Sir Francis Drake Destroys the Spanish Fleet in Cadiz, Spain
War had broken out (Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 to 1604) between the Spanish and English – between Roman Catholic Spain and Protestant England. But it was more than just a religious war, for there were also political and economic agitations. English privateers were having a major impact on Spanish shipping. English support for the Netherlands in their fight for independence against Spain and also their support for an alternative Portuguese ruler (Portugal were in league with Spain) were a constant annoyance to the Spanish Empire. England saw Spain as a major threat to their security. Soon it was war, with Spain determined to invade England and crush Protestantism in its infancy.
Sir Francis Drake had been one of the thorns in Spain’s side, acting as a privateer in the Spanish Indies and taking many a Spanish ship as a prize. He was given command of an English fleet and set out to attack the Spanish on the 12th April 1587. On the 19th April 1587, Sir Francis Drake carried out what he described as having ‘singed the beard of the King of Spain,’ by sinking the Spanish fleet at harbor in the Bay of Cadiz, Spain. Up to 33 ships were destroyed and four were captured. This occurred the year prior to the sinking of the Spanish Armada during the attempted invasion of England.
When the fleet returned to England on the 6th of July, they had sunk over 100 enemy vessels and suceeded in setting back the planned Spanish invasion of England by a year. Drake had already sealed his place in history as one of England’s heroes, but his work had only just begun.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Leave a comment | tags: 12, 1585, 1587, 1604, 19, 6, acting, agitations, alternative, Anglo-Spanish War, annoyance, April, April 19, armada, attack, attempted, back, Bay of Cadiz, beard, begun, broken, Cadiz, captured, command, constant, crush, described, destroyed, destroys, determined, economic, empire, enemy, England, English, fight, fleet, Francis Drake, given, harbour, heroes, history, impact, independence, Indies, infancy, invade, invasion, July, king, league, major, Netherlands, occurred, only, out, place, planned, political, Portugal, Portuguese, privateers, prize, Protestant, Protestantism, religious, returned, Roman Catholic, ruler, saw, sealed, security, setting, ship, shipping, ships, side, singed, sinking, Sir, Spain, Spanish, suceeded, sunk, support, thorns, threat, today, Today in History, vessels, war, work | posted in Anglo-Spanish War, Cadiz, England, Francis Drake, Netherlands, Portugal, Protestantism, Roman Catholic Church, Spain, Today in History, war
Giovanni da Verrazzano: Discovery of New York Bay
On this day in 1524, navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano, discovered New York Bay. Verrazzano was employed by the French king, Francis I, to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean in order to reach China. After a failed first expedition, Verrazzano in the ‘La Dauphine,’ left France on the 17th January 1524 for the North American mainland. Once in American waters he explored the east coast of North America, including the area from North Carolina to New York. During his journey he came into contact with native American Indians and entered the Hudson River. The area explored by Verrazano was named ‘New France.’
Verrazzano is thought to have been born in 1485, south of Florence in Italy, though more recent research would suggest he was born in Lyon, France. Verrazzano died during a third trip to America, when he was killed and eaten by native Carib Indians on the island of Guadeloupe in 1528.
As with any other day, there was plenty more that happened on this day in history. Among the more important events on this day in the past were:
-
In 1492, Christopher Columbus signed a contract with Spain to find the Indies.
-
In 1521, Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.
-
In 1534, Sir Thomas Moore was confined in the Tower of London.
-
In 1970, Apollo 13 sucessfully returned to earth.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Leave a comment | tags: 1485, 1492, 1521, 1524, 1528, 1534, 1970, American, Apollo 13, April 17, area, born, Carib, China, Christopher Columbus, coast, confined, contact, contract, died, discovered, discovery, earth, east, eaten, employed, entered, events, excommunicated, expedition, explored, failed, find, first, Florence, France, Francis I, French, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Guadeloupe, happened, history, Hudson River, important, Indians, Indies, island, Italy, journey, killed, king, La Dauphine, Lyon, mainland, Martin Luther, named, native, navigator, New France, New York, New York Bay, North America, North American, North Carolina, Pacific Ocean, past, plenty, reach, recent, research, returned, Roman Catholic Church, route, sea, signed, Sir, south, Spain, successfully, suggest, third, Thomas Moore, today, Tower of London, trip, waters | posted in China, Christopher Columbus, England, Exploration, France, Francis I, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Italy, New York, North America, North Carolina, Pacific Ocean, Roman Catholic Church, Thomas Moore, Today in History, Tower of London, USA
War had broken out (Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 to 1604) between the Spanish and English – between Roman Catholic Spain and Protestant England. But it was more than just a religious war, for there were also political and economic agitations. English privateers were having a major impact on Spanish shipping. English support for the Netherlands in their fight for independence against Spain and also their support for an alternative Portuguese ruler (Portugal were in league with Spain) were a constant annoyance to the Spanish Empire. England saw Spain as a major threat to their security. Soon it was war, with Spain determined to invade England and crush Protestantism in its infancy.
History for Today 