10 Surprising Facts About the Spanish Armada

On May 28, 1588, the Spanish Armada set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, headed for England with 130 ships and 30,000 men.

Meaning literally “Great and Most Fortunate Navy”, the Spanish Armada’s strategic goal was to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I and put an end to Protestantism in England.

In so doing, Spain also hoped to stop English and Dutch privateering in the Spanish Netherlands.

Here’s our list of 10 surprising facts about the Spanish Armada.

1. The English fleet significantly outnumbered the Spanish Armada

It might be surprising to discover that the English had a lot more ships—200 ships to the 130 of the Spanish. But the Spanish threat lay in their firepower, which was 50% greater than the English.

English ships and the Spanish Armada, August 1588
English ships and the Spanish Armada, August 1588

2. No Spanish ships were lost to the English fire ships

Waiting for additional troops from the Duke of Parma’s army to join the invasion, the Spanish fleet lay at anchor off the Coast of Calais in northern France.

In a surprise attack, the English sent eight fire ships downwind into the closely anchored Spanish vessels.

Although no Spanish ships were actually lost to fire, it caused them to scatter and break their defensive “crescent formation”, allowing the English to attack.

The Spanish Armada Driven out of Calais by Fire by Richard Brydges Beechey
The Spanish Armada Driven out of Calais by Fire by Richard Brydges Beechey

3. The Spanish had to “cut and run” to save their fleet

Many of the Spanish ships had to “cut and run” to escape the English fire ships at Calais. Meaning to make a cowardly retreat, the phrase “cut and run” that we use today originates from the navy and in literal terms means to cut the anchor line and sail downwind, leaving the anchor behind.

The Spanish Armada off the English coast, by Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen
The Spanish Armada off the English coast, by Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen

4. The Battle of Gravelines changed the future of naval warfare

After the Spanish ships had scattered, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, commanding the Armada tried to regroup at a small port between Calais and Dunkirk called Gravelines in what is now Northern France.

The English had observed the Spanish tactics of firing guns once and then for the marines onboard to jump to the rigging to prepare for boarding the enemy ships. Knowing this, the English ships provoked Spanish fire while staying out of range, then moved in for the kill with repeated broadsides at close range.

In this scenario, many experienced Spanish gunners were killed, but the regular marines did not know how to operate the big guns effectively.

Up until this time, gunnery had played a supporting role to ramming and boarding in naval battles. The English tactic of standing off and firing decisive broadsides proved the more effective and would see England’s Royal Navy become the dominant military force for the next 300 years.

"Ramming and boarding" tactic of naval warfare
“Ramming and boarding” tactic of naval warfare

5. The Gulf Stream played a big part in the fate of the Armada

When the Armada had sailed around Scotland in 1588 and entered the North Atlantic, they thought they were sailing west into the safety of the open seas. But the strong Gulf Stream ocean current pushed the ships northeast.

This meant that when they turned to sail south, they were too close to the shore and were driven onto the rocks off the coast of Ireland in strong westerly winds, becoming shipwrecked. Without their anchors, they were unable to secure a position and wait out the stormy weather.

Storm in the Sea by Peter Mulier II
Storm in the Sea by Peter Mulier II

6. The “Little Ice Age” may have helped doom the Spanish fleet

The year of the Spanish Armada in 1588 was marked by unusually strong North Atlantic storms, a characteristic of the “Little Ice Age” which was a period of cooling in the northern hemisphere causing unusually bad weather. As a result, the cold and stormy weather caused significantly more loss of life than did direct combat.

Galleass Girona. Credit Notafly
Galleass Girona. Credit Notafly

7. Of the 130 Spanish ships sent against England, only 67 survived the attack

The literal meaning of Spanish Armada is “great and most fortunate navy”. But of the 130 ships and some 30,000 men setting sail from Spain, only 67 ships and 10,000 men survived to tell the tale. An enraged Philip II of Spain declared,

“I sent the Armada against men, not God’s winds and waves.”

The mighty display of the Spanish armada in 1588 by Jan Luyken.
The mighty display of the Spanish armada in 1588 by Jan Luyken.

8. The English launched a counter Armada which also failed

María Pita, was a Galician heroine in the defense of Corunna, northern Spain, against the English Counter Armada in 1589.
María Pita, was a Galician heroine in the defense of Corunna, northern Spain, against the English Counter Armada in 1589.

A fleet of warships was sent to Spain by Queen Elizabeth I in 1589 to try to capitalize on the advantage England had after the loss of the Spanish Armada. The campaign resulted in the defeat of the English fleet with heavy loss of lives and ships. The Spanish victory once again gave Philip II’s navy the upper hand against England, with Spain ruling the waves for another decade.

When English forces attacked the city of Corunna as part of the English counter Armada in May 1589, Maria Pita was helping her husband defend the city walls. A crossbow bolt hit her husband in the head, killing him. Maria grabbed a spear and killed an English soldier scaling the wall. She appeared on the heights of the wall shouting: Quen teña honra, que me siga (“Whoever has honor, follow me!”), rallying the Spanish troops and driving back the English.

9. A 12th-century Abbey’s barn held 397 Spanish sailors prisoner

Torre Abbey’s barn was originally built to store grain, hay and other farm produce as payment of taxes to the Abbey. But in 1588, the barn in Torquay, Devon, served another purpose. It held 397 Spanish prisoners captured by Sir Francis Drake, for fourteen days and became known as the “Spanish barn”.

Having been dissolved by Henry VIII some 50 years earlier, the Abbey church was ruined but several major outbuildings were left intact.

Today, it is the best preserved medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall.

Resulting from an extensive remodeling in the 18th century, a Georgian manor house occupies part of the site and houses a permanent art exhibition.

Torre Abbey, Devon, England
Torre Abbey, Devon, England

10. The English Victory was acclaimed as the greatest since Agincourt

“He came, he saw, he fled.”

Used by the English as a play on the words of Julius Caesar to refer to a swift, conclusive victory, the Armada had been anything but conclusive for Spain.

But this was one of England’s greatest moments.

Spain would send two further armadas against England in 1596 and 1597, and both would be scattered by storms and fail.

Britain would face the real danger from invasion again during both the Napoleonic Wars and the Second World War.

During the Spanish Armada, Britain proved that superior naval tactics, coupled with the British weather are an invincible combination!

"My ass in a bandbox". British cartoon mocking Napoléon's invasion plans against England
“My ass in a bandbox”. British cartoon mocking Napoléon’s invasion plans against England

30 Romantic Russian Paintings of Ships at Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky

Ivan Aivazovsky (1817 – 1900) loved the sea. Considered one of the greatest marine artists in history, during his 60-year career he created an astonishing 6,000 beautiful paintings.

Sweeping seascapes, golden sunsets, moonlit nights—Aivazovsky surprises and delights.

He paints mighty ships of the line ploughing through rough waters at full sail, or drifting in the stillness of a calm sea.

He captures the grandeur of the Imperial Russian fleet at anchor in the Black Sea ports.

He caresses the canvas with delicate brushwork and translucent layers of diffuse light.

Warmed by the rising sun, great buildings appear from behind morning mists. Anchored tall ships sit shrouded in glowing fog. Incandescent moonlight shimmers across the calm waters of Black Sea bays.

So admired was his work by Russians, that the saying “worthy of Aivazovsky’s brush” described something “ineffably lovely.”

Press “play” to add atmosphere to your sea voyage as you scroll through Aivazovsky’s beautiful paintings.

Sunset in Crimea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1865
Sunset in Crimea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1865
The Bay Golden Horn by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1845
The Bay Golden Horn by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1845
Parade of the Black Sea Fleet by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Parade of the Black Sea Fleet by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Sunset - Ivan Aivazovsky, 1866
Sunset – Ivan Aivazovsky, 1866
Near Crimean coast - Ivan Aivazovsky, 1890
Near Crimean coast – Ivan Aivazovsky, 1890
Shipwreck near Gurzuf - Ivan Aivazovsky, 1898
Shipwreck near Gurzuf – Ivan Aivazovsky, 1898


Lunar night by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1857
Lunar night by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1857
Moon Path by Ivan Aivazovsky
Moon Path by Ivan Aivazovsky
Reval - Ivan Aivazovsky, 1844
Reval – Ivan Aivazovsky, 1844
Calm Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1863
Calm Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1863
Ayu-Dag on a foggy day by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1853
Ayu-Dag on a foggy day by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1853


Morning at Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Morning at Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
The Bay of Naples at moonlit night. Vesuvius by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1870
The Bay of Naples at moonlit night. Vesuvius by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1870
The Great Roads at Kronstadt by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1836
The Great Roads at Kronstadt by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1836
The sunset on sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1848
The sunset on sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1848
Smolny Convent by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Smolny Convent by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Farewell by Ivan Aivazovsky
Farewell by Ivan Aivazovsky


Kerch by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1839
Kerch by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1839
The Bay of Naples in the morning by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1843
The Bay of Naples in the morning by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1843
Russian squadron on the raid of Sevastopol by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1846
Russian squadron on the raid of Sevastopol by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1846
View of Constantinople by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
View of Constantinople by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
The Ninth Wave by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1850
The Ninth Wave by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1850
Ships at anchor by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1851
Ships at anchor by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1851


Windmill on the Sea Coast by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1851
Windmill on the Sea Coast by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1851
Fishermen on the coast of the sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1852
Fishermen on the coast of the sea by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1852
Constantinople by Ivan Aivazovsky
Constantinople by Ivan Aivazovsky
Icebergs by Ivan Aivazovsky c.1860
Icebergs by Ivan Aivazovsky c.1860
A Lunar night on Capri by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1841
A Lunar night on Capri by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1841
Searching for Suvivors by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1870
Searching for Suvivors by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1870
Tempest on the sea at night by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849
Tempest on the sea at night by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1849


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Further Reading
Discover more about Ivan Aivazovsky at Wikipedia.org

Around the World in 80 Days by Steam

It was 10 am, 19th July 1843. Prince Albert stepped from the royal train which had arrived in Bristol from London as the band of the Life Guards played works by Labitsky and a selection from the “Ballet of Alma”.

Large crowds had gathered to see the spectacle. Streets were lined with flags, banners, flowers and ribbons. It was a mass of colour, an atmosphere of celebration, and a public holiday.

Launch of the SS Great Britain
Painting of the launch of the SS Great Britain by Thomas Ashburton Picken 1846.

The prince had come for a special purpose—to launch the greatest ship the world had ever seen, the SS Great Britain.

At over 100 feet longer than her rivals, and the first screw-propelled, ocean-going, wrought iron ship, SS Great Britain would go on to cross the Atlantic in just two weeks—a journey that would take less than a week by the end of the century.

It was the successful development by the Victorians of steamships and railways, together with the electric telegraph, that gave them their unique place in history.V&A Museum

With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, longer journeys were being shortened by several days.

Embed from Getty Images

Bigger ships brought higher standards of luxury and comfort.

Like the steamship, rail travel opened the world to Victorians.

Severn Valley Railway, Worcestershire. Credit Baz Richardson
Severn Valley Railway, Worcestershire. Credit Baz Richardson

Legislation pushed through Parliament by Prime Minister Gladstone in 1844 helped trigger a railway boom. It also ensured that trains conformed to standards of speed and comfort whilst remaining cheap enough for most people to afford.

Excursions were a chief source of entertainment for Victorians. Many visitors to the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 travelled on excursion trains.

Travelling Companions by Augustus Leopold Egg, 1862
Travelling Companions by Augustus Leopold Egg, 1862

After the Bank Holiday Act of 1871, a day at the seaside became a national necessity.

Queen Victoria’s patronage greatly increased enthusiasm for railways. Throughout her reign, she travelled regularly by train. Not only were railways fast and convenient, but they provided Victoria and her family the opportunity to be seen by the people, giving the human touch to monarchy.

Queen Victoria's Saloon. Credit National Railway Museum
Queen Victoria’s Saloon. Credit National Railway Museum

Comfort, convenience and safety would continue to improve over ensuing decades. The first lavatories appeared in the 1860s, and the first real sleeping cars were introduced between London and Glasgow in 1873. Six years later, passengers enjoyed dining cars on the service between Leeds and London.

By 1845, some 2441 miles of railway were open, with over 30 million passengers. By 1900, 18,680 miles were in use and over 1100 million passengers.

Imagine the year is 1895. We’re on a journey of the world as seen through Victorian eyes thanks to the power of steam.

Sit back, relax, play the soundtrack, and travel through time …

The Kurhaus, a famous beach resort in the Netherlands
The Kurhaus, a famous beach resort in the Netherlands
The Singel in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The Singel in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Halle Gate, Brussels, Belgium
Halle Gate, Brussels, Belgium
The beach and the casino, Dieppe, France
The beach and the casino, Dieppe, France
Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, Paris, France
Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile, Paris, France
Hotel de ville, Paris, France
Hotel de ville, Paris, France
Seven bridges, Paris, France
Seven bridges, Paris, France

Avenue de la Gare, Nice, French Riviera
Avenue de la Gare, Nice, French Riviera
La Concha, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
La Concha, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
Algiers, Algeria
Algiers, Algeria
Resting Bedouins and the Grand Pyramid, Cairo, Egypt
Resting Bedouins and the Grand Pyramid, Cairo, Egypt
Sailboat on the Nile, Cairo, Egypt
Sailboat on the Nile, Cairo, Egypt
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Constantinople, Turkey
Constantinople, Turkey
The Galata Bridge in Istanbul
The Galata Bridge in Istanbul
Plaza and church of San Francesco di Paola, Naples, Italy
Plaza and church of San Francesco di Paola, Naples, Italy
Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
San Giorgio from Doges' Palace, Venice, Italy
San Giorgio from Doges’ Palace, Venice, Italy
Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland
Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland
Sigmaringen, Germany
Sigmaringen, Germany
Kursalon Stadtpark in Vienna, Austria
Kursalon Stadtpark in Vienna, Austria
Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany
Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany
Tivoli park, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tivoli park, Copenhagen, Denmark
Helsingborg harbor, Sweden
Helsingborg harbor, Sweden
Svolvaer, Lofoten, Norway
Svolvaer, Lofoten, Norway
Babbacombe Beach, Torquay, England
Babbacombe Beach, Torquay, England
Fifth Avenue at Fifty-first Street, New York City
Fifth Avenue at Fifty-first Street, New York City, USA
Mulberry Street, New York City
Mulberry Street, New York City, USA
Washington. West façade Library of Congress
Washington, West façade Library of Congress, USA
Wasatch Range from the Valley of the Jordan, Utah
Wasatch Range from the Valley of the Jordan, Utah, USA