List of ships of the English Armada facts for kids
The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada, was a large fleet of ships sent by Queen Elizabeth I of England. It sailed on April 28, 1589. This happened during a time when England and Spain were fighting a war, even though it wasn't officially declared. It was also part of the Eighty Years' War, a long conflict in Europe.
The English Armada was led by two famous commanders: Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris. They had three main goals:
- To destroy the Spanish fleet, which had been damaged the year before (in 1588) and was being repaired in ports in northern Spain.
- To land in Lisbon, Portugal, and start a rebellion there against King Philip II of Spain. The plan was to put Dom António on the Portuguese throne.
- To capture the Azores islands if possible, to create a permanent English naval base.
Sadly for England, none of these goals were achieved. The attempt to help Dom António become king of Portugal failed. England also missed a big chance to seriously damage the Spanish Navy when it was weak. This expedition caused huge losses of English lives and ships. It also used up a lot of England's money, which Queen Elizabeth had worked hard to save. The failure was so embarrassing that it's often not talked about much in English history. Because of this missed opportunity, King Philip II was able to rebuild his navy very quickly. The next year, he sent 37 ships and thousands of men to Brittany, where they set up a new base. Even though England and the Netherlands tried hard, they couldn't stop Spain's treasure fleets from the Americas. This meant Spain remained a very powerful country in Europe for many more years.
Leaders of the English Armada
The English Armada had several important leaders who commanded different parts of the fleet.
- Sir Francis Drake was the main admiral of the fleet. He commanded the squadron of the ship Revenge.
- Sir John Norris was the general of the army. He led the squadron of the Nonpareil.
- Thomas Fenner was the vice-admiral. He commanded the squadron of the Dreadnought.
- Edward Norris, who was John Norris's brother, commanded the squadron of the Foresight.
- Roger Williams was another important captain. He commanded the squadron of the Swiftsure.
How Big Was the Fleet?
The English Armada was a massive undertaking. On April 8, 1589, records show there were about 180 ships in total. These included royal warships called galleons, English merchant ships that carried weapons, and Dutch flyboats, which were fast, light ships. There were also smaller ships called pinnaces and other support vessels.
Here's a quick look at what these ships were used for:
| Assignment | Ships |
|---|---|
| Troops and mariners | 115 |
| Baggage | 33 |
| Horses | 10 |
| Victuals (food supplies) | 10 |
| Munitions (weapons and ammo) | 2 |
| Support | 3 |
| Pioneers (engineers) | 7 |
It's hard to know the exact number of ships because more were added right up until the fleet sailed. Some records suggest there might have been as many as 193 ships, or even nearly 200. Many of these ships were quite small.
How Many People Were Involved?
The number of people who took part in the English Armada was also very large.
| Complement | Men |
|---|---|
| Soldiers | 17,390 |
| Cavalrymen (horse riders) | 95 |
| English mariners (sailors) | 3,200 |
| Dutch mariners | 900 |
| Pioneers (engineers) | 295 |
| Ship captains, officers and servants | 1,500 |
| Total | 23,375 |
Some documents show that the total number of men might have been even higher, possibly around 27,667. This shows just how many people England gathered for this huge attack.
Sadly, the expedition had a very high cost in human lives. Out of all the men who went, only about 3,722 survived and returned. Even fewer, only 1,042, received any pay for their service. This highlights the terrible losses suffered during this failed mission.
