Spanish Armada

noun

1. the great fleet sent by Philip II of Spain against England in 1588: defeated in the Channel by the English fleets and almost completely destroyed by storms off the Hebrides Also calledthe Armada

Armada, Spanish

1. A fleet of more than a hundred ships sent by King Philip II of Spain to conquer England in 1588. Although called the “Invincible Armada,” it was destroyed by a combination of English seamanship, Dutch reinforcements, and bad weather . Several thousand Spaniards were killed, and about half the Spanish ships were lost.

Notes

The defeat of the Armada was a sharp blow to the influence and prestige of Spain in the world and was an important step in England's ascent to power.