1591 portrait of Francis Drake by Gheeraerts the Younger

In the late 16th century, Spain was the most powerful empire in the known world. Spain's king, Philip II, ruled much of the New World and much of western Europe. England was helping Spain's Dutch rebels and English ships, under the command of Sir Francis Drake, to attack Spain's treasure fleet as they returned from the Caribbean. Worst of all, England was now a Protestant nation. When Elizabeth I executed the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots in 1587, Philip was personally angered and, wanting England for himself, decided to invade.
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Philip's plan was that an armada of 130 ships would sail to the Netherlands, pick up 30,000 Spanish troops and invade England. However, the Armada was delayed by an English attack on Cadiz harbour in 1587 where Drake made off with gold treasures and destroyed over 100 Spanish ships.

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In 1588, Philip's Armada finally set sail. On 19th July, word came that the Armada had been sighted and so an English force led by Sir Francis Drake left Plymouth to meet it. It is said that when Drake was told of its approach, he simply replied that he had plenty of time to finish his game of bowls before defeating the Spanish.

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After five days of constant cannon exchanges with Drakes ships the Spanish were now running desperately short of ammunition. In addition, they also needed to pick up the extra troops needed for the invasion from somewhere on the mainland. On 27th July the Spanish decided to anchor just off Gravelines, near modern day Calais, to wait for their troops to arrive.

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The English were quick to exploit this vulnerable situation. Just after midnight eight “Hellburners”, old ships loaded with anything that would burn, were set adrift into the resting and closely packed Armada. With ships made of wood sporting canvas sails and loaded with gunpowder the Spanish couldn’t help but recognise the devastation these fire-ships could cause. Amidst much confusion, many cut their anchor cables and sailed out to sea.

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The English fleet assumed a position that blocked off any chance that the Armada could retreat back down the English Channel. After the Spanish fleet had reassembled it could only head in one direction, northwards, around Scotland, past the west coast of Ireland and perhaps escape back to Spain.

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With insufficient supplies, together with the onset of the harsh autumnal British weather, the omens were not good for the Spanish. Fresh water and food quickly disappeared and as the Armada rounded the north of Scotland in mid September, it sailed into one of the worst storms (which Philip I called the Protestant Wind) to hit that coast in years. Without anchor cables the Spanish ships were unable to take shelter from the storms and as a consequence many were dashed on to the rocks with great loss of life.

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Ships that survived the storm headed for what should have been a friendly Catholic Ireland in order to re-supply. Taking shelter in what is now called Armada Bay, just south of Galway, the starving Spanish sailors went ashore but were attacked and killed.

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When the tattered Armada eventually returned to Spain, it had lost half its ships and three quarters of its men, over 15,000 Spanish sailors and soldiers had been killed. On the other side the English lost no ships and only 100 men in battle.

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Queen Elizabeth had a portrait painted to publicise her 'famous victory'.

Source: bbcbitesize • historic-uk.com