English artillery played a vital role in defeating the Spanish Armada by causing significant damage to the enemy ships and disrupting their movements.
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English artillery played a crucial role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. According to historians, the advanced artillery technology possessed by the English gave them a significant advantage over the Spanish. The English had lighter and more maneuverable ships, which enabled them to fire their cannons more accurately from close range. Meanwhile, the Spanish ships were bulkier and lacked the necessary maneuverability to evade English fire.
Sir Winston Churchill, in his book The New World, wrote: “The cannonballs would come skipping across the waves, smashing through the timbers and ripping the sails of the enemy’s ships.”
Some interesting facts about English artillery during this battle:
- The English ships were equipped with a combination of long-range guns and short-range anti-personnel weapons like muskets and hand-held firearms.
- The Spanish armada was comprised of around 130 ships, while the English had about 200.
- The English fleet was led by Lord Howard and Sir Francis Drake, both of whom were expert naval strategists and commanders.
- The English artillerymen were highly skilled and trained, and were able to fire their cannons rapidly and accurately.
- Much of the English fleet was made up of smaller, faster ships called “galleons” and “fleutes” which were able to more easily maneuver around the larger and slower Spanish ships.
Here is a table showing some of the key differences between English and Spanish naval technology during the battle:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Lighter, more maneuverable ships | Bulkier, less maneuverable |
| Long-range guns + short-range | Mostly short-range weapons |
| anti-personnel weapons like muskets + | Possessed advanced armor |
| hand-held firearms (e.g. hangers) | Heavy guns (but fewer) |
| Skilled artillerymen | Less-skilled artillerymen (mostly oarsmen) |
| Smaller, faster ships like galleons + fleutes | Large, more heavily armed galleons |
You might discover the answer to “How did English artillery affect the Spanish Armada?” in this video
This video covers the reign of the late Tudors, including Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth. We learn about the challenges Elizabeth faced such as rebellious Catholics, dealing with Mary Queen of Scots, the war with Spain, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Elizabeth’s reign also saw innovations in art and literature, the creation of the East India Company, and the crushing of the Tyrone’s Rebellion in Ireland. Her primary duty was to secure the succession, which she failed to do, but the accession of James I at the end of the House of Tudor prevented any civil wars from erupting.
Other options for answering your question
At midnight on August 7–8 (July 28–29), the English launched eight fire ships before the wind and tide into the Spanish fleet, forcing the Spanish ships to cut or slip their cables (thus losing their anchors) and stand out to sea to avoid catching fire. The Spanish ships’ formation was thus completely broken.
There followed an immense naval battle off Gravelines, during which the Spanish fleet were bombarded by the long-range English guns. In rough seas it lasted for nine hours, with great damage being done to the Spanish fleet, which for most of the time were unable to return fire due to a lack of trained gunners.
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- The Armada set sail on 28 May but bad weather forced the ships to go back into port for repairs.