The Spanish Armada
Dean Swift, as an Englishman, has something to say about my Spanish article on the myths of the “Armada invencible”. As I don’t want to be biassed when it comes to history, although sometimes I can’t avoid it, please take a look at his view:
By Dean Swift for Hace Muchos Días:
I have read with abiding interest your acutely written piece on the Gran Armada of King Felipe. I suspect the article was written in great anger. This is a mistake. Historical journalism, like revenge, is a dish that should be taken cold.
First: of course the Armada should have been planned and led by the Marqúes de Santa Cruz, but as he was dead, it would have proved difficult, unless he had been strapped to one of his galleons’ masts, like El Cid was strapped dead on his horse during the final moments of the siege of Valencia.
Second: of course the Armada should not have been led by the Duque de Medina Sidonia, who by his own admission did not know one end of a ship’s cannon from the other; had no knowledge of navigation; thought nothing of English ships, crews, captains or abilities, calling them ‘piratical pigs’.
Third: there is no evidence anyway that an English mind invented the term Armada Invencible or The Invincible Armada. The term was not invented by King Felipe II, but it came from somewhere, possibly Flanders. No-one thought the Armada was a joke in England. Signals by bonfires were planned right around the coast and all the way to Bristol, Plymouth and London. Each town had its defence force organised and armed. The protestant English greately feared El Rey Felipe and believed quite rightly that he would have forced the English back into catholicism. The English Catholics kept themselves hidden in their recusant manors. No-one knew what would happen, but Elizabeth was genuinely sure her ex-brother-in-law intended to invade and occupy England.
Fourth: there was not one attempted invasion of England by a huge fleet. There were in fact three. None succeeded, whether it was the awful weather or English seamanship that defeated them.
Fifth: of course Elizabeth I gave special permission to English ‘gentlemen adventurers’ (corsarios) to attack ALL shipping that sailed under any flag of any nation that had attacked English shipping. These permissions were retributions, and Elizabeth needed the money that she could not borrow. Unlike Felipe, her borrowing capability was restricted to small sums and for shorter periods of time.
Sixth: the overall commander of the small English fleet at the time of the Gran Armada was the Lord High Admiral Howard, who had no sea battle experience either. But he did have Frobisher and Drake among others, who knew a thing or two about the seven seas. Not being the Duque de Medina Sidonia, he was capable of LISTENING to his experienced sea captains.
Seventh: only a fool or a knave would have set out to invade England by sea not once, but thrice, during those seasons of the year known by all experienced sailors as the very worst in the English Channel and the North Sea.
Eighth: Spain at the time of the Gran Armada held the greatest empire the world had known. She was rich, even if she had a parsimonious king, held most of the Low Countries and the Americas, and had an understanding with France. Her ships heavily outgunned the English fleet, but someone responsible forgot that the Spanish vessels were enormously tall above sea level, whereas the English craft were raced low on the waves. Much of the Spanish shot passed harmlessly over her enemy. Gunnery was excellent on either side, though the English ships had the advantage of guns with a longer range.
Ninth: Spain had no royal dockyards, which made preparations for the invasion slow and inefficient. By the time the Gran Armada reached the English Channel, 20 fine ships had already been lost. The English had three royal dockyards, permanently engaged in the building and repair of ships.
Tenth and last: When Medina Sidonia sailed again, at last, from A Coruña on July 12, 1588, he had 131 vessels with 7000 sailors and 17,000 soldiers ready to act as an invading military force. Only twenty of these were warships. Four others were galleasses (mixed oar and sail vessels as used at Lepanto). The rest of the fleet were transports, urcas for victuals, communication and distribution. Medina Sidonia thus had nowhere near the 510 ships and 35,000 men originally demanded by Santa Cruz.
dtordable
February 24, 2009 at 9:30 am
Joder q currado este artículo no?
jaimegm
February 24, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I read in some articles that Invincible Army had English origins but I don´t remember any author. Nevertheless, this is for your enjoyment…The speech that Queen Elizabeth 1st did to her Troops at Tilbury on the eve of the expected invasion of England by the supossed “Invincible Spanish Army…”
“My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourself to armed multitudes for fear of treachery; but I 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 safe guard in the loyal hearts and good will 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 the battle, to live or die amongst you all, to lay down my life for my God and for my kingdom and for my people, my honour, and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and 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; the which, rather than any dishonour shall 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, in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the meantime my lieutenant-general 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 those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.”
Source: tudorhitory.org
Crossing, change my adress please for my new page in wordpress… and delete the garage faculty…
God save myself and yourself my friend.
granjadeinternautas
February 24, 2009 at 9:21 pm
sorry the source is:
tudorhistory.org
Again, God save myself and yourself friend