Open warfare between Spain and England was precipitated by the execution of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587. In the same year Drake’s raid on Cadiz prevented an immediate Spanish attack on England.
After numerous delays the Spanish Amada entered the English Channel at the end of July 1588 under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, with 130 ships, of which 102 were galleons, including 57 that were over 500 tons. The remaining ships were galleys and transports. They were carrying 30,000 men, of whom two thirds were soldiers. The Spanish ships were equipped with a large number of small calibre cannon, relying upon their strength in boarding and regarding artillery as a secondary weapon.
The English fleet under Lord Howard; supported by Drake, Hawkins and Frobisher had 193 ships of which only 13 were over 500 tons. They had crews totalling 15,000 men, of whom one third were soldiers. All of the English ships were fitted with heavy calibre broadside guns.
The Spanish approached in a crescent formation, enabling the English to take advantage of the superior sailing properties of their ships and their heavier artillery to cause considerable damage, whilst avoiding close combat. The Spanish were unable to attack the English and were obliged to continue up the Channel, losing stragglers as they went, until they anchored off Calais on 6th August.
In my view the deciding factor of the action was the English attack by fire ships during the night of 7/8th August, which caused the Spanish to cut their cables and to attempt to escape through the coastal shallows where several ran aground. The following morning the demoralised Spanish Armada was scattered about Gavelines and an energetic attack by Drake drove them onto the Flanders coast where they suffered further losses from grounding and shore-based artillery.
By this stage the Spanish had lost 20 ships and about 5,000 men, with many of the remaining ships being severely mauled. They escaped into the North Sea, but were unwilling to face the English ships in the Channel and the Dutch harbours were in hostile hands. The wind turned from the south and Medina Sidonia decided to return to Spain by sailing around the British Isles, losing a further 45 vessels and 15,000 men as his damaged ships suc***bed to storms.
It was the first sea battle to be decided by artillery alone and it brought an end to Spanish naval dominance. Naval wars with Spain continued in partnership with the Dutch until the death of Elizabeth. In 1604 James I made peace with Spain, leaving the Dutch to continue the destruction of Spanish naval power until its total eclipse by Van Tromp in the Battle of the Downs on 21 October 1639.
