naval battles between the english fleet and the spanish armada could be summed up as

Less than half the invincible Great Armada made it back home, and the invasion was averted. Here they were sunk by English warships or blown northwards by the sudden arrival of a fierce gale. Overnight the English drifted fire- ships into the tightly packed Spanish vessels, forcing many to cut their anchors and make for the open sea. Here the armada was scheduled to support an invasion of south- east England by 30,000 troops, to be launched from the Low Countries, but having no deep water port, it was obliged to anchor off the French coast. Though raked by gunfire from the English fleet as it sailed up the English Channel, it managed to reach Calais with the loss of only two vessels.

His invasion plan had to be delayed in 1587 - when the English seaman Francis Drake, arriving off Cadiz harbour, damaged his fleet with fire- ships - but in the Spring of 1588 the Great Armada, made up of 130 ships and carrying 20,000 soldiers, put to sea. Firstly to bring that country back into the Catholic fold and, secondly, to put an end to its constant support of the Dutch, then opposing his rule in the Spanish Netherlands. Xxxxx Philip II of Spain had long wanted to invade and conquer England, mainly on two counts.

Naval battles between the english fleet and the spanish armada could be summed up as