The English Armada: The Greatest Naval Disaster in English History

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.

Product Description

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.

Review

“[An] extremely enjoyable and thoroughly recommended addition to the literature on the subject in English.” – Canadian Journal of History

“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.” – H-War

“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.” – Michigan War Studies Review