Invincible Armada

The Invincible Armada (in Spanish Large there Felicísima Armada , large and very happy fleet ) of the fleet of invasion armed by Philippe II with Spain to conquer the England in 1588 is the name, and initially designed to establish Marie Stuart on the throne of England and to restore it on that of Scotland. In the course of the events, it was put at died the February 18th 1587 (Gregorian) following its complicity in the plot.

The Spanish fleet was composed of 130 ships, transporting: 30000 men of which approximately: 20000 soldiers.

It was overcome by the English fleet in August 1588 and thereafter, it, mainly, was destroyed under the force of the elements. A storm put at evil Armada and several of its crews, for the majority inexperienced and badly equipped.
In addition, the English fleet profited from two essential technical advantages:

Of the guns of the type “ Feldschlange ”, copies of famous the gun of Gregor Löffler of Innsbruck and introduced in England for Adam Dreyling nephews of the founder. These guns had a range and a thrust force definitely higher than those of the fleet Spanish E what made it possible to avoid the Abordage. Operated by bomb disposal experts only assigned to the operation, they made it possible moreover to draw at more brought closer rate either a shooting all the 2 mn against 10 mn for the Spanish guns.
Of the faster ships drawn by Matthew Baker according to innovative principles and which will give later the Bionique

In this battle, the English officer Sir Francis Drake was illustrated by his skill.

Context

Since the years 1570, Philippe II of Spain was in difficulty with the Netherlands which had been partly raised against its sovereignty. Alexandre Farnèse then tried to begin again after a fashion, the control of the towns of Flanders and Hainaut revolted. The septentrional provinces had proclaimed their independence, thus forming the United Provinces, whose inhabitants, primarily Protestants were condemned to died by the pope. They thus fought against the return to the capacity of Philippe.

In England, Philippe had been king consort of Marie I {{Re}}. Since the death of that Ci in 1558, it had also lost its capacity there and was disappointed not to have a son of her to control this country under its ordinance. On the contrary, it half sister of Marie had restored the Anglicanisme, fact which returned neither to Philippe nor the happy pope.

Sailors of Plain the Provinces known as the Gueux of the sea in reference to the Révolte of the gueux made a blockade on the ports of Dunkirk and of Nieuport on the coast of Flanders or units of the Spanish army were. What was going to become important because off the coast there exist widespread benches of which the Dutchmen had removed the beacons. Consequently it would be too dangerous for the vessels of Armada to skirt the coast among the shallow waters to open the Flemish ports.

Gravelines was then the Spanish port at the same time nearest in England and the only one to the accessible coast flandrienne without sailing between the sand banks and the beaches.

These events related to France diplomatically because:

the direct roads of the Spanish mails between Spain and the Netherlands crossed France;
when it was about a fleet as large as Armada, the roads of Gravelines was not distinguished clearly from that of Calais.

Strategy

From the Spanish point of view it acted to make appointment with an army embarked on boats in Flanders, to take it along to England and to unload it with soldiers armed with guns brought by Armada, directly of Spain.
From the English point of view, it was necessary to prevent the appointment and to drive out the Spanish fleet of the area, if not, to destroy it.
From the point of view of the independent Netherlanders, it acted to obstruct the efforts of the Spaniards of reconquest of the provinces of the Netherlands of North.

The Netherlanders of north and the English were thus allied against the Spaniards who controlled the Netherlands of the South, the Flanders included/understood.

Tactic

Note: the dates of the events vary according to their source. The Protestant England and Netherlands always adhered to the Calendrier Julien while the catholic countries such as the Spanish Spain, France and Netherlands had followed since 1582 the Gregorian Calendrier which one is useful oneself within the framework of this article.

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