The Spanish Armada

Abstract

From the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign there were tensions between England and Spain due to conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. The slave trading of John Hawkins and Francis Drake led to conflicts with the Spanish government. Beginning in the 1570s the English were worried about Spanish involvement in Ireland and the Spanish were increasingly upset over English involvement in the Netherlands. Mary Stuart’s execution in February 1587 in some ways made the invasion more appealing to Philip II, as he did not want to conquer England for a pro-France queen. While Philip wanted to send his Armada in 1587, Francis Drake’s attack on the port of Cadiz delayed it for one year. The Armada comprised 130 ships that sailed from Corunna in late May 1588. The Spanish fleet was sighted off the coast of Cornwall in late July. The English used fire ships to scatter the Spanish fleet very effectively. The Armada was further disrupted by heavy storms. Because of the threat of invasion, Leicester gathered a force of 4000 men at Tilbury in Essex to defend England if necessary. Leicester invited Elizabeth to come and address the troops. There, the queen gave one of her most famous speeches of her reign.