3 Spanish Armadas and 1 English Armada

[corsair91]

Always knew there was more than 1 Spanish Armada,
but never found out exactly how many until now


The overall conflict covering the Armada period

Anglo-Spanish war of 1585-1604
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Spanish_War_(1585%E2%80%931604)

EDIT: paste link into your Browser


The first Armada which most people have heard off

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada
Armada 1588


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Armada
also known as the Counter Armada or the Drake-Norris Expedition 1589

The English failure of a response to Armada 1

The English Armada or Counter Armada with 23,375 men and 150 ships, led by Sir Francis Drake as admiral and Sir John Norreys as general.
The English fleet suffered a catastrophic defeat with 11,000–15,000 killed, wounded or died of disease and 40 ships sunk or captured.

(now mostly forgotten by the English) major military disaster.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Mount%27s_Bay
Raid on Mount's Bay 1595


Battle of San Juan (1595)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Juan_(1595)

and the events leading to the death of Drake and Hawkins

EDIT: paste link into your Browser


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Spanish_Armada
Spanish Armada of 1596 dispelled by gales
None of the Spanish ships ever made it to the English Channel


Azores expedition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islands_Voyage

The Islands Voyage, also known as the Essex-Raleigh Expedition 1597, was an ambitious, but unsuccessful naval campaign sent by Queen Elizabeth I of England, and supported by the Dutch United Provinces, against Spain.
The result of the campaign was a great failure for England,


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Spanish_Armada
Spanish Armada 1597 dispelled by gales
Actually landed some troops in England but eventually withdrew.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invisible_armada
1599 Invasion scare -
Armada aimed at Dutch naval forces, not England

[corsair91]

For an example of a failed English Invasion in a later War

Battle of Cartagena de Indias
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cartagena_de_Indias

The Battle of Cartagena de Indias took place during the 1739 to 1748 War of Jenkins' Ear between Spain and Britain. The result of long-standing commercial tensions, the war was primarily fought in the Caribbean; the British tried to capture key Spanish ports in the region, including Porto Bello and Chagres, in Panama, Havana and Cartagena de Indias, in present-day Colombia.

Two previous naval attacks failed in 1740, while the third attempt in March 1741 was a combined naval and ground assault. The British were forced to retreat, having lost over 9,000 men, the majority from yellow fever; some units suffered death rates of 80-90%.

The War of Jenkins' Ear between Spain and Britain started
because the Spanish were permitted to board British vessels trading with the Americas; during a search for illegal goods in 1731, Robert Jenkins, captain of the Rebecca, claimed a coast guard officer had severed his ear.
This was used as an excuse for a declaration of war on Spain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Jenkins%27_Ear


The Spanish Commander at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias was

Admiral Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blas_de_Lezo

Admiral Edward Vernon was the British Naval Commander
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Vernon

The British were so sure of victory they had struck commemorative medals celebrating their victory before they had even sailed from Britain.
Events however did not meet their expectations and turned out to be a
(now mostly forgotten by the British) major military disaster.

[corsair91]

Armada de Barlovento

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armada_de_Barlovento

The Armada de Barlovento (Windward Fleet) was a military formation that consisted of 50 ships created by the Spanish Empire to protect its overseas American territories from attacks from its European enemies, as well as attacks from pirates and privateers.

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Armada de Barlovento

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/armada-de-barlovento
By: Robert S. Weddle

Texas State Handbook
Updated: June 17, 2020


Windward Fleet authorized by the Spanish Crown about 1635


police the sea lanes in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to protect Spanish shipping and coastal settlements from foreign raiders



The armada's principal activities relating to Texas centered around the La Salle expedition, especially the search for La Salle's colony, and support of Domingo Terán de los Ríos in his entrada of 1691–92.

La Salle expedition
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/upl01
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/la-salles-texas-settlement

French settlement on the Texas coast in summer 1685


Domingo Terán de los Ríos
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fte13

Domingo Terán de los Ríos was appointed first governor of the Spanish province of Texas.


Since the 1560s sea commanders of the Armada de la Carrera de las Indias, the Spanish Indies fleet, had requested a separate battle squadron permanently based in the West Indies. It took the Thirty Years' War, which occasioned heavy losses of Spanish shipping and occupation of Spanish islands in the Caribbean by French, English, and Dutch forces, to bring it about.


The armada, first stationed at Veracruz, was alternately ported at Havana, Santo Domingo, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

From time to time its vessels were assigned to escort the silver fleet to Spain

see link for full article

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BLOOD & PIGMENT
A Blood & Plunder Blog

Spanish Armada de Barlovento – A Faction Breakdown
DECEMBER 27, 2018

https://bloodandpigment.com/2018/12/27/armada-de-barlovento-a-faction-breakdown/

[corsair91]

Ruled Britannia alternate history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruled_Britannia


Ruled Britannia is an alternate history novel by Harry Turtledove in 2002.

The book is set in the years 1597–1598, in an alternate universe where the Spanish Armada is successful in 1588. The Kingdom of England has been conquered and returned to the fold of the Roman Catholic Church under the rule of Queen Isabella, daughter of Philip II of Spain. Queen Elizabeth is deposed and is imprisoned within the Tower of London as her fellow Protestants are burned as heretics by the English Inquisition.

The story is seen from the point of view of two famous playwrights: English poet William Shakespeare, and Spanish poet Lope de Vega; supporting characters include contemporaries Christopher Marlowe, Richard Burbage, and Will Kempe.

An underground resistance movement who are plotting to overthrow the Spanish dominion of England and restore Elizabeth I to the throne. To do this, they employ Shakespeare himself, tasking him to write a play depicting the saga of Boudicca, an ancient Iceni queen who rebelled against the Roman invasion of Great Britain in the 1st century A.D. The conspirators hope that the play will inspire its audience, Britons once again under the heel of a foreign enemy, to overthrow the Spanish.

The plan is complicated by the Spaniards who, also recognizing Shakespeare's talents, commission him to write a play depicting the life of King Philip II of Spain and the Spanish conquest of England.

Now Shakespeare must write two plays—one glorifying the valor of England, the other glorifying its conquest and return to the Catholic Church—at the same time.

There is also a subplot of the exploits of the skirt-chasing Spanish playwright and soldier Lope de Vega, who is tasked by his superiors in the Spanish military hierarchy to keep an eye on Shakespeare and while he does so flits from woman to woman. De Vega even acts in Shakespeare's King Philip.

[corsair91]

Armada of 1779
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armada_of_1779

The Armada of 1779 was a combined Franco-Spanish naval enterprise intended to divert British military assets, primarily of the Royal Navy, from other war theatres by invading the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The proposed plan was to seize the Isle of Wight and then capture the British naval base of Portsmouth. Ultimately, no fleet battles were fought in the Channel and the Franco-Spanish invasion never materialized. This threat to Great Britain prompted comparisons to the earlier Spanish Armada of 1588.

[corsair91]

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

In 1588, the mightiest fleet set sail from Spain. Its target was England. At stake was nothing less than Catholic control of Western Europe.

By Eric Niderost

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2016/06/13/defeat-of-the-spanish-armada/




Ships of the Armada Campaign

Ships and Galleons of the Spanish Armada Campaign against England.

By Eric Niderost

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2016/06/13/ships-of-the-armada-campaign/

[corsair91]

History Of Warfare - The Spanish Armada - Full Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26_I0wwsWOY

Documentary Base
5 Feb 2020

The Spanish Armada was an enormous 130-ship naval fleet dispatched by Spain in 1588 as part of a planned invasion of England. Following years of hostilities between Spain and England, King Philip II of Spain assembled the flotilla in the hope of removing Protestant Queen Elizabeth I from the throne and restoring the Roman Catholic faith in England. Spain’s “Invincible Armada” set sail that May, but it was outfoxed by the English, then battered by storms while limping back to Spain with at least a third of its ships sunk or damaged. The defeat of the Spanish Armada led to a surge of national pride in England and was one of the most significant chapters of the Anglo-Spanish War.

[corsair91]

Spanish Armada: How England Defended Itself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyZ_oypJD_A

Kings and Generals
runtime 24:20

Explore the intense 16th-century conflict between the Spanish Armada and the English fleet in 1588.

From geopolitical tensions to strategic blunders, witness the gripping details of this historic clash.

Discover the political intrigue, simmering tensions, and decisive moments leading to the grand showdown.

Uncover the events leading to the Battle of Gravelines, where nearly 200 Spanish ships faced a resilient English defense.

Learn about the battles in Flanders, the role of Sir Francis Drake, and the Battle of Vila Franca do Campo.

Experience the tactical brilliance and shortcomings of commanders like Medina Sidonia and Lord Howard.

Witness the impact of unpredictable weather, hell-burners, and the relentless pursuit that pushed the Armada into the North Sea.

Explore the aftermath, including shipwrecks and losses, and the enduring naval strength of the English.



English Armada - An Even Worse Catastrophe Than the Spanish Armada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aVqmRLN-5Y

Kings and Generals
runtime 24:52

After the Spanish Armada,
the English Counter-Armada's audacious mission to thwart Spain's dominance

From the strategic brilliance to the dramatic battles and unexpected turns, this saga holds secrets lost in time.

Witness the daring exploits of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris as they lead an underfunded, resource-strapped fleet against overwhelming odds. Their quest: to cripple Spain's might and forge alliances while facing treachery, disease, and fierce resistance.

Experience the heart-pounding Siege of Corunna, a clash where valor met desperation, as English forces clashed against Spain's defenses. Swords clashed, cannons thundered, and a city held its breath in a struggle for dominance.

Follow the relentless pursuit of Lisbon, where alliances faltered, and ambitions clashed. Amidst betrayals, surprise attacks, and tactical brilliance, witness the clash of powers and the resilience of those determined to shape history.

Discover the gripping final showdown in Cascais, a battle of wits and strength that tested the very limits of these intrepid explorers. A tale of courage, sacrifice, and the high cost of daring to challenge the established order.

Unearth the untold stories, the bold strategies, and the gripping battles that echo through the annals of history. Join us on this extraordinary journey into the forgotten saga of the English Counter-Armada, where heroes rose, sacrifices were made, and history was forever changed!

An epic narrative of adventure, courage, and the clash of empires!


England wasn't known as a naval power then.
The concept of a counter armada against Spain at the zenith
of its wealth and power was a terrible move, which did more
damage to England than the Spanish armada did.


Kings and Generals
https://www.youtube.com/@KingsandGenerals

[corsair91]

The English Armada (1589) - Anything you (Spanish) can do, we can do... worse?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrowfO8duZ4

the English Armada, in which the Elizabethan Navy attempts a counter attack, succeeds where the Spanish failed in landing troops on enemy soil, didn't lose any naval battles, and still managed to lose the vast majority of their men whilst accomplishing almost nothing. Mostly thanks to a class based rank structure...

Drachinifel
https://www.youtube.com/@Drachinifel