The Spanish Armada

Over 400 years ago in May 1588 the Spanish Armada commenced. This happened because King Philip the 2nd of Spain was furious with Queen Elizabeth 1st of England for not punishing Sir Francis Drake and other seadogs for plundering Spanish Ships.

It took place in the English Channel, where Spain and England started the battle. There were over 130 gargantuan Spanish Ships as tall as buildings which sailed from Lisbon, Portugal towards the English coastline ready to fight.

The English probably felt petrified, terrified, worried and frightened because the Spanish Armada was the most powerful, most fearsome Navy in the world at the time!

As the Spanish Armada got closer and closer, the English were planning a cunning tactic. The English set fire to around 80 of their own ships. Why would they do that? Well, their plan was to scare away the Spanish and then drive them into a cul-de-sac ready for capture. Eventually, mother Nature helped the English and intervened by blowing the Spanish Ships onto the rocks and then smashing their boats into smitherines!!

Finally, after three hard months of fighting it ended in July 1588 and the Spanish were no longer strong enough to defend themselves and in the end the English had defeated the Spanish!!!

By Meriel Paget

Explanation Writing