LESSON PLANThe Spanish Armada

Social Studies Y2 ESO

What are we going to study?

Foreign policy during the reign of Felipe II. The expansion of the Protestantism, started by Martin Luther,

through the northern Europe. The conflict originated between Protestants and Catholics. The relationship between the Netherlands and Spain and its

religious conflict. The confrontation between the two main European powers: England

and Spain. The strong personality of Queen Elizabeth of England and her

period of splendor. Felipe II misfortune expedition. The consequences after the defeat of the Spanish Armada and its

cost. The Spanish Armada Heritage. Some jewels have been found inside

the Spanish ships, which nowadays are kept in the Ulster Museum in Northern Ireland.

SOURCES en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada www.historybuff.com/library/refarmada2.html www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/

defeat_of_thr_armada.html UlsterMuseum: http://www.nmni.com/um Film: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

The Spanish Armada

Introduction

In the latter part of the 16th century, Spain was the major international power and either ruled, colonized, or

exercised influence over much of the known world. English 'sea-dogs' had been causing a great deal of damage to

Spain's trade in silver. Men such as Sir Francis Drake attacked Spanish shipping off of the West Indies and Spain lost a

vast sum of money when the ships carrying silver sunk or had their cargo captured by Drake. To the English, Drake

was a hero but to the Spanish he was nothing more than a pirate who, in their view, was allowed to do what he did

with the full knowledge of Queen Elizabeth. This the Spanish could not accept.

Spain controlled what was called the Spanish Netherlands. This consisted of modern day Holland and Belgium. In

particular, Holland wanted its independence. They did not like being made to be Catholic; in fact, Protestant ideas

had taken root in Holland and many of those in Holland were secret Protestants. If they had publicly stated their

Protestant beliefs, their lives would have been in danger. Spain used a religious secret police called the Inquisition to

hunt out Protestants. However, during Elizabeth's reign, the English had been helping the Dutch Protestants in

Holland. This greatly angered King Felipe II of Spain. With England under his control, Felipe could control the English

Channel and his ships could have an easy passage from Spain to the Spanish Netherlands. Spanish troops stationed

there could be easily supplied.

Catholic Felipe believed that it was his duty to lead Protestant England back to the Catholic faith - by force of

necessary. In 1587, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was executed in England on the orders of Elizabeth. Mary Stuart,

was a Catholic and Felipe II believed that he had a duty to ensure no more Catholics were arrested in England and

that no more should be executed. Mary, Queen of Scots, had also made it clear that if she became Queen of

England, Felipe should inherit the throne after her death. He managed to get papal approval for his invasion, and a

promise of money to be delivered after the Spanish had landed in England.

He also got papal permission to name the next ruler of England (by surreptitiously slipping a clause to that effect into

the middle of the document of agreement with the Pope). Felipe planned to name his daughter Isabel Clara Eugenia

as Queen of England, under his control.

Felipe began preparing his invasion force as early as 1584. His first choice as commander was the Marquis of Santa

Cruz, but when Santa Cruz died Felipe ordered the Duke of Medina Sidonia to take command of the fleet. Medina

Sidonia was an experienced warrior on land, but he had no naval background, and no interest in leading the Armada,

as the invasion fleet came to be called. He begged to be dismissed, but Felipe ignored the request.

Planned invasion of EnglandOn 28 May 1588 the Armada set sail from Lisbon and headed for the English Channel. The fleet was composed of 151 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers, and bore 1,500 brass guns and 1,000 iron guns. The full body of the fleet took two days to leave port. It included twenty eight purpose-built warships of which twenty were galleons, four galleys and four (Neapolitan) galleasses.

In the Spanish Netherlands 30,000 soldiers awaited the arrival of the Armada, the plan being to use the cover of the warships to convey the army on barges to a place near London. All told, 55,000 men were to have been mustered a huge army for that time. On the day the Armada set sail, Elizabeth's ambassador in the Netherlands, Valentine Dale, met Parma's representatives in peace negotiations. The English made a vain effort to intercept the Armada in the Bay of Biscay.

On 16 July negotiations were abandoned, and the English fleet stood prepared, if ill-supplied, at Plymouth, awaiting news of Spanish movements. The English fleet outnumbered the Spanish, with 200 ships to 130 while the Spanish fleet outgunned the English.

On 8 August Queen Elizabeth went to Tilbury to encourage her forces, and the next day gave to them what is probably her most famous speech:

"My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that we are

careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to

armed multitudes for fear of treachery; but, I do assure you, I do

not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people.

Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself, that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in

the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects; and, therefore, I am come amongst you as you see at this time, not for my

recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of battle, to live or die amongst you all - to lay down

for my God, and for my kingdoms, and for my people, my honour and my blood even in the dust.

I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a King - and of a King of

England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of

my realm; to which, rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will take up arms - I myself will be your

general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.

I know already, for your forwardness, you have deserved rewards and crowns, and, we do assure you, on the word of

a prince, they shall be duly paid you. For the meantime, my Lieutenant-General Leicester shall be in my stead, than

whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my General,

by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies

of my God, of my kingdom and of my people."

Return to Spain and consequencesIn September 1588 the Armada sailed around Scotland

and Ireland into the North Atlantic. The ships were

beginning to show wear from the long voyage, and some

were kept together by having their hulls bundled up with

cables. Supplies of food and water ran short, and the

cavalry horses were cast overboard into the sea. The

intention would have been to keep well to the west of the

coast of Scotland and Ireland, in the relative safety of the

open sea. However, there being at that time no way of

accurately measuring longitude, the Spanish were not

aware that the Gulf Stream was carrying them north and

east as they tried to move west, and they eventually turned south much further to the east than planned, a devastating

navigational error. Off the coasts of Scotland and Ireland the fleet ran into a series of powerful westerly winds, which

drove many of the damaged ships further towards the lee shore. Because so many anchors had been abandoned

during the escape from the English fireships off Calais, many of the ships were incapable of securing shelter as they

reached the coast of Ireland and were driven onto the rocks. The late 16th century, and especially 1588, was marked

by unusually strong North Atlantic storms, perhaps associated with a high accumulation of polar ice off the coast

of Greenland.

In the end, 67 ships and fewer than 10,000 men survived. Many of the men were near death from disease, as the

conditions were very cramped and most of the ships ran out of food and water. Many more died in Spain, or on

hospital ships in Spanish harbours, from diseases contracted during the voyage. It was reported that, when Philip II

learned of the result of the expedition, he declared, I sent the Armada against men, not God's winds and waves.

Jewels

Gold and Ruby Salamander Pendant

This little salamander, or ‘winged lizard’, of gold inset with rubies is only one piece from the sumptuous collection of 1500's jewellery recovered from the Spanish Armada galleas, Girona..This beautiful salamander pendant, of gold set with rubies, reflects the grandeur of the Spanish empire. Gold and silver from the Spanish conquests in the Americas were a primary source of income for the empire (click image to enlarge).While large numbers of splendid native gold ornaments were melted down for bullion, the ideas of South American craftsmen were often retained. This may explain the fondness for jewels in the form of animals, which appeared during the 16th century. Hernan Cortes, the conqueror of the Aztec Empire of Mexico, recorded in 1526 that among the gold

ornaments sent to Spain was a "winged lizard" or salamander. In legend, the salamander was believed to have the magical properties of being able to extinguish and to survive fire - this made it a potent good luck charm on board a wooden fighting ship, where fire was one of the greatest hazards.The pendant is part of the sumptuous collection of Renaissance gold jewellery recovered from the galleass Girona, which sank of the north Antrim in the storms of 1588, following the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Questions

The Spanish Armada

1. Where and when did the Armada set its sail from? Where did they head for?

2. What was the final aim of the Spanish Armada?

3. Who was waiting for joining the Spanish Armada? What was their purpose?

4. What were the differences between the English and the Spaniards in terms of ships and weapons?

Queen Elizabeth’s famous speech vocabulary:

Underline the words given in the text and look for the translation into Spanish:

To take heed:

For fear of treachery:

To distrust:

To command:

In the midst and heat of the battle:

To be rewarded:

Jewels

1.

2.