The Campaign of the Spanish Armada Author:Peter Kemp Four hundred years ago, in 1588, the Spanish Armada of Philip II of Spain set sail for England. Drawing on the wealth and resources of his vast Catholic empire, Philip has assembled a formidable force of ships and men, with the declared intention of seizing power in England. Had he succeeded, he would have become the dominant ruler in Europe and... more » been able to extend his influence over all the emergent Protestant countries.
The campaign of the Spanish Armada is thus one of the great climacterics of European history--it radically altered the balance of power in Europe. It is an exciting story and is here expertly told, from the conception of the campaign and the reasons for it to its effect upon naval power in subsequent years. It is the story of an ill-fated venture, in which naval tactics played a crucial part, particularly in the narrow waters of the English Channel. The Armada that set out that summer of 1588, with such high hopes and convinced that God was on its side, a few months later limped home, a battered and broken force, and in its defeat lay Philip's shattered ambitions for empire.
The author's compelling narrative gives the military and naval historian's view; it is complemented by illustrations of contemporary paintings, artifacts, and charts, many of them reproduced in color, to make this a highly attractive and noteworthy celebration of the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Armada.« less