Francis drake informational guide
Ever since the attack on Drake by the Spanish at the Mexican port of San Juan, Drake had vowed to take revenge, something he did not wait long to forfil.
When war broke out between England and Spain in 1585, Drake sailed to the new world attacking many of the Spanish forts and settlements in the region. He also captured a number of Spanish strongholds including the fort of San Augustine in Spanish Florida. The King of Spain (Kind Phillip II) reacted to the ews by planning the invasion of England. As a rather cheeky response to this news Drake sailed right into Cadiz, a major Spanish port, he then set about occupying it for 3 days, destroying more than 30 ships, capturing half a dozen and plundering a huge amount of stores. This attack is said to have delayed Spains ability to invade England by a year.
In 1588 Drake was Vice Admiral of the English fleet, it was during this year the Spanish Armada attempted to invade England. The English pursued the Spanish up the English Channel, with Drake making the unusual decision, to capture the Spanish ship Rosario, along with Admiral Pedro de Valdes and his crew. The ships was captured at night and Drake threw his own fleet into dissarray by switching off his laterns at night to enable him to capture the Spanish vessel. The vessel was carrying a huge amount of money to be used to pay the Spanish fleet.
29th July, Drake and Lord Howard of Effingham, organised a number of fire-ships, the confusion and panic this caused amongst the Spanish fleet saw their captains break for open seas.
The following day, the Battle of Gravelines took place, the tidal conditions on the day caused a delay in launching the English fleet, this delay may have accounted for the famous story of Drake playing bowls in Plymouth, and exclaiming there was plenty of time to finish the game and still beat the Spanish.