The English Armada: The Greatest Naval Disaster in English History

During the year between July 1588, when the Spanish Armada set sail from Spain and July 1589, when the survivors of the English counterpart of this fleet, the little-known English Armada, reached port in England, two of history's worst naval catastrophes took place. A great deal of attention has been dedicated to the former and precious little to the latter. This book presents a full-scale account of an event which has been neglected for more than four centuries. It reconstructs the military operations day by day for the first time, taking apart the established notion that, with the defeat of the Spanish Armada, England achieved maritime supremacy and the decay of Spain began. This book clearly and in a rigorously documented fashion shows how the defeat of the English Armada counterbalanced that of the Spanish, frustrating England's intention of seizing Philip II's American empire and changing the tide of the war.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations 1. Introduction Part I: The Spanish Armada 2. The Vicious Circle 3. In Corunna 4. In the Channel 5. Carrick na Spania Part II: The English Armada 6. Preparations in England 7. Preparations in Corunna 8. The Landing 9. The Capture of Pescadería 10. To the Walls 11. The Oath 12. The First Attacks 13. The Mined Turret 14. María Pita 15. San Antón and El Burgo 16. Full Sail to Lisbon 17. Heading South 18. The Landing in Peniche 19. The March Begins 20. At Loures 21. In the Outskirts of Lisbon 22. Encamisada 23. The Awakening of São Jorge 24. The Trojan Horses 25. Counteroffensive 26. Turning Point 27. Two Banners 28. Essex, Cárdenas and the Windmills 29. To the Sea 30. Naval Combat 31. Port-of-call in Vigo 32. Return to England Part III: The War Continues 33. A Glove, a Lion and El Dorado 34. The End of Drake and Hawkins 35. Cádiz and the North Wind 36. Crimson Taffeta 37. Peace Epilogue Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Luis Gorrochategui Santos teaches philosophy at IES Francisco Aguiar, Spain. He is the author of several books in Spanish including La Guerra de la Sirena (2002), Contra Armada (2011) and La Rebelión de los PIGS (2013), as well as numerous articles.

Review :
For writing a history brimming with these kinds of details there can be no question that Santos has succeeded in publishing a thorough study on a significant sixteenth-century topic that has generally been ignored. [An] extremely enjoyable and thoroughly recommended addition to the literature on the subject in English. This is a well-written and well-researched account of an all too often overlooked event. Santos makes great use of a wide variety of primary and secondary materials. The impressive detail on the size and strength of individual ships along with official decision-making, military strategy, tactics, and engagements will appeal to scholars and public audiences interested in early modern military history and Anglo-Spanish relations … The English Armada is an important addition to current historiography on the Spanish and English Armadas because it offers an alternative to the typically English version of events. An important contribution to our understanding of this, the 'other' armada. Santos is the first to use Spanish and Portuguese sources as well as English accounts to paint a more accurate picture of what really happened … [The] best available account of the disastrous English Armada of 1589. This monograph dedicated to the Counter-Armada is the first to give a full account of the expedition, and represents an eye-opening contribution to the study of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1604) historiography. At last the real history of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604. It turns out that the famous Armada of 1588 was more propaganda achievement than decisive English victory. Gorrochategui's marvellous account of their counter-armada the following year to destroy the Spanish threat and liberate Portugal reveals an equal if not bigger disaster. It provides an important rebalancing of what proved a long war of attrition. A profound and detailed study of enormous merit and scope about an historic event that has given rise to much controversy. As the author states in his illuminating epilogue, the success of the English expedition would have made it possible for the English and the Dutch to gain access to the Spanish crown's territories in the Americas, but its failure enabled Spain to retain them. That is why it was an event of such importance. This engaging and easy-to-read work describes very compellingly a decisive episode of the period. Essential reading for those who love history or who are professionally engaged in it. Using primary sources Gorrochategui Santos constructs and describes the operations, the rifts and the battles with accuracy in a format which is engaging and coherent. It will certainly make some people feel embarrassed as it returns to historical memory events that should not be concealed.