GCSE History
Philip II of Spain had been planning the invasion of England for years - the Armada of 1588 was the result of accumulated grievances over religion, the Netherlands, and English piracy in his Caribbean empire. What followed was eight days of combat in the Channel, a fireship attack at Gravelines, and a storm that wrecked more Spanish ships than the English fleet did. The Tilbury speech may be Elizabeth's most famous words - but the weather did most of the work.