1588 facts for kids
The year 1588 was a very important time in history, especially for Europe. Big events happened that changed how countries like England, Spain, and France interacted. It was a year of major battles and political changes.
Contents
Major Events of 1588
The Spanish Armada Sails
On May 28, 1588, a huge fleet of ships called the Spanish Armada began its journey from Lisbon. This massive fleet had 130 ships and about 30,000 men. Their goal was to sail to the English Channel and invade England. It took two days for all the ships to leave the port.
Battles in the English Channel
The English and Spanish fleets first met on July 31 near Plymouth. The English ships, which were smaller and faster, had an advantage in this first fight.
On August 2, the two fleets fought again off the coast of Dorset. The English fleet was led by brave commanders like Lord Howard of Effingham and Sir Francis Drake. Again, the English performed better in this battle.
The Battle of Gravelines
The most important battle happened on August 6. This was the Battle of Gravelines. The Spanish Armada was badly defeated by the English navy. The English forces were commanded by Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake. This battle took place near Gravelines, which is now in France.
After this defeat, the Spanish fleet tried to meet up with an army on the coast of Flanders. However, they couldn't reach them. On August 7, the fleets fought again, and the English were still more successful.
By August 8 and August 9, the Spanish commander, Medina Sidonia, decided to turn back. The Spanish fleet began its long journey home.
The Armada's Difficult Journey Home
On August 12, the Spanish fleet sailed past the Firth of Forth. The English stopped chasing them. However, a large part of the Spanish fleet was destroyed by storms as they sailed around Scotland and Ireland. This was a huge loss for Spain.
Political Changes in France
In Paris, on May 12, there was a day known as the Day of the Barricades. The Duke Henry of Guise took control of the city. This forced King Henry III to leave Paris.
By July, King Henry III of France agreed to the Duke of Guise's demands and returned to Paris. However, the king later took strong action against his enemies. On December 23, King Henry III had the Duke of Guise and his brother, Cardinal Louis of Guise, killed. He also made Cardinal de Bourbon a prisoner.
Other Important Events
The sultan of Morocco, Ahmad al-Mansur, demanded a large payment from the king of Songhay. This was likely meant to cause trouble. When Songhay refused, Ahmad al-Mansur declared war and marched his army across the Sahara Desert to Songhay.
In Russia, Boris Godunov was in charge of the government.
Also in 1588, William Morgan published his translation of the Bible into the Welsh language. This was a very important event for Welsh speakers.
Images for kids
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Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg
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Henri, Prince of Conde
| Millennium: | 2nd millennium |
|---|---|
| Centuries: | 15th century – 16th century – 17th century |
| Decades: | 1550s 1560s 1570s – 1580s – 1590s 1600s 1610s |
| Years: | 1585 1586 1587 – 1588 – 1589 1590 1591 |
See also
In Spanish: 1588 para niños
