Armada, Spanish

[ (ahr-mah-duh) ]

A fleet of more than a hundred ships sent by King Philip II of Spain to conquer England in 1588. Although called the “Invincible Armada,” it was destroyed by a combination of English seamanship, Dutch reinforcements, and bad weather. Several thousand Spaniards were killed, and about half the Spanish ships were lost.

notes for Armada, Spanish

The defeat of the Armada was a sharp blow to the influence and prestige of Spain in the world and was an important step in England's ascent to power.