What was the main reason the Spainish Armarda failed?

Answer 1

One of the major blows to the Spanish Armada was the weather. The English Channel is very dangerous to sail in today, with its many squalls and the ability to be forced onto a lee shore. At the time the Armada sailed, maps were incomplete, inaccurate, and hard to come by. The science of Navigation was in its infancy. These two factors combined with contrary weather made keeping a large fleet organized extremely challenging.

Putting the above issues aside, the Spanish Aramada was defeated because of a lack of usable firepower. The Spanish ships large cannon were 'land cannons', they were mounted on carriages with large wheels and long tongues, ideal for moving the cannon on land. On the ship of a deck, they were next to useless. In order to load the cannon, it had to pivoted - a challenging and tedious process. Think of trying to move a large couch up a staircase. The other option to load the cannon was to climb up on the barrel (out over the water) and pass the powder, shot, wadding, etc. Loading a cannon this way was very time consuming. It also exposed the gunner to enemy marksmen and the danger of falling in was huge, not to mention a cannon after being fired is extremely hot. During the engagement with the English, the Spanish heavy guns only fired a few shots. Modern dives on wrecks of the Armada show copious amounts of large caliber shot, and little small caliber left on board. The smaller cannon were all the Spanish had to fight with.

The English had smaller, faster and more manovorable ships. This made dealing with the weather easier. English captains knew the channel better than their Spanish opposites (think home field advantage). The English ships also had 'ships' cannon. These were mounted on short carriages with four wheels. This design allowed the cannon to be easily rolled inboard to be reloaded, and then run out to fire. The superior firepower of the English ships made up for their numerical superiority.

The English fleet was able to force the Spanish into port. When the Spanish tried to leave, the English fleet was positioned to force the Armada into the rocks. The defeat of the Spanish Armada is another example of innovation triumphing over superior force.

Answer 2

This is a good question. I'm tempted to say weather since the storms eventually wrecked more Spanish ships than the English had damaged, but the Armada had failed before the weather took it's toll. I'd say it was the fact that the Spanish army under Parma was not ready to sail when the ships arrived across the channel in the Netherlands - specifically Flanders. I'll have to look into this and add more, but this is my guess.
Looking at the source below, I think the problem was the difficulty transporting a substantial army across the channel without clearing out the faster, more maneuverable English and Dutch ships able to run circles around the larger, cumbersome Spanish transports. Amphibious operations are very complicated. Even in more modern times it was a major problem coming up with landing craft to get troops ashore across the channel on D-Day June, 6th 1944. The Duke of Parma and his excellent army could only use slow barges to get aboard the Spanish ships. The timing and coordination of the loading - men and equipment - was a tall order in 1588.
Here's a good source for you - http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/span-armada.htm

Answer 3

The main reasons for it not working out were the communication problems. The messenger ships travelled the same speed, as the Armada so they were nearly useless and the communication between Parma’s army and the Armada were not good. On top of all of this the Armada had received message that Parma’s army was not ready when they were at Calais, however modern research shows that the army would have been ready in just 5 hours but the Armada didn't know this because of Parma's plan to keep it a secret that the invasion army was ready to give the English a surprise attack... unfortunately it didn't just fool the English, it fooled the Spanish as well.

Answer 4

Many in Spain blamed Medina Sidonia but King Philip II was not one of these. He blamed its failure on the weather saying "I sent you out to war with men, not with the wind and waves."

To some extent the English agreed as a medal was struck to honour the victory. On it were the words "God blew and they were scattered."

Why did the English win?

1. They were near to their naval ports and did not have to travel far to fight the Armada.

2. The English had many advantages with regards to the ships they used. The Spanish put their hope in the power of the galleons. The English used smaller but faster ships. However, they could do little to penetrate the crescent shape of the Armada even though they had powerful cannons on board.

3. The Spanish had different tactics to the English. The English wanted to sink the Spanish ships whereas the Spanish wanted to board our ships and then capture them. To do this they would have to come up alongside our ships leaving them exposed to a broadside from English cannons on our ships.

4. Our ships, being smaller than the Spanish galleons, were more manoeuvrable which was a valuable advantage.

5. The biggest reason for the victory of the English, was the fatal error in the plan of the Spanish. While it sailed in a crescent shape, the Armada was relatively safe. But part of its plan was to stop, pick up sailors and then sail to England. The simple fact that the plan involved stopping the Armada, meant that it was fatally flawed. Warships on the move and in formation gave the Armada protection. Once the ships were still, they were open to attack.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

History records that the bad weather and the fact that the ships where too tall to maneuver. The English had smaller ships and therefore could out gun the Spanish. If I remember right the weather was bad...and many ships were destroyed on the rocks.. I wonder if there is treasure to be found there today?

Answer 7

Unsuitable ships for the English channel and the storm that finished them off

Answer 8

bad weather, unsuitable ships ( too heavy and sluggish ) and bad strategy.