The Spanish Armada From the Spanish Perspective: The Tudors' Greatest Naval Victory

The image of Sir Francis Drake calmly playing bowls on Plymouth Hoe despite the sighting of the Spanish Armada has been handed down as one of history's great examples of English insouciance. In reality, the English commander knew the wind and the tides precluded the English fleet from putting to sea at that time. It forms part of the story of what is considered one of England's greatest triumphs, but to the Spanish, even today the defeat of Duke of Medina Sidonia’s fleet still sticks in their hearts as probably the most humiliating period in their history.

At the mere mention of its name, they are outraged and vehemently affirm that the Armada was defeated by storms and bad weather, and not by the Royal Navy. For the first time in the English language, this pivotal battle is analysed by a Spaniard, drawing on contemporary Spanish accounts and more recent critical histories.

The background to the conflict between Philip II and Elizabeth I – the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 to 1604 – is explained as seen from the Spanish viewpoint and the main characters of the age, such as Álvaro de Bazán, Alexander Farnese and, of course, Drake and Hawkins, are shown in a somewhat different light to that usually presented to British readers.

The Spanish Armada From The Spanish Perspective begins with a description of the Spanish navy, its origins and its composition, and an examination of the usual claim that it was, at that time, the finest in the world. The Spanish dominance of the western Mediterranean and of the Atlantic is explained and the great galleons of the era and their capabilities are described. The organization of the Armada, and its composition is detailed, as are the seven fleets into which it was divided. Its ships and commanders are explored, especially its commander-in-chief, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, a man who had little knowledge of the sea.

All this is a prelude to the launching of the Armada and the dramatic voyage to England. The battle or, more precisely, the five battles that took place at Plymouth on 31 July 1588, at Portland Blind on 2 August, the Isle of Wright on 3 and 4 August, and the last battle at Brulotes (Calais) on 7 August form the main focus of the book.

Equally intriguing is the account of the gruelling return journey made by the surviving ships from the battles, across the coasts of Scotland and Ireland, where bad weather eventually destroyed many of the ships and of the large number of the sailors who managed to swim ashore who were killed on reaching land. The fate of many of these prisoners is highlighted. The book also lists the main Spanish commanders who died during the battles and the return voyage, individuals such as Juan Martínez de Recalde and Miguel de Oquendo.

Finally, the consequences of the campaign are considered from the Spanish viewpoint. Did Spain manage to recover quickly from the terrible losses suffered? Did England take advantage of the weak position in which the Spanish navy was left? Maybe a truly balanced perspective of the defeat of the Spanish Armada can now be realised as, at last, we can also truly see it from the Spanish perspective.

Juan J. Herrero Giménez was born in Barcelona in 1973. He studied History and Social Anthropology in Barcelona and at Brunel University in London. He also has an MFA in Media Communications. In recent years, he has combined his work as a film distributor with the publication of novels such as Kursk 1943 (2006) and Talavera 1809 (2009), and history books including Las Medallas de la Guerra de la Independencia (The Medals of the Peninsular War, 2022). In addition to collaborating on various historical publications, such as the magazine Despertaferro, he is also the founder of the blog Si vis pacem, para bellum, one of the most important blogs of military history in Spain.

Herrero Giménez previously published The Peninsular War with Pen and Sword (2023)