Elizabeth I and Philip II The Armada of 1588 Richard Fitzsimmons Strathallan School

Elizabeth I and Philip II You will learn … Why Elizabeth’s England and Philip’s Spain went to war Why Philip believed he should send the Armada About the Armada’s composition How and why the Armada was defeated

Relations between England and Spain, – Philip had proposed to Elizabeth – she refused 1569 – Elizabeth was considering marriage to the Duke of Alencon, heir to the French throne 1570 – Drake raids Spanish ships and gives the spoils to Elizabeth 1570 – the Pope excommunicates Elizabeth – anyone can assassinate her and go straight to Heaven 1585 – Elizabeth sends troops to aid the Dutch rebels in their revolt against Spain

England’s interference in the Netherlands … English ports had been harbouring Dutch exiles since the revolt broke out in 1566 Elizabeth had expelled the Sea Beggars in 1572 and accidentally helped cause the 2 nd Revolt Protestants in England were giving the Dutch rebels money, supplies and men In 1585 Elizabeth signed a treaty with the Dutch rebels at Nonsuch Palace – it guaranteed English troops under the Earl of Leicester

Sir Francis Drake – pirate or hero ? Not from a wealthy or famous family, but rose to be vice- admiral of the English fleet A committed Protestant Related to John Hawkins First Englishman to sail around the world, , in the Golden Hinde Sailed into Cadiz harbour in 1587 and attacked the Spanish fleet

Mary, Queen of Scots She had been a threat to Elizabeth since fleeing to England in 1568 She was at the centre of a number of plots aimed at replacing Elizabeth as Queen She was Elizabeth’s cousin She was Elizabeth’s heir to the English throne as Elizabeth had no children

Plots against Elizabeth 1569 – northern nobles rose in rebellion – defeated and leaders executed 1570 – Pope excommunicated Elizabeth 1572 – Ridolfi plot – Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk executed for treason – Throckmorton plot led to the Spanish ambassador being expelled 1586 – Babington plot – Mary Stuart implicated

Execution of Mary Stuart, Feb 1587 She had been imprisoned in England since 1568 She was implicated in the Babington Plot of 1586 and found guilty of treason She was executed at Fotheringay castle on 8 th February 1587

Planning the Armada…1 Philip II had enough of heretic England and her heretic Queen – Elizabeth; the execution of Mary Stuart in February 1587 was to be avenged by the Armada In April 1587 Drake had sailed into Cadiz harbour and sank several ships – this is known as ‘Singeing the King of Spain’s beard’, but it was not enough to prevent the Armada being built …

Planning the Armada …2 The Armada was to be commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia who was not an experienced naval commander – why ? The Admiral of the Fleet, Santa Cruz, had just died. But, he has several able Admirals under his command … Almost immediately, ‘la Armada invincibile’ had to go back to port after being hit by a storm in the Bay of Biscay – not exactly off to a good start !

Composition of the Armada 130 ships – galleons, galleasses, supply 30,000 men – sailors, soldiers, officers and servants, gunners, doctors, priests (180) Cannon, field guns, small arms, powder, cannon balls (123,790), bullets, pikes, swords, armour Supplies of food and drink

English commanders … Charles, Lord Howard of Effingham in the Ark Royal Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins in the Victory Sir Martin Frobisher in the Triumph Lord Henry Seymour in the Golden Lion

The Spanish plan … Build 130 warships Gather an army of 35,000 men in the Netherlands, just across the English Channel, under the Duke of Parma Sail the fleet of ships from Spain to the Netherlands and carry the soldiers from the Netherlands to England. Depend on the famous power of Spain’s land forces Pray for God’s help Overthrow Elizabeth and restore Catholicism to England, with the aid of a native Catholic rebellion

The English Plan … 1. Ask traders a n d fishermen to bring over 150 ships to join Elizabeth’s navy of 28 warships at Plymouth 2. Order the Lords Lieutenant to train small bands of men to defend the coast in each country 3. Gather an army of about 5, 000 men to defend London 4. Depend on the famous skill of England’s sailors 5. Pray for God’s help

The Armada sets out … Set out in May 1588 from Lisbon Forced to take shelter in Corunna harbour after being hit by a fierce summer storm in the Bay of Biscay Spotted off English coast on 29 th July and harassed by English ships, but crescent formation does not break

Armada formation The crescent formation was very strong and helped the Spanish resist the lighter, faster English ships By 6 th August the Armada was anchored at Calais waiting for the Duke of Parma’s army to arrive – the Calais harbour was not deep enough for the Spanish galleons. Parma was late

The Armada route …

Hell Burners ! On the night of 7 th August, the English sent ‘hell- burners’ into the Calais harbour – it broke up the Spanish formation Spanish ships cut their anchors and headed out to sea Over the next 6 days a series of engagements took place in the North Sea

Results of the battles … English guns proved more effective than Spanish ones, though the English ran out of ammunition Probably 6 Spanish ships were sunk, no English The Armada was forced to sail around Britain by a combination of harassment from the English fleet, and summer storms Many ships were lost off the Scottish and Irish coasts Probably a third of Spanish ships and half the soldiers did not make it back to Spain

Results of the Armada defeat There was no Catholic uprising in England in support of the Armada Elizabeth’s army at Tilbury, which was no match for veteran Spanish soldiers, did not have to fight Elizabeth’s throne was safe Philip had to go back to the drawing board – further Armadas were planned n the 1590s but amounted to little

Elizabeth at Tilbury My loving people, I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms: we shall shortly have a famous victory over the enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.

Fate of the Armada The flag ship of the Spanish Armada, the San Martin, reached Spain on 23rd September Most of the ships of the Armada that managed to stay with the Duke of Medina's flag ship in the Atlantic, keeping on a course far to the west of Ireland, reached ports in Spain. Nearly all the ships were damaged - a result of the sea battles in the English Channel, the rough passage around Scotland and the storms in the Atlantic Ocean. A large number of men on the ships that reached Spain were very sick or weak from hunger or thirst. In the weeks that followed their return, many of the soldiers and sailors were to die of wounds, disease and exhaustion.