The British considered her a ship killer. This gun had an unusually long and narrow barrel for its caliber (about 14 cm). The British believed that the longer barrel of the gun would allow them to maximize the use of their powder charge as well as more accurate aimed fire. The range of a direct shot was more than 600 meters with zero vertical guidance. But most of all, the Spaniards were afraid of the accuracy of the "kulivrina". Even King Philip II warned his ship commanders that the British would shoot low in an attempt to damage the hull of the Spanish ships.

However, for 6 days of naval battle, the British failed to defeat the enemy with the power of their weapons. The British gunners lacked accuracy. In addition, their long-range guns ate too much precious gunpowder.

However, under a barrage of fire, the Spaniards had no choice but to go to the open sea, because while at anchor, they were very vulnerable. In addition, the weather began to change not in favor of Spanish armada. The northwest wind was getting stronger and stronger. But not only the wind interfered with the Spanish galleons - and the high tide did not allow the ships to go out to sea. In the evening, the speed of the current of the tide reached 5 km/h. As a result, the Spanish sailing ships were pressed ashore at the mercy of the wind, the tide and the British.

The British also had a plan for which they were ready to sacrifice several ships. They loaded pitch on board the ships and set them on fire, sending them along with the tide towards the Spanish armada. As a result, the battle formation was opened, and Spanish ships turned into easy targets. For the first time, the British managed to get close to the enemy. Only after the British opened fire at close range did the Spanish ships begin to suffer serious damage and losses.

The English guns, which proved to be ineffective at long distances, turned into a formidable weapon in a direct collision with the enemy. Cannonballs swept away everything in their path. The chips dug into soft tissues, injuring and maiming sailors and soldiers. Equipment and rigging were brought into complete disrepair. Every moment the position of the Spaniards became worse and worse. But even with intense shelling, the British had difficulty sinking the Spanish ships.

collapse of the Spanish Armada

The Spaniards were battered but not defeated. The British ships were in better condition, but they ran out of ammunition. It was a draw as neither side achieved the desired result. But the decisive blow was struck not by the British, but ... by the weather. The wind blowing from the coast threatened to throw the armada on the coast of Holland, but suddenly it changed direction and carried the armada out to sea. The Spaniards had one explanation for this phenomenon - divine intervention. A favorable wind allowed the armada to sail into the North Sea. Once there, driven by a fair wind, the Spanish ships could no longer return. The Spaniards had to reconsider their plans. Now the task of the fleet was to arrive safely in Spain, rounding the British Isles from the north. But even on this path, danger awaited the armada.

Spanish Armada movement pattern

In fact, the Spanish Armada, under the influence of the Gulf Stream, blocking the path to the south, was losing 40 km a day. During the 9 days of travel, the Spanish captains felt that they could safely turn south to Spain. In fact spanish armada was much to the east, so this maneuver proved fatal. Despite desperate attempts to avoid a collision, several ships were thrown onto a hostile coast - the rocky shores of Ireland. It is not known how many ships were lost, but almost half of the ships that proudly sailed from the coast of Spain never returned home.

Portrait of Alonso Perez De Guzman. Unknown artist.

Invincible Armada (Spanish) Armada Invencible) or the Great and Glorious Armada (Spanish. Grande y Felicisima Armada) - a large navy (about 130 ships), assembled by Spain in 1586-1588 for the invasion of England during the Anglo-Spanish War (1587-1604). The campaign of the Armada took place in May-September 1588 under the leadership of Alonso Pérez de Guzman, Duke of Medina Sidonia.

Prerequisites for the creation of the Invincible Armada

For decades, English privateers plundered Spanish ships bound for the American colonies. So, only in 1582, due to the actions of the privateers of Elizabeth I, the Spanish treasury lost more than 1,900,000 gold ducats, which at that time was a fabulous amount. Also, a significant role was played by the fact that Elizabeth I supported the uprising of the Dutch against the Spanish authorities. Another important reason for the creation of the Armada is the religious differences between the traditionally Catholic Spain and the Protestant England.

Campaign Plan of the Armada

The Spanish King Philip II counted on the unification of the Armada and the 30,000th army of the Duke of Parma in the English Channel, off the coast of Flanders. Then the combined forces were to land in the English county of Essex, and then march to London. The Spanish monarch was betting that the English Catholics would side with him. However, the Spanish monarch did not take into account two important factors: the power of the English fleet, and the shallow water off the coast of Flanders, which did not allow the Armada to take on board the army of the Duke of Parma.

Alvaro de Bazan, Marquis of Santa Cruz, who was rightfully considered the greatest Spanish admiral of his time, was to command the Armada. He was the author of the Armada concept, the first organizer of this campaign. According to contemporaries, if he had led the campaign, the outcome of the campaign could have been completely different. However, in February 1588, the 62-year-old admiral died. In his place, Philip II appointed Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia. The duke was not experienced in navigation, but he was an excellent organizer. With the help of experienced captains, he created a powerful fleet, supplied it with provisions and equipped it with everything necessary. The duke carefully developed a system of signals, commands and battle formation, uniting a multinational army, which included not only the Spaniards, but also Catholic volunteers from all over Europe.

Organization

The fleet included about 130 ships, 2,430 guns, 30,500 people, of which 18,973 soldiers, 8,050 sailors, 2,088 rowing slaves, 1,389 officers, nobles, priests and doctors. The main forces of the fleet were divided into 6 squadrons: "Portugal" (Alonso Perez de Guzman, Duke of Medina Sidonia), "Castile" (Diego Flores de Valdes), "Biscay" (Juan Martinez de Recaldo), "Gipuzkoa" (Miguel de Oquendo), Andalusia (Pedro de Valdes), Levant (Martin de Bertendon). The armada also included: 4 Neapolitan galleys - 635 people, 50 guns (Hugo de Moncada), 4 Portuguese galleys - 320 people, 20 guns, many light vessels for reconnaissance and messenger service (Antonio de Mendoza) and ships with supplies (Juan Gomez de Medina).

Food supplies included millions of biscuits, over 600,000 pounds of salted fish and corned beef, 400,000 pounds of rice, 300,000 pounds of cheese, 40,000 gallons of olive oil, 14,000 barrels of wine, 6,000 bags of beans. Ammunition: 500,000 rounds of gunpowder, 124,000 cores.

Course of events

On May 29, 1588, the Armada left the harbor of Lisbon. Because of the storm, the Armada was forced to anchor in the northern Spanish port of A Coruña. There, the Spaniards repaired ships and replenished supplies of provisions. Concerned about the lack of supplies and sickness among the sailors, the Duke of Medina Sidonia frankly wrote to the king that he doubted the success of the whole enterprise. But Philip insisted that his admiral stick to the plan. And now, only more than two months after leaving the Lisbon harbor, a huge and clumsy fleet finally reached the English Channel.

When the Armada approached the southwestern coast of England, the English fleet was already waiting for it. The parties had approximately the same number of ships, but the design of the ships of the British and Spaniards was very different from each other. The Spaniards had more massive and tall ships, which were well suited for boarding combat. The English ships, on the other hand, were more maneuverable due to their smaller size, had more long-range guns that were suitable for long-range combat.

On July 30, the Armada was within line of sight of the English coast, and the observation posts alerted the British headquarters. The first battle took place on the afternoon of July 31 on the Plymouth meridian. The Lord Admiral sent his personal pinnace to the vanguard of the Spanish Armada to challenge the Spanish flagship. "Flagship" was La Rata Santa Maria Encoronada, galleon Alonso de Levia. However, the first salvo was fired, and Medina Sidonia on San Martin raised the admiral's standard to avoid further errors.

Given the greater maneuverability and artillery power of the English fleet, the Spanish admiral, for better protection, arranged his fleet in the shape of a sickle, placing the most powerful warships with long-range guns on the edges. In addition, closer to the enemy, he put up a “vanguard” (actually a rearguard) of a dozen ships under the leadership of Admiral Recalde, who assigned the role of a “fire brigade”. From whichever side the enemy approached, this detachment could turn around and repel the attack. The rest of the fleet was required to keep the formation and not lose mutual support.

Taking advantage of the advantage in maneuverability, the British from the very beginning took the Armada to the wind. From this vantage point, the English fleet could attack or evade at will. With prevailing westerly winds, this meant that the British pursued the Armada as it moved up the English Channel, harassing it with attacks. However, the British failed to break the defensive formation of the Spanish fleet for a long time.

Throughout the English Channel, both fleets skirmished and fought several small battles. Plymouth was followed by clashes at Start Point (August 1), Portland Bill (August 2) and the Isle of Wight (August 3-4). The crescent-shaped defensive formation tactic paid off: the English fleet, even with the help of long-range weapons, did not manage to sink a single Spanish ship. However, the badly damaged galleon Nuestra Senora del Rosario fell out of action and was captured by Admiral Francis Drake on 1 August. Similarly, the Spaniards left the immobilized San Salvador, and by the evening of August 2 it was captured by Hawkins' squadron. The English captains decided at all costs to disrupt the enemy's battle order and get closer to him at a distance of a shot. They succeeded only on August 7 at Calais.

The Duke of Medina Sidonia did not evade the orders of command and sent the Armada towards the Duke of Parma and his troops. While waiting for a response from the Duke of Parma, Medina Sidonia ordered the fleet to anchor off Calais. Taking advantage of the vulnerable position of the anchored Spanish ships, the British sent eight fireships to the Spanish fleet at night - set fire to ships with combustible materials and explosives. Most of the Spanish captains cut anchors and frantically tried to get away from danger. Then a powerful wind and a strong current carried them north. They no longer had the opportunity to return to the place of meeting with the Duke of Parma.

The decisive battle took place in the early morning of the next day. The British managed to get close to the Spaniards and start direct fire. At least three ships of the Spanish fleet were sunk and many were damaged. Since they did not have enough ammunition, they were helpless in the face of the enemy.

Battle of the Armada with the English fleet. Unknown artist.

Due to the beginning of a strong storm, the English fleet suspended the attack. On the morning of the next day, the Armada, which was running out of ammunition, again lined up in the form of a sickle and prepared to fight. Before the British had time to open fire, a strong wind and sea current carried the Spanish ships to the sandy coast of the Dutch province of Zeeland. It seemed that disaster was inevitable. However, the wind changed direction and drove the Armada north, away from dangerous shores. The return to Calais was blocked by the British fleet, and the winds continued to carry the beaten Spanish ships in a northerly direction. The Duke of Medina Sidonia had no choice but to stop the campaign in order to save as many ships and people as possible. He decided to return to Spain in a roundabout way, rounding Scotland and Ireland.

Storms and crashes

The return of the Armada home was not easy, food was running out, there was a catastrophic lack of drinking water, many ships could barely keep afloat due to damage received during the battles. Off the northwestern coast of Ireland, the fleet fell into a severe two-week storm, during which many ships disappeared missing or crashed against the rocks.

As a result, on September 23, the ships of the Armada reached the Spanish port of Santander. Only a third of the ships returned home, the losses in people were estimated from 1/3 to 3/4 of the crew. Most of the losses were non-combat. Many sailors died already on the shore due to hunger, scurvy and other diseases.

Campaign results

Spain suffered heavy losses. However, this did not lead to the immediate collapse of Spanish maritime power: on the whole, the 90s of the 16th century passed under the sign of Spain's successful defense of seemingly shaken positions. An attempt by the British to organize a “symmetrical response” by sending their own “Armada” to the coast of Spain ended in a crushing defeat (1589), and two years later the Spanish fleet inflicted several defeats on the English in the Atlantic Ocean, although they did not compensate for the death of the Invincible Armada. The Spaniards learned from the failure of the Armada by abandoning heavy, lumbering ships in favor of lighter ships equipped with long-range guns.

In the summer of 1588, Spain built a huge fleet, called it the Invincible Armada, and sent it to the shores of England. The British let the armada go to the bottom, the Spanish hegemony in the world came to an end, and Britain began to be called the "mistress of the seas" ...
This is how this event is presented in historical literature. In fact, the defeat of the Invincible Armada is a historical myth...

The defeat of the Invincible Armada is a historical myth

Spain at that time, led by King Philip II, was a huge power, which included southern Italy, the Netherlands, parts of France, Portugal and vast territories in Africa, India, the Philippines, South and Central America.

King Philip II of Spain

It was said that "in the possessions of the Spanish king, the sun never sets." The population of Spain was over eight million people. Her army was considered the best in the world, the fleet was invincible. From Peru and Mexico there were ships loaded with gold, and from India - caravans with spices. And so England decided to tear off a piece of this "pie".

In 1498, Columbus already regarded England as a maritime power and proposed to King Henry VII to organize a western expedition in search of India. The king refused, and soon he had to regret his decision.

Following Columbus, the British sent their expedition to discover Newfoundland, but the furs and timber of North America did not inspire the British. Everyone wanted gold.

Robbery as a means of replenishing the treasury

Elizabeth I, who ascended the English throne in 1558, was left with an empty treasury and debts. And then she gave tacit permission to rob Spanish ships and settlements in the West Indies. Joint-stock companies were organized throughout England.

The shareholders equipped the ship, hired a team of thugs, and the ship set off. And all this time, Elizabeth I was engaged in, speaking in modern slang, racketeering, answering all the letters of “beloved brother Philip”: “The guilty will be found and punished!” - but did not find anyone and did not punish.

Sir Francis Drake - English navigator, corsair, vice admiral

In 1577, the queen decided to put the robbery of Spain on a state basis, equipping an expedition and sending it "to discover new lands." The expedition was led by Francis Drake, who had the fame of a highwayman.

Drake visited Spanish ports in Peru and brought back booty worth 500,000 pounds, which was one and a half times the country's annual income. Philip II demanded the extradition of a pirate - and Elizabeth I knighted Drake.

Philip's income was falling, and Elizabeth's was growing. In 1582 alone, Spain was robbed of 1,900,000 ducats by English privateers!

In addition, Elizabeth I supported the uprising of the Netherlands against Spanish rule, sending there in 1585 a military contingent of 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry.

Queen Elizabeth of Britain

Philip perceived Britain's interference in his affairs as a rebellion of vassals: after a four-year marriage with Queen Mary I of England (Elizabeth's elder sister), Philip could formally claim the throne of Foggy Albion.

The advisers whispered to the king that the oppressed Catholics in Protestant England would be happy to see a faithful minister of the Catholic Church on the throne.

At the head of the armada

The idea of ​​organizing a military expedition to conquer England was proposed to Philip in 1583 by the military admiral, the Marquis of Santa Cruz. The monarch liked the idea, and he appointed the marquis responsible for preparing the operation.

All this time, the British interfered with the preparation of the expedition: they intercepted and sank ships with cargo, organized sabotage actions.

Admiral Marquis of Santa Cruz.

In 1587, Drake raided the port of Cadiz, where he plundered and burned the food warehouses for the fleet under construction. For five years, Santa Cruz worked to fulfill the will of the king. In February 1588, the marquis died, and the armada was left without a commander.

The king appointed in place of the deceased marquis the Duke of Medina Sidonia, his cousin, a man not at all military.

The duke begged the king to cancel the appointments, but he was unshakable. The battle fleet was led by a man on whose military "successes" Cervantes exercised his wit.

Casus belli

The official reason for sending the squadron was the news received by the Spaniards of the execution in England of the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart. In fairness, it must be said that Mary was not an innocent victim. She was repeatedly at the center of conspiracies to overthrow and assassinate Elizabeth I.

In January 1587, another conspiracy was uncovered. Mary appeared before the court, letters incriminating her were presented, and Elizabeth "with tears in her eyes" signed the death warrant.

Mary Stuart goes to the scaffold. Her execution served as a formal pretext for the invasion.

The execution of the "righteous Catholic" caused a storm of indignation in Spain. Philip decided it was time to take decisive action. They urgently remembered the Catholics who were oppressed in England and who needed to be saved. On May 29, 1588, the sailors and officers of the squadron were absolved of their sins, and to the sound of bells, the Invincible Armada left Lisbon.

It was really an armada: more than 130 ships, half of them fighting, 2430 guns, about 19,000 soldiers, almost 1,400 officers, sailors, priests, doctors - a total of 30,500 people.

In addition, the Spaniards expected to reunite with the army of the Duke of Parma that fought in Flanders - another 30,000 people. The sailors were going to land in Essex and, relying on the support of local Catholics, move to London. The threat of invasion was more than real.

In England, having learned about the departure of the armada, they urgently began to form a militia and build new ships. By the summer, a fleet of 100 ships was ready. On July 29, the British saw the armada from the coast of Cornwall.

Naval battles

On July 31, the Spaniards suffered their first losses near Plymouth: the Rosario collided with the Santa Catalina and was left without a mast, and a fire broke out on the San Salvador. Medina Sidonia ordered the damaged ships to be abandoned. On August 1, the British captured them and celebrated their first victory.

The next four days were spent in skirmishes, during which neither side lost a single ship. On August 8, the two fleets met near Gravelines.

"Battle of the Invincible Armada with the English Fleet". Unknown British artist (16th century)

The battle was started by the British. Turning into battle formation, they opened artillery fire. The Spaniards responded sluggishly. Medina Sidonia had clear instructions from the king to avoid battle: the goal of the campaign was landing, not the destruction of the English fleet.

The battle lasted over nine hours. The British sent two ships to the bottom, four damaged Spanish ships ran aground, were abandoned by the crews and subsequently captured by the British and Dutch.

And although the British did not lose a single ship, the general opinion of the battle was expressed by one of the officers of the Royal Navy: "So much gunpowder wasted, and everything was wasted."

And then a strong wind arose and began to drive the armada away from the shore. Since there was no news from the Duke of Parma, Medina Sidonia decided to retreat and move north, intending to go around Scotland. When the armada left, the army of the Duke of Parma came ashore. She was just a few days late...

The way home

The return of the Spanish fleet was terrible. The ships needed repairs, there was not enough water and food, the sailors did not have maps of these areas. Off the northwestern coast of Ireland, the armada was caught in the worst two-week storm. This is where it was destroyed.

60 ships out of 130 and about 10,000 people returned to Spain. It was really a rout, only the British had nothing to do with it.

In 1588, the English honestly admitted: "The Lord saved England" - and did not ascribe too much to themselves. Recovering their breath and appreciating the gift, they began to urgently prepare a return visit and by 1589 equipped their armada of 150 ships.

The end of the English armada was the same as that of the Spanish, only this time there were no God's participation. The Spaniards, having learned the lesson of an unsuccessful campaign, instead of huge clumsy ships began to build small maneuverable ships and equipped them with long-range artillery.

The renewed Spanish fleet repulsed the British attack. And two years later, the Spaniards inflicted several serious defeats on the British. Indeed, Britain became the “mistress of the seas” only after 150 years.

Are historical myths necessary?

Every nation has its own historical myths. The French celebrate Bastille Day every year, although its storming is the same fairy tale as the storming of the Winter Palace by the Bolsheviks in 1917.

The British equate the battle of El Alamein with the Battle of Stalingrad, although in terms of scale it is like equating an elephant to a rabbit. Appropriate examples are simply needed to educate citizenship and patriotism. If there are none, they are invented.

And the Spanish landing in England did take place! In 1595, 400 former participants in the tragic campaign landed in Cornwall. The local militia fled. The foreigners were met by 12 soldiers led by the commander, they entered the battle and all died. The Spaniards celebrated a Catholic mass on the battlefield and promised that next time a temple would be laid on this site.

Klim PODKOVA

On August 8, 1588, during the Anglo-Spanish War (1586-1589), the British fleet dealt a strong blow to the Spanish "Invincible Armada" (originally it was called "La felicissima Armada" - "Happy Armada"). This event became the most famous episode of this war.

The reason for the war was the intervention of the British in the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain and the attacks of English sea robbers on Spanish possessions and ships, as a result of which Anglo-Spanish relations escalated to the limit. In addition, the Spanish ruler Philip II, while still heir to the throne, in 1554 married the British queen Mary the Bloody, when Mary died, he wished to marry her successor Elizabeth, but the latter skillfully rejected this claim.

Philip II.

Spain - the superpower of the time

Spain at that time was a real superpower, it had a huge colonial empire, a large fleet and a powerful, well-trained army. The Spanish infantry at that time was considered the best in the Christian world. The Spanish navy was more numerous and better equipped than the navies of other European nations. In addition to power over Spain, King Philip possessed the crowns of Naples and Sicily; he was also Duke of Milan, Franche-Comté (Burgundy) and the Netherlands. In Africa, Spain owned Tunisia, part of Algeria and the Canary Islands. In Asia, the Spaniards owned the Philippine and some other islands. The Spanish crown possessed the richest lands of the New World. The territories of Peru, Mexico, New Spain and Chile with their huge reserves of natural resources (including precious metals), Central America, Cuba and many other islands in the Caribbean were the possessions of the Spanish ruler.

Philip II, of course, experienced a feeling of annoyance and humiliation when he learned about the rebellion against his power in the rich possession of the Spanish crown - the Netherlands. The Spanish army was able to return the Southern Netherlands (Belgium) under the control of the Spanish throne, but the Northern provinces of the Netherlands (Holland), with the support of the British, continued the armed struggle against Spanish rule.

However, the damage that the Spanish state suffered by losing the Netherlands was more than compensated by the acquisition of Portugal, which was subjugated in 1581. At the same time, the Spanish crown received not only this ancient kingdom, but also its vast colonial possessions, all the fruits of the campaigns of Portuguese sailors. Spain gained control of all the Portuguese colonies in America, Africa, India and the East Indies. The Spain of Philip II became a real world empire. The brilliant victory at Lepanto (October 7, 1571), where the Spanish fleet, in alliance with other members of the Holy League, defeated the Turkish fleet, brought the Spanish sailors deserved fame and respect throughout the Christian world. The power of the Spanish Empire seemed unshakable.

But the glory and wealth of Spain irritated England, which was put on by the "behind the scenes" of that time. For a number of reasons, behind-the-scenes structures relied on Protestantism and England. Catholicism and its representative - Spain, were not suitable for the construction of the "New World Order". Its basis was to be the future British Empire. Therefore, England tried to find the weaknesses of Spain and deliver a decisive blow in order to crush her power and seize leadership in the world. The British supported the rebellious Netherlands, providing them with financial and military assistance. English "sea wolves" attacked Spanish possessions and ships, challenging the Spanish Empire. The British waged an information war against Spain and the Spanish king, inflicting personal insults on him. Ideas about "bad Spaniards" and "noble pirates" who challenged the "tyranny" of Spain began to take shape precisely in that era.

As a result, Philip decides to "pull out the thorn" and crush England. There was another factor that forced the Spanish king to move against England. He was a truly religious man and a fierce supporter of the eradication of heresy (various areas of Protestantism) and the restoration throughout Europe of the dominance of Catholicism and the power of the pope. In fact, it was a battle between the old "central command post" of Western Europe - Rome and the emerging new center of the future world order.

Philip II believed that his mission was the final eradication of Protestantism. The counter-reformation was gaining momentum. Protestantism was completely done away with in Italy and Spain. Belgium was again reduced to obedience in matters of religion, becoming one of the strongholds of Catholicism in Europe. It was possible to restore the power of the papal throne in half of the German territories. Catholicism survived in Poland. The Catholic League seemed to be gaining ground in France as well. Rome created a powerful and effective tool to combat Protestantism - the organization of the Jesuits and other religious orders. Rome supported the idea of ​​a campaign. Pope Sixtus V issued a bull, which was to be kept secret until the day of the landing, in which he again anathematized the English Queen Elizabeth, as Popes Pius V and Gregory XIII had done before, and called for her overthrow.

Preparing for a hike

Back in 1585, Spain began to prepare a large fleet, which they called the "Invincible Armada" for a campaign against England. "Armada" was supposed to land on the British Isles an expeditionary force from the army of the Dutch governor Alexander Farnese. Farnese troops, in order to prepare a base on the Dutch coast, besieged and captured the port of Sluys on August 5, 1587. But in the same year, 1587, an English squadron under the command of Admiral Francis Drake raided Cadiz and destroyed many ships and warehouses with military materials. This attack delayed the start of the campaign of the Spanish fleet to the shores of England.

In Flanders, work was underway on the construction of small flat-bottomed ships, on which they planned to transfer landing troops under the cover of the Armada ships to the mouth of the Thames. Gun carriages, fascines, various siege equipment, as well as materials necessary for building crossings, building camps for the landing army and erecting wooden fortifications were prepared. They dug a canal from Sas van Ghent to Bruges and deepened the Yperle fairway from Bruges to Newport so that ships approaching the coast would not come under fire from the Dutch fleet or the guns of the fortress of Vlissingen. Military forces were transferred from Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and Burgundy and volunteers came who wished to take part in the punitive expedition. The operation was financed by Spain and Rome. In the summer of 1587, an agreement was concluded according to which the pope was to contribute one million escudos to military expenses. This money was to be paid by Rome after the Spaniards took possession of the very first English port.

Farnese knew that the harbors of Dunkirk, Newport and Sluys, which were at the disposal of the Spanish authorities, were too shallow for large ships to enter and suggested that before sending the expedition to capture Vlissingen, which was more convenient for basing the fleet. But the Spanish king was in a hurry and did not accept this reasonable offer.

May 28, 1588. A few more minutes - and the ships of the Armada will leave the port of Lisbon to the sound of bells.

The campaign and its results

On May 20, 1588, the Spanish fleet of six squadrons (Portugal, Castile, Biscay, Gipuzkoa, Andalusia and Levant) put to sea from the mouth of the Tagus River. In total, the Armada had 75 military and 57 transport ships with 2431 guns, on board of which there were 8 thousand sailors, 2 thousand slave rowers, 19 thousand soldiers, 1 thousand officers, 300 priests and 85 doctors. In addition, in the Netherlands, the Farnese landing army was to join the fleet. The Spanish fleet was commanded by the most noble nobleman of Spain, Don Alonso Perez de Guzman el Bueno, Duke of Medina Sedonia, his deputy was the national hero and favorite of Philip II, the captain-general of the Milanese cavalry, Don Alonso Martinez de Leyva, the knight of Santiago. The Spanish fleet was to pass from Cadiz to Dunkirk and take on board the forces in the Netherlands. Further, the ships planned to enter the mouth of the river. Thames near London, land an expeditionary force and, with the support of the "fifth column" of the English Catholics, take the English capital by storm.

The British had about 200 smaller, but more maneuverable combat and merchant ships with a crew of 15,000. The fleet was commanded by Admirals Drake, Hawkins, Frobisher. The British command relied on the superiority of its long-range artillery and wanted to fight at a long distance, shooting enemy ships. The Spaniards, having superiority in the number of small guns, infantry and the power of the ships, which resembled small fortresses, wanted to engage in close combat.

The Spaniards were decidedly unlucky. Initially, going to sea had to be postponed for a year due to a sudden attack by English ships on Cadiz and other Spanish ports. When the Spanish fleet recovered from the first blow and reached the Dutch coast in May 1588, a severe storm hit the ships, and they were forced to call at La Coruña for repairs. The Duke of Medina Sidonia, concerned about the lack of food and illness among the sailors and soldiers, expressed doubts about the continuation of the campaign, but the king insisted on the further movement of the fleet. The fleet was able to go to sea only on July 26.

Staff officers suggested that the Duke of Medina make his way to enemy ports as soon as possible in order to destroy the English ships in the roadstead. However, the Spanish admiral rejected this proposal. For better protection, the Spaniards arranged their ships in a crescent, placing the most powerful ships with long-range artillery on the flanks, and transports in the center. This tactic was initially successful. In addition, the British ships were short of ammunition. July 30 - August 1, the Spaniards lost two ships: the Rosario collided with the Santa Catalina and lost the mast, the ship had to be abandoned. Then, on the "San Salvador", where the treasury of the "Armada" was located, for an unknown reason, a fire broke out. The surviving crew members and the treasury were removed, the ship was left.

On August 5, the fleet approached Calais and replenished water and food supplies. But further, towards Dunkirk, in order to connect with the forces of the Duke of Parma, the Spanish ships could not move: the Dutch removed all navigation signs and buoys east of Calais, just where the shoals and banks began. In addition, the Anglo-Dutch fleet cruised around Dunkirk to intercept the Farnese landing craft if necessary. As a result, the Armada was unable to connect with the landing army of the Duke of Parma.

Cross-section of an English warship of the time of Elizabeth I - a displacement of about 500 tons with 28 guns on board. Reconstruction in 1929.

On the night of August 7-8, the British sent eight fireships (vessels loaded with combustible or explosives) towards the closely huddled Spanish ships. This caused panic in the Spanish fleet, the order of battle was broken. Fireships did not harm the fleet, but some of the ships were damaged due to collisions with each other. However, the British were not able to use the good moment to the full, they did not have enough gunpowder and cores.

On August 8, the British fleet received reinforcements and ammunition and went on the attack. The battle took place between the Gravelines Bank and Ostend. The English ships came into close range and began to fire on the Spaniards, still dodging the boarding battle. Several Spanish ships were destroyed and damaged. The fighting stopped when the British ran out of ammunition. The Spaniards were also running out of ammunition. This battle cannot be called a great victory. The Spanish fleet retained its combat capability, its main problem was supply. And the British themselves did not feel like winners. They were waiting for the battle to continue.

The Spanish commanders realized that in the current situation they could not establish control over the strait and move to the mouth of the Thames. Therefore, the decision was made to retreat. Medina Sidonia sent the fleet north on August 9, intending to sail around Scotland and down south along the western coast of Ireland (the final decision to use this route was approved on August 13). The Spanish command did not dare to return back through the Strait of Dover, fearing new attacks by the British fleet. The British at this time were waiting for the return of the enemy fleet, or the appearance of the forces of the Duke of Parma.

Defeat of the Invincible Armada on August 8, 1588. Painting by the Anglo-French artist Philippe-Jacques (Philippe-James) de Loutherbourg (1796).

On August 21, Spanish ships entered the Atlantic Ocean. In late September - early October, the surviving ships reached the coast of Spain. About 60 ships and 10 thousand people returned. The rest of the ships were destroyed by storms and wrecks.

It was a serious defeat. However, it did not lead to the immediate collapse of Spanish power. An attempt by the British to send their Armada to the coast of Spain under the command of Drake and Sir John Norris also ended in a crushing defeat, then the British lost several more battles. The Spaniards quickly rebuilt their fleet to new standards: they began to make lighter ships armed with long-range guns. However, the failure of the Spanish fleet buried hopes for the restoration of Catholicism in England and the victory of the Roman throne in Europe. The position of the Spaniards in the Netherlands worsened. England took a step towards the future position of the "mistress of the seas" and the world superpower. It should be noted that the main reason for the future decline of Spain was not military defeats, but internal causes, in particular the financial and economic policy of the successors of Philip II.

The tragic route of the "Invincible Armada".

The Invincible Armada was a large military fleet created in Spain. It consisted of about 130 ships. The flotilla was composed in 1586-1588. 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 it was decided to create a flotilla was the support of the Dutch uprising - 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 British hoped for victory. 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.

Hike 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. And, of course, Philip could not even imagine that the defeat of the Invincible Armada would happen.

Command

Alvaro de Bazan was appointed head 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 allowed him to quickly 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.

Organization Features

The Armada included about 130 ships, 30.5 thousand people, 2,430 guns. The main forces were divided into six squadrons:

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 salted fish, 40,000 gallons of butter, 14,000 barrels of wine, 6,000 sacks of beans, 300,000 pounds of cheese. Of the ammunition on the ships, there were 124 thousand cores, 500 thousand powder charges.

Start of the hike

The flotilla left the Lisbon harbor 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, he frankly 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 stopping in the Lisbon harbor, the flotilla reached the English Channel.

Failed meeting with the Duke of Parma

The admiral of the flotilla strictly followed Philip's order and sent 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 extremely difficult 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

Great losses were brought to Spain by the defeat of the Invincible Armada. The date when this event took place will forever remain in the history of the country as one of 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 any hope of restoring 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.