La Juliana (1570 ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Spain |
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| Name | La Juliana |
| Builder | Barcelona |
| Launched | 1570 |
| Fate | Wrecked 22 September 1588 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Carrack |
| Tons burthen | 860 tons |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 65 crew |
| Armament | 32 guns of various weights of shot |
La Juliana was a large Spanish ship built in 1570. It started as a merchant vessel, carrying goods for trade. But then, King Philip II of Spain took control of it to use in his powerful navy. He added 32 cannons to it, making it ready for battle as part of the famous Spanish Armada.
The Story of La Juliana
La Juliana was built near Barcelona, Spain, in 1570. It was a type of ship called a Carrack, which was a large sailing ship used for trade and war. In 1586, King Philip II needed many ships for his huge fleet, the Spanish Armada. He took La Juliana and turned it into a warship by adding 32 powerful guns.
The Spanish Armada was a massive fleet of ships sent by Spain to invade England in 1588. La Juliana was part of a group of ships called the Levant squadron. This squadron was led by Don Martin de Bertendona. Another ship in this group was La Lavia, which served as the vice-flagship.
The Shipwreck
In September 1588, the Spanish Armada faced terrible storms off the coast of Ireland. Many ships were wrecked. On September 22, 1588, La Juliana was driven ashore and wrecked near Streedagh Strand. This area is north of the Rosses Point Peninsula on the west coast of Ireland. Two other Armada ships, La Lavia and La Santa Maria de Vison, also sank nearby.
Finding the Wreckage
For hundreds of years, the ships lay hidden beneath the sea. Then, in 1985, local divers found the wreckage of three Armada vessels at Streedagh Strand. They identified two of them as La Lavia and La Santa Maria de Vison. The third ship was believed to be La Juliana, but its identity was not completely certain at that time.
In spring 2015, strong storms hit the coast and uncovered more artifacts from the seabed. Ireland's Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht sent divers to explore these new finds. One very important discovery was a bronze cannon. This cannon had a special decoration: an image of Saint Matrona of Barcelona. It also had the initial "D" on it, which was the mark of a famous gun-maker named Gioardi Dorino II from Genoa.
Other items found at the wreck site also had this "D" mark. This showed that Gioardi Dorino II had made most of the bronze cannons for La Juliana. The cannon was also dated 1570, which is the same year La Juliana was built. The Irish government stated that this discovery made the identity of the third shipwreck "beyond doubt." It was indeed La Juliana.
