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The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy is often recounted as a ‘David and Goliath’ tale in which one tiny country overcame a huge and formidable empire. It secured the continuance of Protestant rule in England and was a defining moment in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. But why did this confrontation ever take place? Was England’s success due entirely to its naval prowess, or did other factors play a part? And could the outcome have easily been drastically different?

This is a Short History of the Spanish Armada.

Written by David Jackson. With thanks to Geoffrey Parker, Professor of History at Ohio State University, and co-author of Armada: The Spanish Enterprise and England’s Deliverance in 1588.

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