Historic Environment Flashcards
All 24 cards in this deck
What was Philip II's invasion plan for the Spanish Armada of 1588?
The Armada, led by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, would sail up the Channel to the Netherlands, collect the Duke of Parma's army and invade England.
What did the English fleet do when the Armada anchored off Calais in 1588?
They sent fire ships into the Spanish fleet, breaking its crescent formation, and then attacked at the Battle of Gravelines.
Give one reason for the Armada's defeat that was not English tactics.
The wind blew the fleet north past Parma's army, and storms off Scotland and Ireland wrecked many of its ships.
True or false? The Spanish had failed to capture a deep-water port before launching the Armada.
True. This meant their ships could not dock close enough to collect Parma's army.
Where in England was Parma's army meant to land in 1588?
In Kent, after being ferried across from the Netherlands, before marching on London.
Who commanded the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588?
Lord Howard of Effingham, the Lord High Admiral, with Sir Francis Drake as his vice-admiral.
Which English port was the main base of the fleet that faced the Armada in 1588?
Plymouth, from where the English ships sailed out into the Channel to meet the Armada.
How were the English race-built galleons of 1588 designed differently from the Spanish ships?
They were longer, lower and faster, easier to manoeuvre, and carried long-range cannon that could be reloaded quickly at sea.
What happened at Tilbury in August 1588?
Elizabeth reviewed the army gathered to defend against invasion and gave her famous speech, saying she had 'the heart and stomach of a king'.
Where is Kenilworth Castle, and who owned it during Elizabeth I's reign?
In Warwickshire; Elizabeth granted it to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in 1563.
What was Leicester's Building at Kenilworth Castle?
A new four-storey block added by Robert Dudley in the 1570s, with huge glass windows and grand lodgings for the Queen, built for comfort and display rather than defence.
What happened at Kenilworth Castle in July 1575?
Robert Dudley entertained Elizabeth and her court there for 19 days with pageants, fireworks, hunting and feasting — the longest stay of her reign at a courtier's house.
True or false? Kenilworth Castle was first built in Elizabeth I's reign.
False. It was a Norman castle begun in the 1120s, which Robert Dudley remodelled in the Elizabethan period.
Who was Philip II's first choice to command the Armada?
The experienced admiral the Marquis of Santa Cruz. When he died early in 1588, Philip appointed the inexperienced Duke of Medina Sidonia instead.
How was news of the Armada's arrival spread in 1588?
It was sighted off the Lizard in Cornwall on 19 July 1588 (the English calendar date), and a chain of beacons on high ground passed the warning towards London.
What formation did the Armada keep as it sailed up the Channel?
A crescent: the strongest fighting ships formed the horns and rear, shielding the cargo and supply vessels in the centre. It held together all the way up the Channel, so the English could pick off only a few ships.
About how large was the Spanish Armada?
About 130 ships carrying around 2,500 guns, which left Lisbon in May 1588.
What was the 'Protestant wind'?
The English name for the winds and storms that scattered the Armada, shown on commemorative medals as proof that God favoured Protestant England.
Why did English troops gather at Tilbury in 1588?
Tilbury, in Essex on the north bank of the Thames, had a fort guarding the river route to London. An army under the Earl of Leicester camped there in case Parma's troops invaded.
What was Leicester's Gatehouse at Kenilworth?
A new gatehouse Robert Dudley built on the north side of the castle in the 1570s, moving the main entrance so that visitors arrived through a grand, fashionable approach.
What was the Elizabethan privy garden at Kenilworth?
A formal garden Dudley laid out beside the great tower for Elizabeth's 1575 visit, with an aviary, a marble fountain, obelisks and arbours. English Heritage recreated it in 2009.
Roughly how much did Robert Dudley spend on Kenilworth?
About £40,000, a huge sum that displayed his wealth and status to the Queen and court.
How did Dudley treat the old Norman great tower at Kenilworth?
He kept it as a symbol of the castle's ancient, noble past but inserted large new windows, blending old and fashionable buildings.
What was the mere at Kenilworth?
A large artificial lake made in the Middle Ages to defend the castle. During Elizabeth's 1575 visit it was used for water pageants and fireworks rather than defence.