The+Spanish+Armada

In 1558, Phillip II, King of Spain, attacked England with the largest naval fleet the world had seen. However, by a combination of tactics and luck the English successfully managed to drive them off, resulting in the greatest naval victory in English history, as well as Queen Elizabeth’s finest moment as Queen of England. This fleet was known as the Spanish Armada. At the time of the Spanish Armada, Spain was in charge of the Netherlands, but the Protestants living in The Netherlands were being supported by Queen Elizabeth I, which angered King Phillip. Queen Elizabeth also angered King Phillip by having Mary, Queen of Scots executed. King Phillip believed that Mary, Queen of Scots was the rightful ruler of England because she was a Catholic, Like Mary I, Half-Sister and predecessor to Queen Elizabeth. Mary, Queen of Scots also said that if she became queen she would pass the English throne to King Phillip after her because he was married to Mary I and that gave him a claim to the monarchy. However, when Mary Queen of Scots was executed by Queen Elizabeth, King Phillip lost his only legitimate claim to the English Throne, so he decided to seize it by force. King Phillip planned to send the Armada to The Netherlands to pick up the Spanish troops stationed there before continuing on to England. To safely get the Armada through the English Channel without being destroyed by the English, King Phillip Had them sail in a crescent formation with the slower, stronger galleons in the centre with the smaller zabras and pataches protecting the sides. This formation proved very effective because despite being bombarded by cannons all the way down the English Coast, the Armada only lost two galleons. When the Armada reached The Netherlands they ran into problems. When they went in to dock Medina Sidonia, the General that King Phillip had placed in charge of the Armada, realised that none of the ports were deep enough for the Armada to make anchorage of the coast of modern-day Calais and wait. This left them vulnerable to attacks by the English Navy, led by Sir Francis Drake, the English Privateer. Sir Francis Drake sent eight ships filled with gunpowder and highly flammable materials and set alight into the midst of the Spanish ships. The Spanish ships had been warned of these “Hell Burners” and hurriedly escaped to avoid being blown up, resulting in only one lost ship but the crescent formation had been scattered. While this was happening Queen Elizabeth rode to Tilbury and delivered this speech to the troops stationed there. This became known as the speech at Tilbury and is one of Queen Elizabeth’s most famous speeches. “My loving People, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes for fear of treachery. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chief strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects. And therefore I am come before you all, as you see at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of battle, to live or die before you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and 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 realm!” Meanwhile, Sir Francis Drake was leading the English Navy in a battle against the four remaining Spanish galleons. Three of the galleons had been sunk when a great storm arrived and caused both sides to retreat and giving the Spanish a chance to escape. However, the English Navy was still blocking the English Channel, forcing the remnants of the Armada to sail around the Northern coast of England. These ships soon ran out of supplies because they had not expected such a lengthy journey. They were forced to dock in Ireland for supplies, believing that they would be helped by those of the same religion as them, but the Irish saw them as invaders and attacked when the ships came in to land. By the time the Armada arrived back in Spain they had lost 70 of the original 130 ships. The defeat of the Spanish Armada caused people to see Queen Elizabeth as a warrior queen who had protected them from a great threat that had originated from across the sea. This ensured their loyalty and support for the remainder of her long and illustrious reign.