San Esteban (1588 shipwreck) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Spain |
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| Name | San Esteban |
| Owner | Spanish navy |
| In service | 1586 |
| Stricken | 20 September 1588 |
| Fate | Wrecked |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Carrack |
| Tons burthen | 736 |
| Length | 37.6 metres (123 ft) |
| Beam | 10.7 metres (35 ft) |
| Draught | 4.9 metres (16 ft) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Armament | 26 guns |
The San Esteban was a large ship that belonged to the Spanish Armada. The Spanish Armada was a huge fleet of ships sent by Spain to invade England a long time ago. In 1588, the San Esteban was wrecked, or destroyed, off the west coast of Ireland. Sadly, many people who survived the shipwreck faced a difficult end.
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Building the San Esteban Ship
The San Esteban was likely built in a place called Cantabria in Spain during the year 1586. This was a very large ship for its time. It weighed 736 tons and carried 26 powerful guns. The ship was about 37.6 meters (123 feet) long. It was 10.7 meters (35 feet) wide and went 4.9 meters (16 feet) deep into the water.
The San Esteban's Journey
In October 1585, King Philip II of Spain made a big decision. He decided to try and invade England. To do this, he planned to send a massive fleet of ships, known as the Armada. This fleet would sail from Spain to the Netherlands. There, it would pick up an army led by Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma.
The San Esteban was an important part of this huge fleet. It was assigned to the Guipuzcoa Squadron. This group of ships was led by Almirante Miguel de Oquendo y Segura. The captain of the San Esteban was Don Felipe de Córdoba. The ship carried 196 soldiers and 68 sailors.
The Armada set sail from Corunna, Spain, on July 19, 1588. It reached the English Channel on July 30. English ships attacked the Spanish fleet many times as it sailed through the channel. On the night of August 7–8, the English sent fire ships. These were old ships set on fire and sent towards the Armada.
On August 8, a big battle happened near Gravelines. During this fight, the wind pushed the Armada into the North Sea. Because of this, the Spanish ships could not go back to pick up Parma's army. So, the Spanish had to give up their plan to invade England.
The Wreck of the San Esteban
The Armada tried to return to Spain by sailing north. They planned to go around Scotland and then down the west coast of Ireland. However, their maps were not very good. The Spanish sailors were in waters they did not know well. Because of this, 26 of the 128 ships in the Armada were wrecked on the Irish coast.
The San Esteban was one of these ships. It was wrecked on September 20, 1588. The ship was lost near the mouth of the Doonbeg River in western Ireland. On the same day, two other Spanish ships were also wrecked nearby. The San Marcos was lost near a place now called Spanish Point. The Annunciada was wrecked in the Shannon Estuary.
What Happened Next
About sixty men from the San Esteban managed to reach the shore. Some of these survivors were attacked by local people or English soldiers. Others were captured. Four men from the San Marcos were also taken prisoner. They were held by Boetius Clancy, who was the High Sheriff of Clare. He kept them at his castle near Spanish Point.
Sadly, all the prisoners were later put to death. This happened at a place called Cnoc na Crocaire near Spanish Point. They were buried together in a large grave. This grave is still known today as Tuama na Spaineach, which means "Tomb of the Spanish." Even after a lot of searching, the exact spot where the San Esteban was wrecked is still unknown.
