Back in 2010 I did daily posts over at The Elizabeth Files counting down the events which led up to the defeat of the Spanish Armada in August 1588 during the reign of Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Here are links to the articles if you’re interested in reading more about it:
- The Spanish Armada 1 – The Assembling of Troops at Tilbury Fort
- The Spanish Armada 2 – Leicester Invites Elizabeth to Tilbury
- The Spanish Armada 3 – The Hell-burners
- The Spanish Armada 4 – The Battle of Gravelines
- The Spanish Armada 5 – The Protestant Wind
- The Spanish Armada 6 – The Spanish Fleet Homeward Bound
- The Spanish Armada 7 – Elizabeth I Visits Tilbury
- The Spanish Armada 8 – Elizabeth I’s Tilbury Speech
- The Spanish Armada 9 – God Blew and They Were Scattered
You can find out all about the symbolism in the famous Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I in my article The Armada Portrait.
I always find the propaganda about the Armada to be a great laugh. The battle in reality was a different one, the crescent moon of the Spanish formation hard to break down, most one to one duels equal, the fact that the Armada could not land to pick up the army luck. The turn came with the Spanish taking shelter in harbour and the burning of the fleet. The formation was then broken up and the fire ships able to execute the scattering of the panicked fleet. Our wonderful weather did the rest down the Irish and Scottish coasts.
The speech in Tilury makes good read and must have been quite rousing but in reality the main danger was passed and historians agree neither the Queen or country where in danger now. The art is good propaganda and very iconic.
I think that can be said about most battles B.Q. don’t you…
A little embellishment by the victors, and the old adage ‘God is on our side’, always does the trick to justify and aid the acceptance by those that have lost family and have seen the destruction.
Yep the good ol’ British weather, never fails does it, lol.