Spanish Armada Defeated: England's Naval Supremacy Secured
The popular narrative of the Spanish Armada's defeat in 1588 oversimplifies what was actually a drawn-out campaign. The Armada sailed from Lisbon on May 28, 1588, with 130 ships carrying 30,000 men. The plan was to escort the Duke of Parma's army across the English Channel from the Netherlands. English fireships scattered the Armada's formation at Gravelines, and a running battle up the Channel prevented the rendezvous with Parma. The Armada was forced to return to Spain by sailing north around Scotland and Ireland, where autumn storms wrecked dozens of ships on the rocky coasts. Approximately 15,000 Spaniards died. The defeat ended Spain's plan to invade England but did not immediately end its naval power; Spain rebuilt its fleet and remained a formidable maritime force for decades.
May 28, 1588
438 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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