By the beginning of the 16th century, Spain and Portugal were the most powerful colonial powers. But by this time, sea trade routes had moved from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Netherlands and England had strengthened as a result. England soon became Spain's main rival in the struggle for colonies and ocean trade routes.
The Spanish king Philip II at all costs wanted to push back and then conquer England. His empire was scattered across four continents. It extended over half of Europe, the three Americas, and the former Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia. Never before in history has a single person ruled over so many nations and states.
Philip II was called "the spider king" who weaves in his palace El Escorial near Madrid the thinnest web of conspiracies and intrigues, entangling the whole world. He was also called Philip the Cautious - the defender of the faith and the exterminator of heresy. The fate and history of Europe rested in his hands.
More gold was mined in the gold mines of America every year than there was in all of medieval Europe. The "Golden Fleet", specially equipped squadrons of heavy galleons, delivered to the Spanish port of Cadiz the annual booty that French, Dutch and English corsairs dreamed of. In order to keep the world in check and calmly export gold from Peru and Mexico, the Spanish king needed to crush only England. Her ships more than once stood on the way from the New World to the harbor of Madrid.
The enmity between the monarchs - Philip II and Elizabeth of England - lasted for a long time. And it was only a monarch's enmity, because the countries themselves were not at war with each other.
After twenty years of doubt and intrigue, the Spanish king decided to crush England and punish the wicked. In 1588, he threw the largest fleet in human memory against England. This was the Great Armada, which consisted of 130 combat and 30 transport ships. It included 65 galleons and merchant ships armed with cannons, 25 gucars with provisions and horses, 19 small potash (coast guard ships), 13 sabras, four galleys and four galleases.
The team numbered 30,693, but some historians consider this figure to be overstated by almost twenty percent. Of these, eight thousand were sailors and gunners; 2,100 galley rowers (convicts, prisoners of war, slaves and free rowers); 19,000 soldiers - musketeers, arquebusiers and halberdists; 1,545 volunteers - among them three hundred landless hidalgo and caballeros with servants; German, Irish and Scottish captains and pilots; healers, chiropractors, barbers, barber; 180 priests and monks, some of them went to England barefoot.
Admiral Medina-Sidoni was put in command of the Armada. The most famous nobleman of Spain, he could be rightfully proud: no one had ever led such a powerful expedition before him.
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The departure of the Armada was scheduled for May from Lisbon. On St. Mark's Day, May 25, which was sunny and calm, the Duke of Medina Sidoni, in full dress, appeared at the Cathedral of Lisbon to take the sacred banner into his own hands. Mass was served by the bishop of Lisbon, who blessed the participants in the campaign, took the standard by the edge and handed it to the duke. The musketeers fired a volley, three times picked up by the guns of all the ships and the batteries of the fortress.
On the banner next to the image of Christ was the coat of arms of Spain and the motto inscribed in Latin: "Arise, Lord, and - protect!" On the other side was the image of the Mother of God and the words: "Show that you are a mother!"
At the very beginning of the expedition, a storm delayed the ships, and on the day of departure (May 9), a strong wind suddenly arose at the mouth of the Tagus. The pilots shook their heads: there was nothing to think about going to sea. Ice gusts of wind cut right in the face. "December weather" - said the pilots, and the Duke of Medina-Sidoni wrote in his diary: "The weather opposes the exit of the Armada."
Taking advantage of the pause, he drew up an order for the fleet, which was read out to the sound of trumpets on all ships.
“First of all, everyone, from superior officers to privates, should remember that the main intention of His Majesty was and remains to serve our Lord … Therefore, one should not go to sea without confessing and repenting of past sins. Also, all sorts of curses and blasphemy against our Lord, Mother of God and the Saints are prohibited on pain of the most severe punishment and deprivation of a portion of wine.
All games are prohibited, especially at night. As known transgressions stem from the presence of public and private women, it is forbidden to let them on board.
Quarrels, fights and other scandals are prohibited, as well as the wearing of swords before meeting the enemy. Chaplains to read Ave Maria when the flag is hoisted, and on Saturdays to do common prayer."
The wind did not subside for seventeen days, and Armada had to wait. All these days on the embankment of Lisbon, curious and onlookers crowded.
Finally, on May 27, the wind began to change, and the Armada began to go out to sea. The coastal batteries saw off each ship with a triple salute, and the captains responded graciously with three volleys. And although there was not enough gunpowder, the duke reported to the king: "As your Majesty knows, the gun salute instills courage and strengthens the hearts of any army."
It took two days for all the ships to reach out to the roadstead.
And what about England? At that time she did not keep a permanent navy. After each expedition, the guns were removed from the ships and carefully placed for storage in the Tower of London, and the crews were disbanded. Of course, when the intentions of the Spaniards became known at the English court, the warships were alerted.
After a difficult crossing, which lasted almost two months, Armada approached Cape Lizard, where it was discovered by the British. On July 21, there was a battle between the opponents at Plymouth, on July 23 at the Isle of Wight and on July 27 at Graveline.
The main part of the Great Armada was made up of galleons - ships with high sides and forecastles and poop tanks raised high above the waterline. Because of this design, they rolled high into the wind and it was difficult to control them even in calm weather. Their artillery was located mainly aft and bow, but in general they were intended for boarding combat. The Spaniards did not really like the artillery, they believed that it should only start a battle, and the boarding decides the outcome.
The British, however, kept at a distance of artillery fire and did not allow the Spanish to use boarding. The Spaniards suffered heavy losses from the English artillery: several of their ships were killed in the first battle, the rest were significantly damaged. The Spaniards still had about a hundred ships, but they had already lost their combat capability. After the battle at Gravelin, the Duke of Medina Sidoni officially announced his retreat. The Spaniards abandoned the landing and across the North Sea, having rounded Scotland and Ireland, went to their shores. The captain of each ship received instructions on how to return the fleet to Spain.
It was necessary to walk 750 leagues across the North Sea, "unknown to any of us," as the Treasurer of the Armada, Pedro Coco Calderon, wrote. He might have added that none of the ships carried a map of the North Sea, and the maps of Ireland, then in use, were rife with inaccuracies.
On August 13, food portions were cut "without distinction of ranks and ranks." The Duke ordered to throw all the horses and mules into the water, "so as not to waste drinking water on them," although the hungry people would prefer to eat the animals.
The situation on the ships was very difficult. Lying side by side were scurvy and typhoid patients, “the sailors were dying of hunger and infection. There was not enough room in the infirmaries, the patients died right on the decks with a dry throat and an empty stomach on wet straw mattresses. Dead rats were swimming in the half-flooded holds."
On the seventeenth of August, the sea was enveloped in such a thick fog that it was impossible to see the neighboring ship. The low, gloomy sky made it impossible to determine the height of the sun at noon, and at night the North Star was not visible. The navigators guided the ships at random, not knowing the nature of the coastal currents. In addition, cold months, unusual for August, came, and the southern Spaniards experienced them especially acutely. Many soldiers froze to death because they were almost naked, because they lost and traded their rags for food.
When the fog cleared a little, the duke missed several ships, but they did not wait for them, because the wind began to change again. The sea was especially agitated on August 18, when a terrible storm broke out. Foamy shafts rolling in from the darkness shook the heavy ships from side to side like toys. The next morning the Duke was informed that there were only eleven ships in sight.
The Duke advised everyone to avoid Ireland, but many of the unfortunate wanted to land ashore, disdaining the danger. Others by mistake of the navigator fell into a trap and to their horror saw the rocks where they expected to find clean water.
On one of the ships a sailor threw himself with an ax on the bow and in one fell swoop cut the anchor rope. The anchor flopped into the water, but it was too late. Distraught with horror, the crew, clinging to the sheets, looked at the approaching rock on the side. With a crash that can only herald the end of the world, the galleas hit the rocks. Cannons, cannonballs, crates of leftover provisions and chests of jewels poured from its ripped belly. But the sailors crowding on board were too exhausted to continue fighting the raging sea, and disappeared into its depths.
On the occasion of the glorious victory, Elizabeth of England arranged a magnificent celebration in London. Following the example of the ancient Romans, she rode in a triumphal chariot from her palace to St. Paul's Cathedral, where the flags, pennants and banners obtained from the defeated Spaniards were placed.
Only 65 ships disheveled by the storm remained of the Great Armada. As if in mockery, the name "Invincible" was firmly attached to her, although at that time no one called her that. The Marquis of Santa Cruz christened her in 1586 "The Happiest", Admiral Medina-Sidoni himself called her simply "Armada", in English documents it appears "Armada" or "Spanish Fleet".
Never once, neither the king, nor the duke, none of the officers, nor the Spanish chroniclers called her "Invincible" Philip II knew very well that "Victoria is not a human gift, but from God."
HUNDRED GREAT DISASTERS. N. A. Ionina, M. N. Kubeev