Essay on The Spanish Armada - 2030 Words

The Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada, also called the Invincible Armada (infra), and more correctly La Armada Grande, was a fleet (I) intended to invade England and to put an end to the long series of English aggressions against the colonies and possessions of the Spanish Crown; (II) it was however all but destroyed by a weeks fighting and a disastrous cruise; (III) this led to the gradual decadence of the maritime power of Spain; (IV) Catholics on the whole supported the Armada, but with some notable exceptions. I. ENGLISH PROVOCATION At the commencement of Elizabeths reign (1558) Philip had been her best friend. His intercession helped to save her life after Wycliffes†¦show more content†¦In 1568, a Spanish ship having put into Plymouth with pay for the whole of the Spanish army in Flanders, the money was seized by the English government. Here ensued reprisals on both sides, trade was paralyzed, and war was on the point of breaking out, both on the occasion of the Northern rising (1569) and at the time of the Ridolfi conspiracy in 1571. The imprudent Spanish ambassador, Don Gerau Despes, was then expelled from England, Philip having previously dismissed from Spain the Spanish ambassador, Dr. Mann, an apostate priest, whose selection was naturally considered an insult. Whilst the Spanish fleet was fighting the cause of Christianity against the Turks at Lepanto (1572), Drake thrice sacked the almost defenseless colonies on the Spanish Main, from which he returned with enormous booty (1570, 1571, 1572-73 ). Slightly better relations between the two countries ensued toward the close of this decade, when Elizabeth feared that, with the decay of Spanish power in the Netherlands, France might conquer the country for herself. So in 1578 a Spanish ambassador was received in London, though at the same time Drake was allowed to sail on his great buccaneering voyage around the world. On his return public opinion began to condemn aloud the master-robber of the New World, but Elizabeth exerted herself warmly in his favor, gave him the honorShow MoreRelatedThe Armada Of The Spanish Armada1200 Words   |  5 Pages THE SPANISH ARMADA Armada Portrait Queen Elizabeth I The Armada Portrait Buy at Allposters.com The defeat of the Spanish Armada is one of the most famous events in English history. It was arguably Queen Elizabeth s finest hour. For years she had been hailed as the English Deborah, the saviour of the English people, and now it seemed that this is what she had really become. She was now Bellona, the goddess of war, and in triumph she had led her people to glory, defeating the greatest power inRead MoreEssay about Spanish Armada1365 Words   |  6 Pagesreligions of Europe were trying to spread its reach to new parts of the world and each had countries pushing each religion as much as they could. The Anglo-Spanish War between England and Spain during 1585-1604 is a great example of this, although it was never official declared a war. One thing that made this war quite note worthy was the Spanish Armada, a fleet of 130-armed ship versus the well-trained navy of England. It is possible the world most famous naval battle and showed the true strength of EnglandRead MoreEssay on The Failure of the Spanish Armada709 Words   |  3 PagesThe Failure of the Spanish Armada The Armada could have succeeded the plan was simple and could have been effective. The Spanish had the strongest army in Europe and the English defences were not exactly good. The plan was very simple, but could have been deadly if it had worked. The main reasons for it not working out were the communication problems. The messenger ships travelled the same speed, as the Armada so they were nearly useless and the communication betweenRead More The Spanish Armada Essay759 Words   |  4 Pages The Spanish Armada also called the Invincible Armada, and more correctly La Armada Grande. It was a fleet intended to invade England and to put an end to the English aggression against the Spanish Crown. However it was a fatal mistake and after a week’s fighting the Spanish Armada was shattered, this led to the gradual decline in maritime power of Spain. Spanish powers dominated and influence much of the â€Å"known world† during the 16th Century. Spanish leader King Phillip II had reasons to eliminateRead MoreElizabeth I and the Spanish Armada Essay1352 Words   |  6 PagesElizabeth I and the Spanish Armada The cold, stormy night was all too familiar to the English. A devious plan by Spains king, Philip II, was being formed to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I of England and rid the world of the English heretics.1 It was a story of deception, false judgments, and poor planning. What was one kings dream turned into his countrys nightmare. While the Spanish had bad leaders, the English had good ones. The Spanish had bigger, but slower ships, while the English hadRead MoreThe Spanish Armada: Float or Flop?864 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish navy, also referred to as the Spanish Armada, was great in size and, to some extent, had well trained soldiers. Like most great things, the Spanish Armada was due in for its ultimate demise at the hands of the everlasting, powerful, British navy. Generally, the Spanish Armada was everything a great navy was, with a few weak links that mainly contributed to the Armada being defeated by the English navy. So, what exactly was the fleet known as the Spanish Armada? To answerRead MoreThe Spanish Armada By William Shakespeare1319 Words   |  6 PagesThe Spanish Armada is about a boat that set sail in July 1588 by the Spanish, and it was ordered by the catholic King Philip ii of Spain to invade England and take down the protestant Queen Elizabeth i. Queen Elizabeth i, was catholic but then became protestant. The Church did not like her decision and they wanted her to become catholic again, so the Pope encouraged King Philip ii of Spain if he could try to make England catholic again. King Philip agreed to do what the Pope had asked of him. ForRead MoreWhy Did the Spanish Armada Fail?763 Words   |  4 PagesWhy did the Spanish armada fail? Introduction The Spanish armada started in 1588 and finished around a month later. The Spanish lost dramatically for several reasons. This essay will tell you why the Spanish failed so badly and why England won. Admirals Medina Sidonia the Spanish admiral was not as strong as the English admirals Drake and Howard for a lot of reasons. This will have caused the Spanish a major setback from winning the Spanish armada because they would not have been as strong asRead MoreThe Spanish Armada Of King Philip II1413 Words   |  6 Pagespushed over the edge when they started pirating ships from the Spanish Netherlands (currently the Netherlands, formerly ruled by Spain) for goods. He sent over a mighty fleet commanded by Admiral Marquis of Santa Cruz and the Duke of Medina Sidonia to regain control of the North Sea and exterminate Protestantism. Despite being vastly outnumbered, due to ingenuity, skill, and luck, the English forces were able to overcome the Spanish Armada of King Philip II. King Henry VIII was in need of an heir toRead MoreWhy Did the Spanish Armada Fail?2271 Words   |  10 PagesWhy did the Spanish Armada Fail? The Spanish Armada is the name given to the giant flotilla of Spanish warships send by Spain’s Catholic King Philip II in 1588 to destroy Protestantism England under Elizabeth- though hindsight would say otherwise, the aim of the Spanish Armada was not intended for an all-out confrontation with the opposing English fleet- but rather to escort the vulnerable barges in which the Duke of Parma (a well respected and experienced general who had been fighting against Dutch