The Battle of the Spanish Armada
The great naval battle between Spain and England in 1588- one of the
most important battles in the history of the world- is known as the Battle of
the Invincible Armada. But in a sense, this is a misnomer. An invincible armada
is one that cannot be defeated, yet the mighty fleet of warships that Spain sent
to invade England, was defeated so badly that Spain could never again rule the
oceans. How was it possible that this armada, which had awed all of Europe with
its size and strength, was unable to stand up against the forces of a much
smaller and less powerful enemy? The answer lies in the differences between
these two countries and their rulers, Elizabeth I of England and Philip II of
Spain.
During the 16th century, Spain was at the height of her power. Newly
discovered worlds and conquests of different peoples had yielded Spain an
abundance of precious metals and gems, which made Spain the envy of all the
other European nations. By 1580,......
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