SPANISH ARMADA 1588

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aukepalmhof
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SPANISH ARMADA 1588

Post by aukepalmhof » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:56 pm

Plans developed by Philip II King of Spain to invade England came to head when a Spanish fleet under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia left Lisbon in May 1588. It was a rendezvous with Spanish land forces operating under the command of the Duke of Parma in Flanders and then mount an invasion of England, landing on the coast between Dover and Margate. The operation was launched for several reasons including retaliation for English support for the Protestant opposition to Spanish rule in the Netherlands and the execution of the Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scott’s. The frequent raids by English privateers on Spanish possessions and treasure ships were a further contributory factor.

The Armada as originally planned by Don Alvaro de Bazan, Marquis of Santa Cruz, would have involved some 556 ships and over 94.000 ground troops. This plan had to be modified following a raid on Cadiz in 1857 by English naval forces under the command of Sir Francis Drake, which resulted in the destruction of a significant number of Spanish warships. The sudden death of the Marquis of Santa Cruz in January 1588 was another complication. The Duke of Medina Sidonia, who was a much less experienced naval commander, replaced him.

The Spanish fleet, which consisted of 130 ships left Lisbon on May 28 1588, but was delayed by bad weather. Forced to take shelter at Corunna, in northwest Spain, it was another month before it resumed its journey to England.
The fleet was not sighted in the English Channel until 19 July when it appeared off the Lizard, Cornwall. An English fleet consisting of 129 ships was organized in two commands. Lord Howard of Effingham commanded 94 ships based at Plymouth, while Lord Henry Seymour headed a squadron of 35 ships that was waiting off Calais for the arrival of the Duke of Parma’s army. Lord Howard’s squadron left Plymouth as soon as the Spanish were sighted, and the first shots were fired off the Eddystone, in the waters south of Plymouth on 21 July. The Armada was under continuous long-range fire from more maneuverable English warships as it moved up the Channel in a strong crescent-shape formation. Although it suffered a few losses during a series of running engagements, it remained in formation until it reached Calais, where it anchored on the evening of July 27.

At this point the entire English fleet arrived in the same area and decided to act to prevent the embarkation of enemy troops. The following night it attacked the enemy fleet with eight fireships. The Spanish who faced rapid destruction were forced to abandon their anchorage, pursued by the English fleet. The opposing fleets came to battle off Gravelines. France and the English quickly gained the dominant position. Three Spanish ships were lost and the entire fleet nearly ran aground off the Flemish coast.
Medina Sidonia. Who had been unable to board the Duke of Parma’s troops and was running short of ammunition, was forced to abandon the expedition. Unable to retrace his original route because the English cut it off, he was forced to sail around the north of Scotland and the west of Ireland.
Lord Howard pursued them northward for three days but eventually abandoned the chase.
Severe weather conditions during this part of the journey wrecked many Spanish ships; only 67 of the original 130 vessel eventually returned to Spain. Despite the failure of the Armada, the war between the two countries continued until 1604. The defeat of the Spanish Armada stands as a defining moment in English naval (and national) history.
It marks the beginning of the Spain’s imperial decline and England’s rise as a world power.

Gambia 2001 7d sg?, scott? and 1988 10d sg790, scott?
St Lucia 1984 $2.50 sg682, scott?
Great Britain 1988 18p sg 1400/04.
St Vincent 1988 15c/$5 sg 1137-42 and MS $8 sgMS 1143.
Guinea Republic 2018 50000 FG sgMS?, scott?

Taken from Naval History by A. Bruce and W. Cogar.
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Last edited by aukepalmhof on Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:46 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Anatol
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Re: SPANISH ARMADA 1588

Post by Anatol » Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:54 pm

The Spanish Galleon of the "Great Armada".
Guinea Equatorial 1976;0,55pta.
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aukepalmhof
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Re: SPANISH ARMADA 1588

Post by aukepalmhof » Tue Jul 09, 2019 8:35 pm

The 3G stamp issued by Paraguay is designed after a painting which shows us the destruction of the Spanish Armada an oil painting of an unknown artist in the National Maritime Museum Greenwich "Extermination of the Spanish Armada 1588”
What type of Spanish ships are depict on the stamp I am not sure but the following Spanish ships type were used: Hulk or Urcas: a cargo ship (many of the Armada Urcas were from the Baltic ports). Xebec: a small three masted Mediterranean sailing ship with lateen and square sails. Galleon: a large sailing ship, square rigged with three or more decks and masts.

Paraguay 1980 3g sg?, scott 1972a and a overprint for the discovery of America 1492-1992.
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