ARMADA, iir-nni'da or tir-mtikhl (Sp., an armed force), THE. A name especially applied to the powerful Spanish fleet equipped by Philip II. in 15SS for the conquest of England. By per mitting the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth had awakened the indignation of all Catholics; and Scotch, French, and Papal leaders forgot their differences and urged Philip to undertake the invasion of England. Santa Cruz, the ablest seaman in Spain, prepared elaborate plans for the fleet, which was to subdue England. All his specifications (as to vessels, men, and equipment) had to be considerably reduced, but the King raised enormous supplies in utter dis regard of the already almost intolerable burdens of the nation. No attempt was made to disguise the purpose of the unusual activities which took place in the Spanish docks between 1586 and 1588. In consequence, the English were on the alert, the crisis was prepared for, so far as the parsimony of Elizabeth would permit; and, in the spring of 1587, Drake raided the Spanish coast and burned all the equipment and supplies of the fleet, causing a delay which gave the Eng lish another full year in which to prepare for the attack. Early in 15SS Santa Cruz and his vice admiral, Eakin°, died, and the expedition was intrusted to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who was wholly unfit for the command. Similar want of judgment was shown in the appointment of the other officers, destined to meet in battle sueh English seamen as Howard. Drake, Fro bisher, and Hawkins. The Spanish counted the victory already won, and named the fleet the "Invincible Armada." The English, on the other hand, were anxious but determined. The Span iards blundered at the very outset. Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, was in Flanders with a large army intended for the invasion of Eng land, but failed to cooperate with Medina Si donia. The fleet itself, which consisted of 131 with 8000 sailors and 19.000 soldiers, left Lisbon on .Alay 29, 1588. On account of delays due to storms and mismanagement, it was the 30th of July before the English Channel was reached. The fleet now numbered only about 120 ships, of which 70 could not be used in an engagement. The main English fleet, under
the chief command of Lord Howard of Effingham, consisted of about SO ships, all of them avail able for action; considerably smaller than the Spanish vessels, but much more easily handled, and with superior fighting equipment. The English commanders took advantage of this fact, and avoided a close contest, such as the Spanish hoped for. Hardly a battle occurred: but for a whole week the light English vessels hung on the rear and flanks of the Armada as it lum bered up the Channel. raking the galleons with rapid shot and escaping almost unharmed from the Spaniards' slow delivery. On August 7 the Armada was driven close to the port of Gray elines, where on the following day Drake made a spirited onslaught upon the Spanish ships. Many of the galleons of the invaders were iiddied by the English guns. After a hasty council of war, it was recognized that Parma's army could not be transported to England, and Medina Si donia turned toward Spain. The English gave chase for a short distance, but soon retired, not being provisioned for a long pursuit. It was necessary for the Armada first to sail around the Orkneys, on account of the direction of the wind. A fearful voyage followed, and only about 50 vessels returned home. Both Philip and Elizabeth seen to have ascribed the failure of the expedi tion to the storms, which in fact did very largely influence the result; but the English fleet had almost every advantage that counts in a naval engagement, so that the result under any cir cumstances could hardly have been otherwise. the destruction of the Armada was the collapse of Spain's naval power.
For a detailed account see Fronde, History of England (London, IS56-70), and The Spanish Story of the Armada (London, 1S92) ; Motley, History of the United Netherlands (New York, 1861-68) ; Camden, History of Queen, Eliza beth (Amsterdam, 1677) ; Creasy, Fifteen De cisive Battles (New York, 1S5S) ; Hakluyt, Principal( Navigations (London, 1589) ; Corbett, Drake and the Tudor Navy (London, 1598) ; Gardiner, Historical Biographies: "Drake" (Lon don, 1894) ; Green, History of the English Peo ple (London, 1878-80).