Armada

The Spanish Armada was a fleet of ships that set sail from Spain in 1588 to invade England and overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. The armada was made up of 130 ships and over 30,000 men. Despite its size and firepower, the Spanish Armada was defeated by the English navy in the English Channel. The English used smaller, more maneuverable ships and expertly deployed tactics such as using fire ships to disrupt the Spanish fleet.

The Spanish did not call the Spanish Armada that. It was known as "La Armada Invencible" or the Invincible Fleet in Spain. Religious tensions between Catholic Spain and Protestant England heavily influenced the Spanish Armada. King Philip II of Spain saw himself as a defender of the Catholic faith and wanted to restore Catholicism to England.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada was a turning point in English history, as it marked the beginning of England's rise as a naval power and helped to establish England as a major player in European politics.