No mandé mis naves a luchar contra los elementos

“No mandé mis naves a luchar contra los elementos”
I didn’t send my ships to fight against the elements
(Philip II about the Invincible Armada)
Francisco Navarro & Alberto Rosa 2 ºA
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Index
Index ...................................................................................................................1
THE CIRCUMSTANCES FORCE........................................................................2
MAIN CHARACTERS..........................................................................................3
THE GREAT ARMADA........................................................................................4
CHANGES EVERYWAY .....................................................................................6
THE END OF THE WORLD ON US ....................................................................8
REVENGES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. ......................................................9
CHARACTERS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT................................................10
Farnesio, Alejandro ........................................................................................10
Bazán, Alvaro of. ............................................................................................10
Oquendo, Miguel of. .......................................................................................11
Martínez of Recalde, Juan..............................................................................11
Duke of Medina Sidonia. ................................................................................11
Drake, Francis ................................................................................................12
Philip II............................................................................................................13
Bibliography...................................................................................................... 15
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THE CIRCUMSTANCES FORCE.
“I give thanks to God because He has left me enough resources to support the loss, and I
don't care so much that they have cut our branches, the most important is the tree where they were
born, and where they can grow again”, with these words the king Philip II called "the wise one",
wanted to minimize the recently unfortunate news from the English Channel. His illusions on the
invasion of England had keeled together with good part from the great fleet correspondent to that
end. This happened in the summer of 1588, but before, diverse circumstances had forced the king
to take a decision that, in the end, would be transcendental to elevate the morals and the spirit of a
small local power, which in the future would be a great nation.
England, in the XVI century, was very far from being the powerful nation that it would
become in the next century. Its only power resided in the force of its ships and, above all, in the
marines that manned them.
In the times of the erroneously called "Invincible Armada", the Englishmen already had a
formidable fleet. But it had not been always in this way, as later we will see.
From 1580, Spain had become the most powerful Empire in the planet. In that year, Philip II
could already say proudly that the sun never put on in his Kingdom, because of the extensive
Spanish possessions and the Portuguese ones and their colonies, which were added in that year.
With all this, the banners of Spain were across the entirety of America. On the other hand, in
Flanders, the war had exploded in 1566, and it was prolonged in excess, encouraged in good part
by England (which helped the flamenco independentists with ships, soldiers and equipment.)
The virgin queen Elisabeth and the wise king Philip had become authentic enemies, mainly, from
Mary Tudor's death, who was the Spanish king's wife, and her death without a first-born boy who
could assume the throne, propitiating that her stepsister Elisabeth took the power. A time of
darkness had appeared on the English Catholic world which was still important for that time,
representing a third of the total population. Philip II, after being widower of Mary Tudor, noticed in
Elisabeth, and he tried to convince her to be his wife and a Catholic queen. But the answer he
received was negative, for bigger affliction of a Spanish king who saw concerned that the situation
got complicated for moments.
The decision adopted by the Pope Alejandro VI of distributing the new discovered world
among the two dominant powers: Portugal and Spain, was horrible to the two emergent powers,
England and Holland.
And it is here when the first traffickers of slaves appear, taking black people from the costs
of Africa, to the American colonies, which needed for that time a lot of cheap workers. This
monopoly was Spanish exclusivity and, therefore, governors and viceroys put all their equipment
with the purpose of eradicating the business of
those merchants of the mankind.
In 1568, a little fleet of niggers ships is intercepted
by the Spanishmen in Veracruz (Mexico). Their
commandant is John Hawkins, and the lieutenant of
this, Francis Drake; they contemplated as many of
their men are hung, also losing almost the entirety
of all their ships, included the Jesus of Lubeck. The
survivors could escape to England, where they
would lick their wounds to return to the sea as
corsairs. The most famous era in the piracy began
with a fundamental objective: to damage the
economic and military forces of the first world power.
Philip II is forced to solve a serious problem with
three heads: in one of them, we have the situation of Spanish Territories in Europe, in front of
the Catholics in England, Scotland and Ireland; in
England.
another, the war of Flanders fed by the Britons; and,
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finally, in the third head, we find a numberless of corsairs ships making businesses in the trade of
Indies. It was the moment to take a decision to end up, once and for all, with those problems to the
Spanish crown.
That country of reduced dimensions, if we compare it with the Spanish empire, had become
a wasp with a too poisonous sting. Philip II decided very well advised by his personal people, that
the solution was the elimination of the young Queen. When she was dethroned, the waters would
return to their river and the Catholics would occupy the power. The flamenco rebels would be left
without a vital help and the corsairs would lose the patent. The plan could not be more good, only a
spark was needed to activate it, and it arrived in 1587, when Elisabeth I ordered the execution of
the Scottish queen: Mary Queen of Scots. That insolence caused some events which were floating
in the air from a long time ago.
MAIN CHARACTERS
In our narration we meet with diverse main characters that have recorded their names in
the annals of the history. For that reason, it will be convenient that we come closer a little more to
them.
In the first place we have the Marquis of Santa Cruz: Don Alvaro of Bazan. He was the elected for
Philip II to command the fleet in the invasion of England, but his soon death impeded it. Who knows
if this hadn’t been in this way, another end would have been?
Don Alvaro was born in Granada in 1526 and he was without any doubt, the best Spanish
admiral in the XVI century. He was distinguished in different combats as the one he won against the
French fleet in front of the costs of Galicia. He also participated in the conquests of the crag of the
Gomera island and Tunisia. Don Alvaro was very important in the battle of Lepanto directing the
fourth squad composed with thirty galleys which made a sensational tactical and warrior paper.
The admiral elected by Philip II died victim of the typhus at the beginning of 1588, when he was
preparing in Lisbon to put on to the front of the Great Armada. His death made that the Spanish
king will notice in Don Alonso Perez of Guzman, duke of Medina Sidonia who was only 38 years
and had a very little seafaring experience.
Don Alonso exposed all kinds of arguments not to assume the wish of the king, but Philip II knew
about the good gifts Don Alonso had shown for the control and, mainly, for the administration, he
ordered him to continue with the mission. In my humble opinion, it is not necessary to attribute him
the entirety disaster of the Armada, as later on I will try to explain.
Other illustrious sailors contributed with their knowledge to the mission, as Don Juan Martínez of
Recalde, Don Pedro of Valdes or Don Miguel of Oquendo. In almost all the cases, these Spanish
captains were distinguished for their value.
We finish this magazine about the Spanish bosses with Alejandro Farnesio who was at the end the
best military of the Spanish Empire. Netherlands’ governor and one of the most loyal and efficient
men that Philip II could have. With Alejandro Farnesio and his terrible “Tercios”, the flamenco
rebels never slept in calm.
If the Medina Sidonia’s mission to the front of the fleet was fundamental, the Farnesio’s one
directing the infantry was vital, so that the invasion of England was consummated. Only a well
coordinated effort of ships and men would reach the success, the opposite didn't make sense.
And about the Englishmen, we have to noun some incredible marines. They were the guilties from
the success of those days, and their names were immortalized for the later generations.
Lord Charles Howard was the boss of the British squad. He was an admiral with wide experience
and credited gifts for the control. In the events that surrounded to the Invincible Armada, he knew
how to be in all moment ready, coordinating the efforts of the six squads which took part from the
great English fleet, formed with more than 180 ships. He was named Count of Nottingham in 1597,
when he attacked Cádiz. He died in 1624 when he was 88 years-old age.
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John Hawkins, known by the Spanishmen as “the pirate aquines“, was born in Plymouth in
1532. He was, without any doubt, one of the most intelligent marines in England. His principal
vocation was the sea, and from very young he dedicated all his effort to the exhaustive knowledge
of some ships that began to be obsolete. After trying to continue with the family business based on
the trade of nutritious products, he made comfortable perfectly in the traffic of slaves with the
Indies. In 1568, he almost lost all his fleet in a combat against the Spaniards, but he was able to
escape with only two ships, the Minion and the Judith, the one which was captained by a young
lieutenant Francis Drake. When he arrived to England, the queen Isabel named him admiral and
general of the marine. This propitiated that Hawkins modernize the old British fleet and he will
promote the construction of slighter and more manoeuvrable ships that were fundamental in the
combats with the great Spanish Armada. He died in 1595, victim of the fevers when he was in
Puerto Rico. His body was buried in the sea with all the honors.
And finally, we meet with the mythical Francis Drake, born in Crowndale in 1543. In
principle, the little Francis had not been called to the seafaring arts, but the destiny wanted to make
him William Hawkins’s nephew, the great pirate's brother. The life in his native farm didn't finish to
convince him, so he became corsair, and he started to begin a numberless of sailings and
adventures which culminated in 1577 with the first trip around the world of an English guy. This fact
was not carried out without problems on the Spanish colonies. When he finished the journey in
1580, he met with the Spanish king's anger. The list of attacks on our possessions was very
abundant. But the failures were also sound, as, for example, the intent when he tried to take Santa
Cruz de la Palma or the disasters in La Coruña or Lisbon. He died in Portobelo (Panama) in 1596.
His cadaver was deposited in a lead
box and rushed to the sea.
THE GREAT ARMADA.
In 1587 the situation had became horrible. The execution of Mary Stuart and, mainly, the
attack in Cádiz by Francis Drake to the control of 30 ships: they were too many insolences in very
few months. These galleons caused messes and fires between Spanish ships of recent
construction and provided with barrels and foods for the great Armada. The sad impression that
Cádiz presented after the corsair's attackwas so hard, that the Englishmen will comment humorous
“ without any doubt, we have scorched the Spanish king's beards “, I suppose that, Philip II didn't
like the sentence at all.
Don Alvaro of Bazan, marquis of Santa Cruz, had been always shown very enthusiastic in
the preparations of the mission of England, but also, realistic and honest with his king, so he asked
him for more ships and galleons. The marquis's desire was not impossible, he considered to
culminate with success the situation, 150 combat ships, accompanied with 40 merchant and 500
smaller ships should be enough forces. The war of Flandes devoured all the American gold and, in
Spain, it wasvery difficult to save money.
Nevertheless, many commissaries and
collectors travelled around the country,
looking for funds and provisioning for the
fleet that was getting ready in Portugal. Don
Miguel of Cervantes, hero of Lepanto and
future of the Spanish letters was among
those delegates; by the way, speaking
about writers, as curiosity will say that the
selfsame Lope de Vega was one of those
embarked by the Armada that little by little
went increasing its number with ships
Preparing the Armada’s fleet.
coming from the mediterranean and other
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points. It was a long and tedious operation. The communications among the two contingents
expanded too much and, for if it was little, at the beginning of 1588, everything was transformed
when Don Álvaro of Bazan died victim of the typhus. The best admiral in Spain had died, but that
circumstance not even went able to brake an unstoppable Philip II.
The great fleet was composed by ships of diverse soaked and tonnage, which has
completed a total of 130 units of many types. In vanguard 20 magnificent galleons of Spanish
construction were located distributed in two big squads that were divided in small fleets with the
mission of escorting a central nucleus where the merchant ships travelled. They were grouped
under different denominations, for example: there were 43 naos and 25 hookers, besides a
numberless of slighter ships which transported all kinds of packings, ammunition and chivalries.
The fire power resided in more than 2.400 artillery pieces, of those there were 1.100 that could be
considered canyons that, according to modern investigations, they were not of the best quality.
Therefore, that Great Armada didn't have so much strength as we were made to believe during
centuries. Besides the 4 galleys and 4 arrived galleons from the mediterranean, but not very
maneuverable in the Atlantic seas. And about the crew and the army we should observe the
presence of about 7.000 sailors; 19.000 soldiers that would help to the troops contained in Flandes
for the invasion; 1.400 assistants of varied occupations; and about 2.000 galley slaves that served
as rowers. In total almost 30.000 men willing to punish English's audacity. To these it was
necessary to add the 30.000 ready soldiers that Alejandro Farnesio should join. But the war and the
illnesses decreased that number, leaving established it in about 17.000 infants that waited the
arrival of the fleet patiently from some ports of the channel.
In front of this army,
England
didn't
have
enough
terrestrial forces which could be
opposed to the best infantry in the
world. For that reason, the queen
Elisabeth could only be commended
to her Anglican God and her great
pirates for the defense of her walled
country. Elisabeth had almost
dedicated all her reservations for
the construction of a potent fleet.
She had several dozens of very
slight ships, until completing 180
units
manned
by
the
best
endowments in the time. Those
ships led by Howard, Hawkins and
Drake, would test the Spanish
ships, mainly, thanks to some
effective gunners that shot canyons and “culebrinas”, which could hit to a kilometer of distance;
thing that the Spaniards didn't finish to get, due to the terrible quality of our canyons.
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CHANGES EVERYWAY
On May 20th of 1588, the so desired order to navy arrived. Lisbon, after many parties and
parades, discharged to an Armada which wouldn’t be seen more again.
On board in the most important ship, the galleon San Martin, Don Alonso Pérez of Guzmán
was, the new admiral of the fleet. The duke of Medina Sidonia had attempted in vain that Felipe II
didn't use him as substitute of Don Álvaro of Bazán. The duke's seafaring inexperience was
apparent, but his good mood and better administration made possible that, after the disaster, many
ships came back. It is clear that it was not the best marine in the Kingdom, but his good sense in
certain moments of the adventure avoid a bigger catastrophe.
Soon, the immense fleet was wrapped in the climatic rigors and the heavy merchant galleons’
speed were so slow that the crew was impatient for that. In the first three days it was only possible
to advance ten miles, growing the depression when the travellers noticed something imprevist: the
water contained in the green oak barrels begun to break down. Everybody remembered the old
barrels burned one year before by Drake in Cádiz. After these initial changes, adorned by the
multiple mishaps generated mainly in the mediterranean ships, Don Alonso decided to stop in La
Coruña, where he hoped to repair the damages, to renovate the water, and to restock the cellars.
The duke sent messengers to the court explaining the news and encouraging the king to
suspend the expedition, but Philip II's answer was definitive, ordering to the fleet to leave La
Coruña immediately heading for England. Finally, after six weeks, the Spanish Armada completed
its sad mission in the history. That wooden mass was moving inexorably toward the waters of the
English channel.
On July 30th of 1588, the Spanish sails were sighted from Plymouth, where the base naval
English was guarding the western entrance of the English Channel. Let us remember Lord Howard
had distributed his ships in six squads, two of those which were located in the oriental side in front
of Flandes, from where they waited Alejandro Farnesio and his troops’ arrival; the remaining fleets
were integrated by 90 ships, of those 19 were the queen's galleons and 70 they merchant artillery
ships.
The arrival of the Spanish ships was a surprise, because the Englishmen thought that they
would wait for some months to take place. During some hours, Don Alonso Pérez of Guzmán had
the possibility to attempt an attack on Plymouth, where the English ships were docked. But the
duke removed it because of the insistence of some advisers that quickly remembered Philip II's
expressed orders: not to attack the Englishmen unless it was necessary. Certainly, the main
objective was to contact with Farnesio in Flandes and to transfer his army to England, but it is also
certain that we will never know what consequences has reported a massive attack on Plymouth,
seeing how the later days were. Now it is very easy to criticize Don Alonso's attitude, but in July
30th, nobody had wanted to be in his skin
That same night, the English squad left Plymouth. Lord Howard gave twelve ships to
Francis Drake to harass the rearguard of the Spanish Armada. In that position, probably, he would
find the slow merchant ships which became in a very coveted preys.
Howard directed 60 ships toward the thick of the Spanish fleet, with the spirit of infringing the
biggest number of possible losses.
With the dawn of July 31st, the first combat arrived among two squads, a combat that
lasted two hours, but this battle left battered three Spanish ships and for further misfortune, our
galleon Mrs. of the Rosario, the fourth in importance of the Spanish fleet, was damaged after
colliding with another ship. The captain of this very new ship with only two years old was the
Asturian Don Pedro of Valdés, and later on, he asked for help to Don Alonso. But this, and due to
the state of the sea, could make nothing for the unfortunate ship that was at the mercy of the luck.
And the luck was not good. Soon, a small British galleon detected it, but the size of the Spanish
ship was five times superior to the English one and, after exchanging some shots, the Englishmen
opted to move away to give news of the discovery. The news was for Lord Howard, but Francis
Drake found out before him some minutes and, smelling the presumed treasure, he went quickly to
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the Spanish galleon that, for surprise of all, didn't present battle, surrendering crew and baggages
without shooting a single shot. The Spanish sailors in number of 300 received ,in general, a good
treatment which improved when Francis Drake discovered pleased a treasure of more than fifty
thousand dukedoms harboured in the captain's cabin. That fortune supposed a third of the total
dedicated to cover the expenses of the mission.
The night won’t say goodbye with that single misfortune, since another Spanish galleon, the San
Salvador, saw as the Santa Bárbara exploited, possibly due to a sabotage of a flamenco gunner.
The following day, the Englishmen found the injured ship with 200 deads on its overboard, besides
50 wounded men, and only 17 survivors.
In the successive days the two fleets exchanged thousands of gunshots with uncertain
result, but it was clear in all the cases the superiority of the English artillery. The Spaniards based
their powerful on the “galana war” , or what i mean, fight to the boarding. In that thing, our soldiers
were always superiors, for that reason the Britons tried to avoid that combat type.
Don Alonso offered in all moment to avoid a widespread combat, awaiting fresh news that could
arrived from Flandes.
But Alejandro Farnesio, far from joining the troops around Dunkirk and Nieuport, the two
only available ports for the invasion, he only counted with half of the troops that, by the way, he had
entertained in diverse skirmishes.
Finally, on August 7th, the duke of Median Sidonia receives the bad news from Farnesio and he
decides to anchor the fleet (already for that time very punished and without equipment) in the port
of Calais, ten miles next to Dunkirk. Don Alonso still waited to contact with the Prince of Parma’s
troops to complete the invasion.
But Farnesio was blocked by the pirate Dutch fleet.
Therefore, the help requested by Medina Sidonia would never
arrive. And he understood that the operation had failed for the
scarce coordination between some and others. There was only
one thing to do: to take out the fleet of Calais and to try to
arrive as soon as possible to Spain. But the Englishmen
watched too much fence and they were not willing to allow to
pass an opportunity like that. Calais were a mousetrap and
Howard wanted those mice. In consequence, he gathered all
the bosses to deliberate a plan which was born in a “brulotes
form”, the smuts of the hell, kamikaze ships which were lit up
fire to be thrown on the enemy fleet with a grapeshot shipment,
bullets and enough gunpowder to smash any resistance.
Without waiting more, 8 English ships were sacrificed for this
end. And after uniting their overboards, they went directed to
the Spanish objective, who had already noticed with horror of
their presence.
As a solution to the blazing lunge, Don Alonso Pérez of Guzmán had prepared a line of
small crafts and boats, which had poles and harpoons and they attempted in vain to stop the
burning ships. They could make it only with two of them, the other six ones continued advancing
for affliction of the Spanish endowments; then, they disorganized their lines leaving the bay of
Calais foolishly, without completing the cluster order dictated by the duke.
The dawn of August 8th of 1588 saw how the practical entirety of the Great Armada walked
disseminated along more than ten miles of coast. The exit in from Calais had propitiated the
situation wanted by the Englishmen. Then, Lord Howard rushed more than a hundred ships on the
dispersed contingent, what passed to the history as “battle of the Gravelinas”. A luck of small
combats which were prolonged during more than twelve hours with doubtful result, because the
Englishmen were limited to surround all those ships that went being isolated without getting the
overwhelming effect that their queen sought.
The duke of Medina Sidonia was able to gather about 50 ships and with them, he went
attending all ship that needed it. His emblematic galleon San Martin, liberated combat with other
three Britons ships, responding to all them.
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Others were not so lucky, for example, the galleon San Lorenzo that after a long battle, went to be
aground in a French beach where it resisted several attacks. The galleon San Felipe that was
enclosed by 17 enemy ships, supporting an alluvium of bullets and grapeshot, without no English
ship was able to surrender them. His captain, Don Francisco from Toledo, made gallantry enough
encouraging the Englishmen to begin a “galana war” with them. But he always found the negative
for an answer. At the end, after having lost 260 men, he transferred what he got to other ships
which went to aid him. The galleon San Mateo after receiving many impacts that caused diverse
roads of water, went to stop to the Dutch area where it beached, being its crew captured and
slaughtered by the Dutchmen.
The final balance of the day throws some data that the English propaganda maximized to
the limit. The Spaniards lost two galleons, a “galeaza” and a nao, with about 750 deads, with a lot
of damaged ships; while the Englishmen suffered damages in 20 ships with a balance of 150
deads. We have to comment that the Englishmen were not able to capture neither one of the
Spanish ships. Exception made with the San Salvador and Our Mrs. of the Rosario, which fell
during the first day for the reasons that we already know.
THE END OF THE WORLD ON US
After the combat of the Gravelinas, the Spanish fleet dedicated the later day to gather all
their forces, which was still a lot. The duke of Medina Sidonia was certain to return to Spain with the
smallest possible loss. But the situation of ships and men were more than lamentable. The disaster
was such big that the most optimistic forecasts went by the survival of a few ones.
The Spaniards knew that their
return for the East was not very feasible;
in that area, there was good part of the
enemy fleet helped by the Dutch
corsairs. In the West, it was the coast of
Flandes with their enormous sandy
beaches that, probably, they would
make aground many ships. There was
only the way to the North, and that
supposed to run the coast of England
and Scotland, to descend later near
Ireland until they arrive to the Vizcaya’s
hoodlum. This was the only possible
journey and, Don Alonso, trusting in the
divine help, gave the order to sail
toward those latitudes.
The celestial support arrived in an unexpected way, in a moment where everything made
think that the end of those men was very near. The crews were very shrunk by the illness and the
wounds of the combat. Also, the damages caused by the Englishmen in the Spanish ships had
been considerable and the meteorological weather continued growing. In that time, the arrival of a
favourable wind alleviated the chaotic situation of the fleet, propitiating the so desired exit to
opened sea.
Let us remember that 1588 were one of the most difficult years from the climatological point
of view. In that summer hurricanes, gales and tempests, were in fact, fed on that area, acting hardly
on the remains of that poor Great Armada.
Spanishmen didn’t have food, potable water and enough munnition to survive in those horrible
lands.
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The survivors who reached to the coast suffered different fortune according to the people
that captured them. If they were English or Scottish, they imprisoned them awaiting for a rescue.
But if they were Irish, there, the death waited them in British governor's form.
REVENGES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
In England about 500 prisoners were installed under terrible conditions, other 1.000 made it
in Scotland. But 1900 of the 2.000 that went to stop to the island of Ireland were executed by fearful
governors, maybe if those magnificent soldiers united to the Catholic rebels. And about the
destroyed ships, it is very difficult to specify the number, only in the Irish coast there were 24
verified sinkings, that were added to the total of 60 ships lost by the Armada during the whole
operation. We already know that in direct combat they only got lost 4 ships.
In spite of everything, the 70 surviving ships went arriving to the Spanish ports of the north
during the following weeks. The last ones made it in October after a calamitous sailing. The most
numerous group, commanded by the Medina Sidonia’s galleon San Martin, arrived on September
24th in Santander, and it was conformed by 24 ships in very bad state.
The human drops were very considerable, reaching two thirds of the total, distributed of this
way: 8.500 died in the shipwrecks; 7.500 victims of the illness and privations; 1.900 executed in
Ireland, and 1.400 deads in the combats. In total, 19.300 men from approximately 30.000 initials. In
front of this, the small English losses were ridiculous.
The defeat of the Great Armada, against what everyone could think, it was not as decisive
as humiliating. It is certain that the Spain’s prestige like first world power suffered a serious setback,
but the accident hardly perturbed the commercial traffic with the Indies, rather on the contrary,
because from then on, we strengthen the defensive conditions of our cities in America.
Spain could hold his domain above their colonies in America more than 200 years. The peace was
signed in Flandes with famous “tablas from Flandes”, and Philip II organised new fleets across our
possessions.
And about the English main characters, one of them, Francis Drake was correspondent for
Elisabeth I to put an end to the remains of the Spanish fleet, and he almost dug his own grave in
1589, trying to take La Coruña and later on Lisbon.
As we see, that heroic geste of the Britons wasn’t it so much, but it was good to give the first step
into their world leadership strong.
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CHARACTERS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.
Farnesio, Alejandro.
Alejandro Farnesio’s role was essential in the Netherlands
war. He would have finished the war if Philip II hadn’t got involved in
the French politics in order to get the Flandes’ throne for his
daughter Isabel Clara Eugenia. Farnesio was Octavio Farnesio and
Margarita de Parma’s son; probably he is the one person in the
History who has an emperor grandfather – Carlos V- and a pope
great-grandfather –Paulo III-. In his adolescence he was in Spain
studying at Alcalá de Henares with Carlos prince and don Juan de
Austria. When he was 20, he got married with Maria de Portugal. He
took part in the battle of Lepanto next to his close friend Juan de
Austria. Exactly, Farnesio replaced him as general governor in
Flandes in 1578, performing a decisive paper to control the Flemish
provinces. Farnesio decided to undertake military campaigns against
the Dutch population, conquering Amberes. At first, the fight
seemed that Spanish army probably were going to win, but Philip II
decided don’t use the frightful regiments from Flandes, and he used
it for another battles (specially in England and France), so this
anticipated the defeat in the Netherlands and the confrontation from
Farnesio to the king.
Bazán, Alvaro of.
(First marquis of Santa Cruz) Marine and militar,(Granada, 1506 Lisbon, 1588).
From he was young, he intervened with his father in several naval
campaigns, he commanded an army against French corsairs and later on he was
put to the front of the galleys in charge of watching over the strait of Gibraltar. In
1564 he took the Gomera Island's Crag. In 1566 he was named general captain
of the Naples' galleys and, soon after, Philip II granted him the title of marquis of
Santa Cruz. He participated in numerous actions against Turks in the
Mediterranean. In the battle of Lepanto he commanded a reserve squad, with 30
galleys, and he achieved the Christian victory.
In 1576 he was named general captain of the Spain's galleys.
During the occupation of Portugal he directed the naval operations and
in 1582 he suffocated, in the Azores, the last focuses of resistance in favor to the prior Crato. when
he came back to Spain, Philip II named him general captain of all the seas and he took charge to
begin the preparations of the Invincible Armada's expedition one, but he died before to complete
that mission. Cervantes said about him that he was the father of all the soldiers.
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Oquendo, Miguel of.
(San Sebastian, 1534 - Pasajes, 1588). MarineAntonio's father, he combatted under Álvaro
of Bazán's orders, marquis of Santa Cruz, in the islands Azores (1582), where he won a French
ship which supported to the Prior of Crato. Later on, he commanded the squad from Guipuzcoa,
participating in the expedition of the Invincible Armada with a very important and outstanding paper.
Martínez of Recalde, Juan
(Bilbao, h. 1520 - The Coruña, 1588) Marine Practical in the sea things, Philip II trusted him
the control of the squad that accompanied the duke from Medinaceli to Flandes; he contributed with
Álvaro of Bazán to the victory and conquest of the Isla Tercera: He participated in the unfortunate
Invincible Armada's expedition, carrying out prodigies of value, and surrendered by the fatigues of
that campaign. He got sick and died to the few days from his arrival to La Coruña.
Duke of Medina Sidonia.
Don Alonso Pérez de Guzman was his real name. Marine and militar. He was born in 1550,
and he is the VII duke of Medina Sidonia. After being general captain of the coast of Andalucia
(1588), Philip II put him to the control of the Invincible Armada after Álvaro of Bazán's death. His
resistance to accept the appointment, for what he alleged scarce preparation and a delicate state of
health, weren't enough to persuade the king. Nevertheless, in spite of he has been traditionally
signal as guilty of the Armada's defeat, more complex reasons are observed for that fact. The
defeat didn't make him to fall in misfortune, and the same Philip II made him to continue as general
captain from Andalucia and. A last accident happened in 1596, when he was pillaged at Cádiz by
the Englishmen. He died in 1619.
Elisabeth I of England
(Greenwich 7-12-1533 to Plymouth 24-3-1603)
Queen from 1558 until 1603 Elisabeth will occupy an
outstanding place in the European history of the XVI
century. Enrique VIII and Ana Bolena's daughter, her
paper in her sister Maria Tudor's reign was quite
complicated, softened by her brother-in-law PhilipII's
intervention. After being crowned queen of England at the
end of the year 1558, the Spanish court begins
conversations to marry her with Philip II. According to the
reports presented to the Catholic king, Elisabeth "had
something that disabled her for the marriage", possibly a
genital malformation what motivated the Spanish rejection
to the English candidacy. The religious dissidence that
was taking place in Europe encouraged Elisabeth to
support the Protestant minorities, above all in the
Netherland and France, taking part in the religion wars of those years. In this line one of the most
significant episodes in her reign takes place: the intent of Spanish' invasion with their Great Armada
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due to her unconditional support to the Dutchmen led by Guillermo and Mauricio from Nassau.
Slowly, England went manifesting its powerful in the seas, thanks to the work of the corsairs Drake
and Hawkins, who faced openly against Spain. In the end, she will won the Spanish Armada,
getting in this way a lot of confidence from her people and noblemen.
The economic prosperity of Isabel's reign was general, although the nobility and the
mercantile bourgeoisie will be the more beneficiaries thanks to the monopolies and concessions
granted by the Monarchy. Next to the economic development we should notice the cultural
prosperity of the moment whose maximum character will be William Shakespeare, who picked up
in his writings the society of the time.
Drake, Francis
(1540 to 7-2-1596) Great marine to the service of the English Crown, in 1567 he dedicated
to the smuggling in Central America next to Hawkins. During his lifetime, he became a great
explorer and navigator. He was an apprentice as a mariner, and he got his first fleet in 1567: this
was a little sailing fleet. The boat in which he sailed was called Judith. This boat was owned by one
of his superior leaders who led the expidition. Unfortunately, this ship was lost in an encounter with
a Spanish squadron. He travelled around the world between 1577 and 1580, harassing the South
America and Central America's coasts. His expeditions were financed by the English court, getting
considerable earnings and a growing personal prestige, being named sir by the queen Elisabeth
when he died. When he commanded the English navy, he attacked Cádiz in 1587 and later on, as
vice-admiral, he fought against the Spanish Invincible Armada one year later: in this important
battle, he had a brilliant and decisive paper.
Hawkins or Hawkyns, Sir John
(1532–95) English admiral. From 1961 to 1965 he led profitable expeditions that captured
slaves on the west African coast, transfering them across the Atlantic, and selling them, despite
Spanish prohibition, in Spanish ports in the West Indies. Hawkins commanded a similar expedition
in 1567, but he fell under a Spanish squadron in San Juan de Ulúa, the port of Veracruz, and he
barely escaped with three of his boats, one of which was commanded by Francis Drake. Probably
acting as an agent for Lord Burghley, Hawkins pretended to betray the Queen Elizabeth I offering
(1571) his services to the Spanish king, in order to obtain the release of prisoners and to discover
plans for the proposed Spanish invasion of England. In the great defeat of the Spanish Armada
(1588), Hawkins commanded the Victory and was knighted for his services. In 1595 he set out on a
new expedition to the West Indies under Drake's orders but he died and was buried near Puerto
Rico's sea.
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Philip II
(Valladolid 21-5-1527 to el Escorial 1310-1598) King of Spain. The Wise King's
personality will define the European history of
the second half of the XVI century.His birth in
Valladolid on May 21st of 1527 will fill with joy to
hisents, the emperor Carlos V and Doña Isabel
from Portugal. The small Felipe will be named
as heir of the Castilla's crown on May 10th of
1529 in the convent of San Jerónimo. The
prince's education will be in Doña Isabel's
hands due to the emperor's continuous trips. In
1534 don Juan Martínez Siliceo will be named
his tuthor to “teach him to read and to write”.
Philip's relationships with his mother were very
narrow, so when Isabel died in 1539, it will
suppose a very hard blow for the small prince.
When Philip was twelve years old, he
received the narrow collaboration of a Council
of Regency, integrated by don Francisco de los
Cobos, the cardinal Tavera and the duke of
Alba. His first marriage will take place on
November 15th of 1543. The elected one will be
his cousin María Manuela from Portugal. She
Philip II riding a horse
died when she gave birth their first son don
Carlos. The year 1554 will be his second wedding. The new wife will be the queen from England,
María Tudor, because Carlos V interested specially the English alliance. Philip receives the title of
king from Naples and duke from Milan, moving to London to celebrate his wedding, on July 25th of
1554.
The treatment with the Dutchmen and Germans was very narrow, becoming a dear king for
his citizens. The following year, Carlos gives to his son the crowns from Castilla and Aragon, fact
that made Philip the owner of the most important Empire in his time. On March of 1557 he returned
to England transformed in king of Spain and he will pass some months in company of his wife,
trying to engender the so wanted son. In July he returns to the Netherlands to get one of the
biggest military victories in his reign: the battle of San Quintín, on August 10th of 1557. The victory
caused the end of the war with France and the signature of an agreement of peace, the Treaty of
Cateau-Cambresis, which put on end to the dispute for the control of Italy which was in Spanish
hands. The treaty was signed with Philip's marriage with the young Isabel of Valois. in this marriage
will be born two closed daughters to Philip II: Isabel Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela.
The peace with France would allow him to put in
practice a mediterranean politics guided to brake the Turkish
Philip II Daughters
expansion in the north of Africa. So, to put an end to this
expansion the santa League will be formed with Venice and
Genoa, getting the spectacular victory in the Battle of Lepanto
(October 7th of 1571) directing the ships the king's brother, gift
Juan from Austria. The Isabel of Valois and the prince Carlos'
deaths and the invasion of the prince of Orange in the
Netherlands would motivate that the year 1568 are considered
as the "annus horribilis" in Philip's reign. He was widower for
third time, without male heir and with an inminent war in the
north of Europe. In 1570 he got married again, being the
elected one his own niece, doña Anna from Austria. The
marriage will have 5 children, only surviving the heir of the crown, the future Felipe III. The
annexation of Portugal in 1581 will be the great victory of this moment - Philip II was named king
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from Portugal in 1580 by the courts of Thomar- but the situation in Flandes was stopped in spite of
Alejandro Farnesio's initial successes.
Elisabeth I of England's intervention in the conflict of Flandes will incline the victory in favor
of the Dutch rebels. The Wise King's reaction will be the organization of the Great Invincible
Armada to invade the British island. The disaster of the Armada in the year 1588 will begin the
decline of Philip II's reign.
The desires to locatehis daughter Isabel Clara Eugenia in the French throne - she was
Isabel of Valois' daughter - won't be satisfied when Enrique IV was crowning as Gallic king. The
Peace of Vervins (1598) put an end to the Hispanic-French fight and he left the Netherlands in
hands of Isabel Clara Eugenia, married with the archduke Alberto. As he went advancing in age,
Philip's health went deteriorating and the gota (bad illness) attacks repeated with more frequency. A
moment will arrive in which Philip cannot sign due to the artrosis of his right hand. At the end of the
month of June of 1598 Philip II suffered some "tercianas" fevers that prostrated him in the bed,
suffering pains so intense that he could not be moved. At five o'clock of the dawn of Sunday on
September 13th of 1598, Philip II died in the monastery of The Escorial. He was 71 years old.
He has been the most important and powerful king of all the times.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBS:
http://www.nautigalia.com/batallasnavales/index.htm
http://www.rbethke.pensacola.com/Armada.htm
http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/span-armada.htm
http://www.artehistoria.com
http://www.google.com
BOOKS:
“Pasajes de la historia” de Juan Antonio Cebrian
ENCYCLOPAEDIA:
Historia de España en CD-ROM de Espasa
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