Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada was a large group of ships sent by Spain to attack England in the year 1588. An armada means a fleet, which is a group of ships sailing together. The Spanish Armada was planned by King Philip II of Spain. Its main goal was to invade England and remove Queen Elizabeth I from power.

During the late 1500s, Spain and England were strong rivals. A rival is a competing power. Spain was mainly Catholic, while England was Protestant. Spain was unhappy that England supported Protestant rebels in the Spanish Netherlands and allowed English ships to attack Spanish trade. These conflicts increased tension between the two countries.

King Philip II ordered the creation of the Armada. About 130 ships were gathered, including warships and transport ships. The plan was for the fleet to sail from Spain, pass through the English Channel, and meet Spanish soldiers waiting in the Netherlands. These soldiers would then be carried across the sea to invade England.

The English navy was smaller but faster. English ships were built for speed and long-range guns. Important English leaders included Sir Francis Drake and Charles Howard. In July 1588, English ships attacked the Armada in the English Channel. They used cannons to fire from a distance, which damaged Spanish ships.

One key moment came near the port of Calais. The English sent fire ships toward the Spanish fleet. Fire ships were ships filled with burning materials. The Spanish fleet broke formation to escape. This made them less organized. After this, the English attacked again at the Battle of Gravelines, causing more damage.

After the fighting, strong storms struck the Armada as it tried to return home by sailing around Scotland and Ireland. Many ships were wrecked on rocky coasts. Only about half of the original fleet returned to Spain. The failure of the Spanish Armada marked an important event in European history and changed the balance of power at sea.