The Battle and Its Aftermath

The naval engagement proved disastrous for Spain, with severe losses inflicted by both English tactics and harsh weather conditions.

Quote: "Over 20,000 Spanish were killed and by the end of the year only 80 ships had made it back to Spain."

Technical advantages favored the English:

• Superior ship design allowing faster reloading of cannons
• Better maneuverability of English vessels
• More effective long-range combat capabilities

Highlight: Poor communication between Duke of Parma and Medina-Sidonia severely hampered Spanish coordination, with messages taking up to a week to deliver.

Reasons for the Spanish Armada's Failure

The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 can be attributed to several key factors, highlighting the advantages of the English navy and the flaws in the Spanish plan.

Ship Design and Naval Technology: • English ships, designed under the guidance of John Hawkins, were faster and more maneuverable than their Spanish counterparts. • English galleons, built from the 1570s, were specifically designed for naval warfare. • The English fleet could fire up to six times as many cannonballs as the Spanish and from a greater distance. • English ships had more space for cannons to recoil, allowing for quicker reloading.

Highlight: The English navy's superior ship design and firepower were crucial factors in their victory over the Spanish Armada.

Supply Issues: • Spanish provisions were stored in barrels made of poor-quality wood, leading to spoilage. • Drake's raid on Cadiz in 1587 had damaged many of the Armada's supplies before the invasion even began. • The Spanish fleet ran low on cannonballs during the campaign. • After 10 weeks at sea, much of the Spanish food was already rotting.

Planning and Communication: • Communication between the Duke of Parma (leading land forces) and Medina-Sidonia (commanding the fleet) was unreliable, relying on sea-based messengers. • The Spanish plan required precise timing and coordination, which proved difficult to achieve in practice.

Weather: • Storms and unfavorable winds played a significant role in the Armada's defeat, particularly as the Spanish fleet attempted to return home via Scotland and Ireland.

Quote: "Medina-Sidonia ordered ships to sail home via Scotland and Ireland but harsh conditions in North Sea destroyed nearly half the fleet."

English Tactics: • The use of fire ships at Calais forced the Spanish fleet to break formation, leaving them vulnerable to attack. • English long-range gunnery allowed them to inflict damage while staying out of range of Spanish weapons.

Leadership: • The inexperience of the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, who suffered from seasickness, hampered Spanish decision-making. • In contrast, while Lord Howard of Effingham was also inexperienced, he was supported by skilled captains like Drake and Hawkins.

Highlight: The combination of superior English naval tactics, technology, and leadership, along with Spanish planning flaws and bad luck with weather, led to the decisive defeat of the Spanish Armada.

These factors collectively answer the question "Why did the Spanish Armada fail?" and demonstrate how England, under Queen Elizabeth I, was able to repel what was considered the greatest naval force of its time.