Elizabethan England Topic Summaries

The Spanish Armada (1588)

GCSE > History > Edexcel > GCSE History: Elizabethan England (1558-1603) > Conflict with Spain > The Spanish Armada (1588)
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Key terms
  • Philip II was displeased with Elizabeth due to England’s support for Dutch rebels, enabling of privateering by English sailors like Drake, and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. He wanted to overthrow Elizabeth, strengthen Spain’s international power, and restore Catholicism in England.
  • In May 1588, Philip ordered the Armada (a fleet of 151 warships) depart from Lisbon and sail up the Channel, collecting Spanish troops from the Netherlands to then invade England.
  • English ships engaged in hit-and-run tactics, using long-range artillery and superior manoeuvrability. They were able to break the Spanish formations and drive the fleet north where they were wrecked by storms around Scotland and Ireland.
  • By August 1588, the Armada was defeated, marking a major victory for England’s naval power and military dominance as well as Elizabeth’s prestige.
  • Only 65 out of 151 ships made it back to Spain. Approximately 20,000 Spanish men died.
  • Philip tried two more Armadas in 1596 and 1597, but both failed due to storms.
Reasons for English Victory Reasons for Spanish defeat
  • The English fleet demonstrated superior tactics including hit-and-run strikes and fire ships to cause panic and break formation.
  • English guns/cannons had better range and fired more accurately from a distance.
  • They were led by Lord Howard and Francis Drake, both experienced seamen and smart tacticians.
  • John Hawkins had redesigned English ships to be faster, easier to steer, and more effective in rough seas.
  • The Armada was large (7,000 sailors, 34,000 soldiers, and 180 priests to restore Catholicism) but only set sail with enough supplies for 4 weeks.
  • Spanish ships were larger and slower – not built for open sea battles or northern waters.
  • They were led by the Duke of Medina- Sidonia, who lacked naval experience.
  • The Spanish were equipped for a land invasion, not naval combat.
  • Poor planning led to a missed rendezvous with the Duke of Parma and his army.
  • They were ill-equipped for violent storms that forced them off course around Scotland and Ireland where a lack of accurate maps resulted in some ships crashing on the coast.

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