The Spanish Armada

Paper Summary:

The paper reveals that it might seem illogical for Philip II to have launched the largest and most expensive naval force against England, an inferior monarchy. The paper explains that one motivation for launching the Armada against England was religion. The paper discusses how the Spanish knew they were no match for the English navy, yet the Spanish were considered the best soldiers in the world and so felt confident to challenge the English on ground. The paper illustrates the failure of the Spanish Armada and portrays how it destroyed both the image of the invincibility of the Spanish forces and Philip's reputation.

From the Paper:

"According to author Neil Hanson, Philip II was a brilliant man at diplomacy, yet when it came to actually dispatching his Armada, he had no decisive plan. Moreover notes Hanson, it is a myth that the Spanish fleet outnumbered the English. Not only did the English have just as many ships as the Spanish, they were better ships and better armed (Conan). In fact, the British ships, guns, crew, and captains were probably somewhere between 20-30 years ahead of the Spanish, a fact not unbeknown to the Spanish (Conan). When asked by a Vatican representative about the chances of victory, one Spanish admiral remarked, "Well, the English have got better guns, better crews, better captain, better everything. So we're sailing in the confidant hope of a miracle," meaning the Spanish believed God would help them achieve victory (Conan)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adams, Simon. "The Spanish Armada. January 01 2001. Retrieved November 08 2006 from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/adams_armada_01.shtml
• Conan, Neal. "Interview: Neil Hanson discusses his book 'The Confidant Hope of a Miracle: The True History of the Spanish Armada'" Talk of the Nation: National Public Radio. March 7 2005. Retrieved November 08 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• McKinnon-Bell, David. "Philip II of Spain champion of Catholicism: David McKinnon-Bell assesses the degree to which Philip II's policies were motivated by religious zeal. History Review. September 1 2001. Retrieved November 08 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Ross, David. "The Spanish Armada. The British Express. Retrieved November 08 2006 from: http://www.britainexpress.com/History/tudor/armada.htm

More papers on The Spanish Armada:

• Research Paper # 43591 : "The Spanish Armada"
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• Term Paper # 125100 : "Armada History"

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