They weren't universally pro-English during this time frame, many of the Fitzgeralds sided with the Irish such as the leaders of the Desmond Rebellions and the Súgán Earl of Desmond during the Nine Years' War and there were a few Butlers who sided with O'Neill during the Nine Years' War also.
TLIAM: The Emerald Years
- Thread starter Meshakhad
- Start date
-
- Tags
- ireland spanish armada tliam
Pangur
Donor
The Butlers at the time worked this way, one brother was on one side and another on the other side
Chapter 3: The Armada in Ireland
Philip might have hoped that the Armada, having conquered Ireland, would be able to follow it up with a speedy assault on England, but he was soon disabused of that notion. A letter from Medina Sidonia arrived in October informing the king that "between the damages suffered to your fleet, the casualties among your men, and of course the task of integrating Ireland into His Most Catholic Majesty's domains", he did not expect to be able to resume the "Enterprise of England" until the spring of 1589 at the earliest.
Medina Sidonia was not exaggerating. The actual conquest of Ireland had seen few Spanish casualties, most from disease or desertion rather than combat, but the crossing had taken its toll. Many of his ships, especially the galleys, were in poor shape. And with the destruction of Dublin and most of the records of the English administration of Ireland, he was building his new government nearly from scratch.
Fortunately, Medina Sidonia was truly a skilled organizer. He immediately set to the task of expanding Port Láirge's shipyards to handle the task of repairing the Spanish ships. He established two new forts to guard the entrance to Port Láirge - Fort Philip and Fort St. Patrick - and equipped them with cannons taken from some of the damaged Spanish ships. To replace the lost crews, he moved Spanish and Portuguese sailors from those ships that were most damaged onto others. The damaged ships would be recrewed by Irish sailors, ensuring that the crews of each ship would share a language, and formed a new squadron, the Squadron of Ireland, under the command of Gráinne O'Malley.
He also began organizing Irish troops, arming them with Spanish weaponry, and training them in Spanish tactics. These troops would not only assist in the conquest of England, but serve as the core of a permanent Irish army. Medina Sidonia suspected that even after Spain conquered England, it would have to deal with many a rebellion there, just as England had in Ireland, and anticipated that having a large, well-trained body of Irish troops might be useful for suppressing such rebellions. He even sent a letter to Philip, proposing that the Army of Ireland could substitute for the army in Flanders given a few years to train and arm them, but Philip killed that notion. He was already displeased by the delay resulting from Medina Sidonia's Irish gambit. "Every day that you delay the Enterprise, the devil sinks his claws deeper into England, and the heretics continue to practice their foul depredations against the faithful on that island." Even with the necessity of sailing to Flanders, the reduced crossing time from Ireland would make it easier. The fleet would need fewer provisions, and could carry more shot and powder.
For the administration of Ireland, Medina Sidonia turned to the Church. Under the direction of Father Thomas Vitres, the Irish priest who had accompanied the Armada, an Irish bureaucracy grew in Port Láirge, staffed primarily by Irish priests and monks. The Irish churches and monasteries had their own records, and those were used by Medina Sidonia to get a picture of the current state of the island. From this, he began the arduous process of regularizing Ireland's system of noble titles.
Dealing with the Anglo-Norman nobles was relatively simple. Those who had not fled or been killed in the fighting were required to swear fealty to King Philip. Few who had remained refused, but many titles were attainted. For now, King Philip would personally hold those titles, but stated his intention to give them out "to reward those who distinguish themselves in the Enterprise of England".
The Irish titles were more complex. In December, King Philip issued a decree confirming that the ancient brehon law would continue to apply within Ireland. However, he was particularly concerned by the way that many Irish owed their true allegiance not to the lord who had title over their land, but to the head of their clan (the "chief of the name"), and (likely prompted by advisors) suggested that Medina Sidonia see that the chiefs of the name were the Irish nobility. To that end, Medina Sidonia (who was rapidly learning Gaelic) decreed that all Irish nobles be known as chief (ceannaire) or high chief (príomhfheidhmeannach), and would be ranked equal to a viscount (vizconde) or count (conde) of Spain.
In one particular dispute, Turlough Luineach O'Neill, head of the O'Neill clan, claimed the High Chiefdom (formerly Earldom) of Tyrone, which was currently held by his rival, Hugh O'Neill. Both had supported the Spanish takeover, but now they threatened to come to blows. Eventually, Medina Sidonia negotiated a compromise, where Turlough was confirmed as High Chief of Tyrone, in exchange for Hugh being confirmed as his tanist (successor) both as High Chief of Tyrone and head of the O'Neill clan (or "the O'Neill"), with the two titles now being coterminous. As compensation, Hugh O'Neill was granted command of the Irish troops being trained to accompany the Armada, and was privately promised a title of his own after the conquest of England. Gráinne O'Malley was confirmed as Chief of Umhall, and Cormac O'Hara became Chief of Luigne.
On January 12, 1589, the Cúirteanna of Ireland assembled for the first time in Port Láirge. Like the Spanish Cortes on which it was modeled, the Cúirteanna had little real power, but served as a forum for the Irish nobles. Among the first acts of the Cúirteanna was to formally abolish the Irish Parliament (to which it was a successor), and to prohibit all forms of Protestantism within Ireland. In truth, the Irish Inquisition found few actual heretics to burn, and was instead called upon to serve the priest-dominated Irish bureaucracy. The Cúirteanna did play an important role in establishing an Irish judiciary and appointing Irish sheriffs, even if it often had to use Spanish troops to maintain order.
With Ireland's administration coming together, Medina Sidonia returned his attention to the Armada. By February, the final repairs were complete, and the Armada was back at full strength. Drawing on the lessons of the 1588 campaign, supplies were assembled at Port Láirge. In March, Hugh O'Neill marched his Irish troops from Ulster to Port Láirge. On April 23, 1589 - the feast day of St. George - the Spanish Armada set sail once more, now bound for Flanders - and for England…
Medina Sidonia was not exaggerating. The actual conquest of Ireland had seen few Spanish casualties, most from disease or desertion rather than combat, but the crossing had taken its toll. Many of his ships, especially the galleys, were in poor shape. And with the destruction of Dublin and most of the records of the English administration of Ireland, he was building his new government nearly from scratch.
Fortunately, Medina Sidonia was truly a skilled organizer. He immediately set to the task of expanding Port Láirge's shipyards to handle the task of repairing the Spanish ships. He established two new forts to guard the entrance to Port Láirge - Fort Philip and Fort St. Patrick - and equipped them with cannons taken from some of the damaged Spanish ships. To replace the lost crews, he moved Spanish and Portuguese sailors from those ships that were most damaged onto others. The damaged ships would be recrewed by Irish sailors, ensuring that the crews of each ship would share a language, and formed a new squadron, the Squadron of Ireland, under the command of Gráinne O'Malley.
He also began organizing Irish troops, arming them with Spanish weaponry, and training them in Spanish tactics. These troops would not only assist in the conquest of England, but serve as the core of a permanent Irish army. Medina Sidonia suspected that even after Spain conquered England, it would have to deal with many a rebellion there, just as England had in Ireland, and anticipated that having a large, well-trained body of Irish troops might be useful for suppressing such rebellions. He even sent a letter to Philip, proposing that the Army of Ireland could substitute for the army in Flanders given a few years to train and arm them, but Philip killed that notion. He was already displeased by the delay resulting from Medina Sidonia's Irish gambit. "Every day that you delay the Enterprise, the devil sinks his claws deeper into England, and the heretics continue to practice their foul depredations against the faithful on that island." Even with the necessity of sailing to Flanders, the reduced crossing time from Ireland would make it easier. The fleet would need fewer provisions, and could carry more shot and powder.
For the administration of Ireland, Medina Sidonia turned to the Church. Under the direction of Father Thomas Vitres, the Irish priest who had accompanied the Armada, an Irish bureaucracy grew in Port Láirge, staffed primarily by Irish priests and monks. The Irish churches and monasteries had their own records, and those were used by Medina Sidonia to get a picture of the current state of the island. From this, he began the arduous process of regularizing Ireland's system of noble titles.
Dealing with the Anglo-Norman nobles was relatively simple. Those who had not fled or been killed in the fighting were required to swear fealty to King Philip. Few who had remained refused, but many titles were attainted. For now, King Philip would personally hold those titles, but stated his intention to give them out "to reward those who distinguish themselves in the Enterprise of England".
The Irish titles were more complex. In December, King Philip issued a decree confirming that the ancient brehon law would continue to apply within Ireland. However, he was particularly concerned by the way that many Irish owed their true allegiance not to the lord who had title over their land, but to the head of their clan (the "chief of the name"), and (likely prompted by advisors) suggested that Medina Sidonia see that the chiefs of the name were the Irish nobility. To that end, Medina Sidonia (who was rapidly learning Gaelic) decreed that all Irish nobles be known as chief (ceannaire) or high chief (príomhfheidhmeannach), and would be ranked equal to a viscount (vizconde) or count (conde) of Spain.
In one particular dispute, Turlough Luineach O'Neill, head of the O'Neill clan, claimed the High Chiefdom (formerly Earldom) of Tyrone, which was currently held by his rival, Hugh O'Neill. Both had supported the Spanish takeover, but now they threatened to come to blows. Eventually, Medina Sidonia negotiated a compromise, where Turlough was confirmed as High Chief of Tyrone, in exchange for Hugh being confirmed as his tanist (successor) both as High Chief of Tyrone and head of the O'Neill clan (or "the O'Neill"), with the two titles now being coterminous. As compensation, Hugh O'Neill was granted command of the Irish troops being trained to accompany the Armada, and was privately promised a title of his own after the conquest of England. Gráinne O'Malley was confirmed as Chief of Umhall, and Cormac O'Hara became Chief of Luigne.
On January 12, 1589, the Cúirteanna of Ireland assembled for the first time in Port Láirge. Like the Spanish Cortes on which it was modeled, the Cúirteanna had little real power, but served as a forum for the Irish nobles. Among the first acts of the Cúirteanna was to formally abolish the Irish Parliament (to which it was a successor), and to prohibit all forms of Protestantism within Ireland. In truth, the Irish Inquisition found few actual heretics to burn, and was instead called upon to serve the priest-dominated Irish bureaucracy. The Cúirteanna did play an important role in establishing an Irish judiciary and appointing Irish sheriffs, even if it often had to use Spanish troops to maintain order.
With Ireland's administration coming together, Medina Sidonia returned his attention to the Armada. By February, the final repairs were complete, and the Armada was back at full strength. Drawing on the lessons of the 1588 campaign, supplies were assembled at Port Láirge. In March, Hugh O'Neill marched his Irish troops from Ulster to Port Láirge. On April 23, 1589 - the feast day of St. George - the Spanish Armada set sail once more, now bound for Flanders - and for England…
There was no single Spanish Cortes at this time, rather, there were a bunch of them for every constituent kingdom.
Decius00009
Banned
Is Ireland an independent kingdom with the same king per the theoretical model of OTL or has it become a constituent part of Spain like Aragon or Castille?
The former. Ireland is officially in a personal union with Spain under King Philip I von Habsburg. Ireland has its own army and navy under Hugh O’Neill and Gráinne O’Malley, Chief of Umhall, respectively.
Chapter 4: The Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada that departed from Port Láirge on April 23, 1589 was not the fleet that had departed Spain a year earlier. It was slightly smaller, having lost several ships on the voyage. It carried fewer provisions, as the journey to Flanders would be far shorter, and instead brought a contingent of Irish troops under the command of Hugh O'Neill, Tanist of Tyrone. Most importantly, it was more experienced. The journey from Spain the previous year had been a harrowing one, and had given the crews and officers a splendid opportunity to become more familiar with their ships and each other. The battles of Port Láirge and Dublin had given them confidence, and the months spent in Ireland had rested them.
The Armada also had a new squadron: the Squadron of Ireland. It was composed of a handful of ships owned by Grainne O'Malley, Chief of Umhall, and five Spanish ships that had been severely damaged on the voyage over and repaired in Port Láirge. These ships had been recrewed with Irishmen, so the entire squadron would speak one language. Even so, O'Malley ordered her officers (mostly veterans of her years of piracy against the English) to learn Spanish, and used proficiency in Spanish to determine who should be promoted. Naturally, it was these ships that would carry most of O'Neill's troops.
However, the delay had also given their enemies time to prepare. Believing that the troops currently in England would be insufficient to defeat the Spanish forces, Queen Elizabeth I had not only authorized the raising of new regiments, but had sought out foreign support. King John III of Sweden had refused, possible due to his Catholic sympathies. Denmark was under a regency following the death of King Frederick II, and the regency council was hesitant to get Denmark involved in a foreign war. The Danes did help mediate negotiations between England and the Hanseatic League. In exchange for new trade concessions and guarantees concerning the London kontor (known as the Steelyard), including the right of the Hansa to trade with England's colonies, the Hansa provided four ships to the English, including the aged galleon Adler von Lübeck [1].
Queen Elizabeth had better luck closer to home. The Dutch agreed to send ships in exchange for promises of renewed English support. She also convinced her cousin, King James VI of Scotland, to support her, warning that if Spain did succeed in conquering England, there would be nothing stopping them from doing the same to Scotland. King James had been disinclined to help at first, given the execution of his mother Mary, Queen of Scots by Elizabeth in 1587, but the invasion of Ireland had thrown the Spanish threat into sharp relief. Scotland had no real navy to speak of at this time, but he did authorize Scottish privateers to attack Spanish ships, and Scottish troops were mobilized in April following the departure of the Armada from Port Láirge.
The Armada was sighted off Plymouth on April 24. With the evening tide in their favor, the English fleet sallied forth [2], meeting the Spanish off Eddystone Rocks on April 25. The English had the advantage in numbers, but they were outgunned by the Spanish. The Spanish fleet was arranged in a crescent formation, with the fighting ships at the horns and the center. Most of the English fleet stayed out of the way of the Spanish, firing at extreme range with little effect.
Drake's own squadron used its speed to get south of the Spanish, and engaged the Squadron of Castile at a more effective range. They succeeded in sinking the Nuestra Señora del Barrio and demasting the Trinidad. However, in doing so the Dreadnought ended up sailing too close to the Spanish fleet, and came under heavy fire. According to Spanish records, Dreadnought got off several addition salvoes before a Spanish cannonball found her magazine, and the ship was lost with all hands. Medina Sidonia elected to burn the Trinidad rather than see it taken by the English.
But despite Drake's daredevil reputation, it would be Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham and Lord High Admiral of the English Navy, who struck the most devastating blow. Howard had taken the Adler as his flagship, and knew it was larger than any other ship in the engagement. He thus brought her in closer, in order to use her 138 guns to deadly effect. The Adler von Lübeck raked the Squadron of Naples from the rear, sinking the Zúñiga and Girona. Don Hugo de Moncada ordered his flagship, the San Lorenzo, to maneuver to bring its four heavy rear guns to bear on the Adler. One shot went home, killing or maiming a dozen sailors and taking out two of the Adler's guns, but the maneuver also resulted in the San Lorenzo colliding with the Napolitana. Both ships had to be abandoned and burned. With that, the Squadron of Naples ceased to exist.
Although they closely followed the Spanish, the English were unable to close for another engagement. On April 27, Medina Sidonia held a council of war. His orders were to go on to the Netherlands, but he was also considering bringing his fleet into the Solent and occupying the Isle of Wight. Both O'Malley and O'Neill liked this plan, but the remaining Spaniards were spooked by their losses. Moncada in particular feared that any delay would result in their ships being picked off by the English. O'Neill reportedly called him a coward, and only Medina Sidonia's intervention prevented an outright brawl. Medina Sidonia ultimately chose to follow orders, and would proceed to the Netherlands to rendezvous with Parma.
Unfortunately, Parma was not ready. His efforts to assemble transports had been stymied by the Dutch, who were being assisted by both Scottish and Hanseatic privateers (although it is unclear if the Hansetag officially sanctioned these actions). It would take close to a week before his fleet was ready to sail [3]. The Spanish Armada was forced to anchor at Calais on April 29. After hearing word that the Dutch had blockaded Dunkirk, Medina Sidonia detached part of the Squadron of Ireland to drive them off, counting on O'Malley's galleys to be able to maneuver in shallow waters against the Dutch flyboats.
While O'Malley was away, the English made their move. On the night of April 30, the English sent in ten fireships to attack Calais. This forced the Armada to scatter. No Spanish ships were burned (although a French merchant would later claim that his ship had been burned while tied up at the dock), but their cohesion was lost. Medina Sidonia brought the Armada to Dunkirk, now cleared of the Dutch. Here, he hoped, he would be able to reorganize the Armada and begin loading the troops. But on May 2, his lookouts sighted the English fleet.
The Battle of Dunkirk would go down as one of the great naval battles of history. This time, the English threw caution to the wind, taking advantage of the Spanish confusion and inferior seamanship. When Howard brought the Adler von Lübeck in to wreak havoc among the Spanish transports, Medina Sidonia ordered the São Martinho to intercept. Every other galleon within reach would do the same, and the Adler suffered heavy damage. Eventually, Howard was forced to withdraw, covered by the Ark Royal (which had been his flagship before the acquistion of the Adler). As she retreated, one of the last salvoes from the Adler ripped into the São Martinho. When the smoke cleared, among the dead was Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Zúñiga-Sotomayor, seventh Duke of Medina Sidonia and first Governor-General of Ireland, ripped in half by an English cannonball. The Adler von Lübeck would ultimately be broken up, although its mast was preserved and returned to Lübeck as a gift from Queen Elizabeth.
Medina Sidonia was not the only high-ranked casualty. The Squadron of Ireland had largely stayed behind to cover the troopships, and came under renewed attack from the Dutch flyboats. Violating orders from O'Malley and overriding the actual captain, O'Neill ordered his ship, the Gobnait [4], to close with the Dutch and divert them from the troopships. He succeeded in protecting the troopships, but his galley, the ran aground on a hidden sandbar, and became an easy target. A famous account from an Irish sailor claims that O'Neill was personally manning a cannon when he was killed by splinters from a Dutch cannon hit.
The Armada was scattered. Captain-General Juan Martinez de Recalde, second in command of the Armada, survived, but his flagship, the Santa Ana, ran aground, and he would not return to Spain for some time. It was left to Admiral Miguel de Oquendo to command the remaining ships. Fortunately, his flagship (the Nuestra Señora de la Rosa [5]) was joined by O'Malley aboard the Naomh Bréanainn [6] and the rest of the Squadron of Ireland. O'Malley's support was crucial to establishing Oquendo as the new commander. Other commanders alleged that O'Malley and Oquendo had become lovers, although there is no definitive evidence one way or the other.
The Armada sailed north, planning to sail around Scotland. It was here that O'Malley proved essential, as she knew these waters far better than the Spanish, and helped them avoid any further calamities. Even so, eight ships were lost to storms, and hundreds of men to disease. Most of the Armada then entered the Irish Sea before finally returning to Port Láirge. One ship was dispatched to Spain to inform King Philip of the Armada's failure, and of the death of Medina Sidonia.
Philip was, of course, outraged, but he did not take out his anger on Oquendo, nor did he order them to try again next year. Most of the Armada would remain in Ireland for the time being, serving as a fleet-in-being. Oquendo was confirmed as the new Governor-General of Ireland, and was also given the title of Chief of Ormond. Oquendo would spend the rest of his life in Ireland [7].
The Spanish Armada had failed. England had demonstrated its naval supremacy, and had built stronger ties with both Scotland and the Netherlands. Now the time would come to strike back against Spain. Or, rather, at those who had offered Spain a base from which to attack England. A new Armada was assembled, but not a Spanish Armada.
An English Armada…
[1] IOTL, the Adler von Lübeck was disassembled in 1588. I can't find out precisely when, so I'm using authorial license to say that it happened later in the year, and ITTL the Hansa decided not to break it up when they realized that it might be useful in negotiations with England. The guarantees from Queen Elizabeth will ensure that she does not close the London kontor in 1597.
[2] IOTL, the tide was against the English when they first sighted the Armada. Here, they are able to respond more quickly, and the battle is more serious.
[3] IOTL, communication difficulties had hampered Parma's preparations. ITTL, he has better warning, but he also has to deal with a sustained privateer campaign.
[4] This would have been one of Grainne O'Malley's galleys. I have not been able to find any definitive information on them, so I've arbitrarily named them after Irish saints. Gobnait was a sixth century saint, and is a patron of bees.
[5] IOTL, Miguel de Oquendo's flagship was also named the Santa Ana. ITTL, the confusion from having two flagships named Santa Ana was one of the issues discovered on the voyage from Spain to Ireland, and he chose to transfer his flag to the Nuestra Señora de la Rosa before the Armada left for England.
[6] Naomh Bréanainn is the Gaelic name of Saint Brendan of Clontarf, known for his legendary journey to the "Isle of the Blessed", and is a patron saint of sailors.
[7] IOTL, Oquendo died on the journey back.
The Armada also had a new squadron: the Squadron of Ireland. It was composed of a handful of ships owned by Grainne O'Malley, Chief of Umhall, and five Spanish ships that had been severely damaged on the voyage over and repaired in Port Láirge. These ships had been recrewed with Irishmen, so the entire squadron would speak one language. Even so, O'Malley ordered her officers (mostly veterans of her years of piracy against the English) to learn Spanish, and used proficiency in Spanish to determine who should be promoted. Naturally, it was these ships that would carry most of O'Neill's troops.
However, the delay had also given their enemies time to prepare. Believing that the troops currently in England would be insufficient to defeat the Spanish forces, Queen Elizabeth I had not only authorized the raising of new regiments, but had sought out foreign support. King John III of Sweden had refused, possible due to his Catholic sympathies. Denmark was under a regency following the death of King Frederick II, and the regency council was hesitant to get Denmark involved in a foreign war. The Danes did help mediate negotiations between England and the Hanseatic League. In exchange for new trade concessions and guarantees concerning the London kontor (known as the Steelyard), including the right of the Hansa to trade with England's colonies, the Hansa provided four ships to the English, including the aged galleon Adler von Lübeck [1].
Queen Elizabeth had better luck closer to home. The Dutch agreed to send ships in exchange for promises of renewed English support. She also convinced her cousin, King James VI of Scotland, to support her, warning that if Spain did succeed in conquering England, there would be nothing stopping them from doing the same to Scotland. King James had been disinclined to help at first, given the execution of his mother Mary, Queen of Scots by Elizabeth in 1587, but the invasion of Ireland had thrown the Spanish threat into sharp relief. Scotland had no real navy to speak of at this time, but he did authorize Scottish privateers to attack Spanish ships, and Scottish troops were mobilized in April following the departure of the Armada from Port Láirge.
The Armada was sighted off Plymouth on April 24. With the evening tide in their favor, the English fleet sallied forth [2], meeting the Spanish off Eddystone Rocks on April 25. The English had the advantage in numbers, but they were outgunned by the Spanish. The Spanish fleet was arranged in a crescent formation, with the fighting ships at the horns and the center. Most of the English fleet stayed out of the way of the Spanish, firing at extreme range with little effect.
Drake's own squadron used its speed to get south of the Spanish, and engaged the Squadron of Castile at a more effective range. They succeeded in sinking the Nuestra Señora del Barrio and demasting the Trinidad. However, in doing so the Dreadnought ended up sailing too close to the Spanish fleet, and came under heavy fire. According to Spanish records, Dreadnought got off several addition salvoes before a Spanish cannonball found her magazine, and the ship was lost with all hands. Medina Sidonia elected to burn the Trinidad rather than see it taken by the English.
But despite Drake's daredevil reputation, it would be Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham and Lord High Admiral of the English Navy, who struck the most devastating blow. Howard had taken the Adler as his flagship, and knew it was larger than any other ship in the engagement. He thus brought her in closer, in order to use her 138 guns to deadly effect. The Adler von Lübeck raked the Squadron of Naples from the rear, sinking the Zúñiga and Girona. Don Hugo de Moncada ordered his flagship, the San Lorenzo, to maneuver to bring its four heavy rear guns to bear on the Adler. One shot went home, killing or maiming a dozen sailors and taking out two of the Adler's guns, but the maneuver also resulted in the San Lorenzo colliding with the Napolitana. Both ships had to be abandoned and burned. With that, the Squadron of Naples ceased to exist.
Although they closely followed the Spanish, the English were unable to close for another engagement. On April 27, Medina Sidonia held a council of war. His orders were to go on to the Netherlands, but he was also considering bringing his fleet into the Solent and occupying the Isle of Wight. Both O'Malley and O'Neill liked this plan, but the remaining Spaniards were spooked by their losses. Moncada in particular feared that any delay would result in their ships being picked off by the English. O'Neill reportedly called him a coward, and only Medina Sidonia's intervention prevented an outright brawl. Medina Sidonia ultimately chose to follow orders, and would proceed to the Netherlands to rendezvous with Parma.
Unfortunately, Parma was not ready. His efforts to assemble transports had been stymied by the Dutch, who were being assisted by both Scottish and Hanseatic privateers (although it is unclear if the Hansetag officially sanctioned these actions). It would take close to a week before his fleet was ready to sail [3]. The Spanish Armada was forced to anchor at Calais on April 29. After hearing word that the Dutch had blockaded Dunkirk, Medina Sidonia detached part of the Squadron of Ireland to drive them off, counting on O'Malley's galleys to be able to maneuver in shallow waters against the Dutch flyboats.
While O'Malley was away, the English made their move. On the night of April 30, the English sent in ten fireships to attack Calais. This forced the Armada to scatter. No Spanish ships were burned (although a French merchant would later claim that his ship had been burned while tied up at the dock), but their cohesion was lost. Medina Sidonia brought the Armada to Dunkirk, now cleared of the Dutch. Here, he hoped, he would be able to reorganize the Armada and begin loading the troops. But on May 2, his lookouts sighted the English fleet.
The Battle of Dunkirk would go down as one of the great naval battles of history. This time, the English threw caution to the wind, taking advantage of the Spanish confusion and inferior seamanship. When Howard brought the Adler von Lübeck in to wreak havoc among the Spanish transports, Medina Sidonia ordered the São Martinho to intercept. Every other galleon within reach would do the same, and the Adler suffered heavy damage. Eventually, Howard was forced to withdraw, covered by the Ark Royal (which had been his flagship before the acquistion of the Adler). As she retreated, one of the last salvoes from the Adler ripped into the São Martinho. When the smoke cleared, among the dead was Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Zúñiga-Sotomayor, seventh Duke of Medina Sidonia and first Governor-General of Ireland, ripped in half by an English cannonball. The Adler von Lübeck would ultimately be broken up, although its mast was preserved and returned to Lübeck as a gift from Queen Elizabeth.
Medina Sidonia was not the only high-ranked casualty. The Squadron of Ireland had largely stayed behind to cover the troopships, and came under renewed attack from the Dutch flyboats. Violating orders from O'Malley and overriding the actual captain, O'Neill ordered his ship, the Gobnait [4], to close with the Dutch and divert them from the troopships. He succeeded in protecting the troopships, but his galley, the ran aground on a hidden sandbar, and became an easy target. A famous account from an Irish sailor claims that O'Neill was personally manning a cannon when he was killed by splinters from a Dutch cannon hit.
The Armada was scattered. Captain-General Juan Martinez de Recalde, second in command of the Armada, survived, but his flagship, the Santa Ana, ran aground, and he would not return to Spain for some time. It was left to Admiral Miguel de Oquendo to command the remaining ships. Fortunately, his flagship (the Nuestra Señora de la Rosa [5]) was joined by O'Malley aboard the Naomh Bréanainn [6] and the rest of the Squadron of Ireland. O'Malley's support was crucial to establishing Oquendo as the new commander. Other commanders alleged that O'Malley and Oquendo had become lovers, although there is no definitive evidence one way or the other.
The Armada sailed north, planning to sail around Scotland. It was here that O'Malley proved essential, as she knew these waters far better than the Spanish, and helped them avoid any further calamities. Even so, eight ships were lost to storms, and hundreds of men to disease. Most of the Armada then entered the Irish Sea before finally returning to Port Láirge. One ship was dispatched to Spain to inform King Philip of the Armada's failure, and of the death of Medina Sidonia.
Philip was, of course, outraged, but he did not take out his anger on Oquendo, nor did he order them to try again next year. Most of the Armada would remain in Ireland for the time being, serving as a fleet-in-being. Oquendo was confirmed as the new Governor-General of Ireland, and was also given the title of Chief of Ormond. Oquendo would spend the rest of his life in Ireland [7].
The Spanish Armada had failed. England had demonstrated its naval supremacy, and had built stronger ties with both Scotland and the Netherlands. Now the time would come to strike back against Spain. Or, rather, at those who had offered Spain a base from which to attack England. A new Armada was assembled, but not a Spanish Armada.
An English Armada…
[1] IOTL, the Adler von Lübeck was disassembled in 1588. I can't find out precisely when, so I'm using authorial license to say that it happened later in the year, and ITTL the Hansa decided not to break it up when they realized that it might be useful in negotiations with England. The guarantees from Queen Elizabeth will ensure that she does not close the London kontor in 1597.
[2] IOTL, the tide was against the English when they first sighted the Armada. Here, they are able to respond more quickly, and the battle is more serious.
[3] IOTL, communication difficulties had hampered Parma's preparations. ITTL, he has better warning, but he also has to deal with a sustained privateer campaign.
[4] This would have been one of Grainne O'Malley's galleys. I have not been able to find any definitive information on them, so I've arbitrarily named them after Irish saints. Gobnait was a sixth century saint, and is a patron of bees.
[5] IOTL, Miguel de Oquendo's flagship was also named the Santa Ana. ITTL, the confusion from having two flagships named Santa Ana was one of the issues discovered on the voyage from Spain to Ireland, and he chose to transfer his flag to the Nuestra Señora de la Rosa before the Armada left for England.
[6] Naomh Bréanainn is the Gaelic name of Saint Brendan of Clontarf, known for his legendary journey to the "Isle of the Blessed", and is a patron saint of sailors.
[7] IOTL, Oquendo died on the journey back.
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Chapter 5: The English Armada
The Spanish Armada had failed in its primary objective, but England's strategic situation was still vulnerable. The Armada was still a capable fighting force, and Spain still held Ireland. The possibility of a repeat attempt remained. Elizabeth considered the possibility of launching a direct raid on Spain itself, with the hope of installing António, Prior of Crato, as King of Portugal [1], but decided that retaking Ireland was more important.
At minimum, the objective of the English forces was the destruction of the Spanish fleet repairing at Port Láirge. However, this would assume secondary importance to the recapture of Ireland. Sir Francis Drake proposed a naval strike upon Port Láirge, similar to last year’s victory at Dunkirk, followed by landing troops. Sir John Norris favored a landing at the lightly defended Dublin. Eventually (and, according to legend, at the suggestion of Queen Elizabeth) they compromised. Drake would lead a raid on Port Láirge, both to damage the Spanish fleet and to distract them from the real landing at Tramore. The English army under Norris would then march on Port Láirge and lay siege to the city.
Financing the English Armada proved tricky. Negotiations with the Dutch nearly fell through, as they felt that English troops would be of more service helping to liberate the Low Countries than invading and then occupying a hostile Ireland. Eventually, the Dutch agreed to provide one eighth of the funds required, but did not supply ships. However, the time spent preparing for the Spanish Armada had left the English with a fairly capable force, one that could easily have brushed aside the Spanish troops carried on the Armada itself had they sought to land without the reinforcements from the Low Countries. Sir John Norris was justifiably confident that he could overcome the battered Spanish garrison.
On May 7, 1590, Sir Francis Drake led his squadron to raid Port Láirge. The attack did not quite go as planned, as Drake was engaged by the guns of Fort Philip and Fort St. Patrick at the mouth of the harbor. This drew the attention of the ships docked there, and a few captains (without any orders to do so) rushed their ships out to meet the English. However, the wind was with the English, and Drake chose this moment to release his fireships. The Spanish captains scattered, successfully avoiding the fireships… but completely failing to stop them. Most of the ships at anchor were destroyed, as was part of the waterfront. Critically, this included a large portion of the galleons of the Spanish Armada. The combat power of the Spanish in British waters had just been greatly reduced. However, this came at a price. Drake’s duel with the forts (as immortalized in William Barry’s famous painting) cost him three ships, and those that survived had taken heavy casualties.
While Drake engaged Port Láirge, Sir John Norris and his troops landed at Tramore under the cover of darkness (and the guns of Admiral Howard’s fleet). At that time, Tramore was a small fishing hamlet and offered no serious resistance (although a rider was dispatched to Port Láirge). It took less than a day for Norris’ army to reach Port Láirge.
But Drake and Norris had miscalculated. For not all of the Spanish ships in Ireland were at Port Láirge. By now, in fact, most of the ships at Port Láirge were those still needing repairs. Ships that were in better condition had been stationed at harbors throughout Ireland. The largest contingents were the galleys at Dublin and the galleons at Galway. While Governor-General Miguel de Oquendo prepared his troops, he sent word to the rest of the island, calling for reinforcements.
Oquendo was not a fool. Pitting the 6,000 soldiers he had in Port Láirge against 15,000 English troops in open battle was hopeless. But while the English had been preparing their Armada, Oquendo had not been idle. Port Láirge now boasted strong fortifications, and the city lay far enough inland that Drake couldn’t have brought the English fleet’s guns to bear even if he tried. Instead of a decisive battle, Norris settled in for a siege… after he seized Fort Philip and its cannons, to supplement his own meager artillery.
The siege would not last long. While there were relatively few Spanish troops in Ireland, the Irish had continued to raise their own troops. Turlough O’Neill, High Chief of Tyrone, had already raised 8,000 men in Ulster. As he marched south along the coast, then along the River Barrow, more flocked to his banner. A smaller force under High Chief Brian O’Rourke of West Briefne [2] arrived at Galway, and joined with the O’Connor/O’Hara forces already gathered there, forming the “Regiment of Connacht”. They took ship to Cork.
On May 14, Grainne O’Malley led the Squadron of Ireland in an attack on the English ships anchored in Tramore Bay. The attack was swiftly repulsed, but it was little more then a feint. While O’Malley’s galleys engaged the English, the transports (many of which were coastal luggers and fishing boats) slipped into Waterford Harbour. Fort St. Patrick, on the eastern shore of Waterford Harbour [3], was still under Spanish/Irish control, and covered the Regiment of Connacht as they came ashore. They were joined two days later by Tyrone and his “Regiment of Ulster”. Together, the Irish forces numbered around 18,000 men.
Norris had discounted the Irish previously, but the forces now assembling north of Belle Lake were clearly better organized than those he had fought before, and the combined enemy forces outnumbered his considerably. But there was still one chance. If he could break the Irish before they joined with the Spanish, he might still be able to take Port Láirge.
So on May 17, the English forces pulled out of their fieldworks outside Port Láirge. Initially, they marched south, but then wheeled east. There was no time for much subtlety. Norris had to hit the Irish as quickly as possible. He caught the Irish at perhaps an opportune moment – their leaders were squabbling over who should be in command of the combined force. Ultimately, Tyrone won by virtue of having more men, and they mounted a hasty defense. However, the Irish had managed to get their artillery into position, so even before the command dispute was resolved, English troops came under fire from Irish cannons, slowing their advance.
During this time, Miguel de Oquendo was not idle. He could watch the English army maneuvering, and as soon as he saw them turn east, he knew that they meant to attack the Irish. A sortie was quickly organized.
The Battle of Belle Lake has been depicted in a number of films. Almost every time, the Spanish sortie is represented as a glorious cavalry charge smashing into the English lines, bringing a decisive victory to the battle. In truth, the sortie was an infantry charge, and they never got into close combat with the main English force. Once Norris spotted the Spanish approaching, he knew the battle was lost. He sounded the retreat, and his troops withdrew to Tramore and the cover of Drake’s guns. Before sunrise on the 18th, the English were gone.
The English Armada is commonly viewed as a failure, and as an attempt to reconquer Ireland it certainly was. However, the English did deal heavy damage to the Spanish fleet anchored at Waterford Harbor, making a second Spanish Armada extremely unlikely. And if Sir James Norris had failed to seize Port Láirge or defeat High Chief O’Neill, he had managed to bring most of his men home alive. This, more than anything else, likely saved his military career. Even so, the Battle of Belle Lake was the last time English troops would ever fight on Irish soil, marking a firm end of the English domination of Ireland. A new period in Irish history had begun, that of Spanish Ireland…
[1] This was of course what England attempted IOTL.
[2] IOTL, Brian O’Rourke, Lord of West Briefne, was forced to flee to Scotland in 1590, and ultimately extradited to England and executed in 1591.
[3] Roughly where Hook Lighthouse is IOTL.
At minimum, the objective of the English forces was the destruction of the Spanish fleet repairing at Port Láirge. However, this would assume secondary importance to the recapture of Ireland. Sir Francis Drake proposed a naval strike upon Port Láirge, similar to last year’s victory at Dunkirk, followed by landing troops. Sir John Norris favored a landing at the lightly defended Dublin. Eventually (and, according to legend, at the suggestion of Queen Elizabeth) they compromised. Drake would lead a raid on Port Láirge, both to damage the Spanish fleet and to distract them from the real landing at Tramore. The English army under Norris would then march on Port Láirge and lay siege to the city.
Financing the English Armada proved tricky. Negotiations with the Dutch nearly fell through, as they felt that English troops would be of more service helping to liberate the Low Countries than invading and then occupying a hostile Ireland. Eventually, the Dutch agreed to provide one eighth of the funds required, but did not supply ships. However, the time spent preparing for the Spanish Armada had left the English with a fairly capable force, one that could easily have brushed aside the Spanish troops carried on the Armada itself had they sought to land without the reinforcements from the Low Countries. Sir John Norris was justifiably confident that he could overcome the battered Spanish garrison.
On May 7, 1590, Sir Francis Drake led his squadron to raid Port Láirge. The attack did not quite go as planned, as Drake was engaged by the guns of Fort Philip and Fort St. Patrick at the mouth of the harbor. This drew the attention of the ships docked there, and a few captains (without any orders to do so) rushed their ships out to meet the English. However, the wind was with the English, and Drake chose this moment to release his fireships. The Spanish captains scattered, successfully avoiding the fireships… but completely failing to stop them. Most of the ships at anchor were destroyed, as was part of the waterfront. Critically, this included a large portion of the galleons of the Spanish Armada. The combat power of the Spanish in British waters had just been greatly reduced. However, this came at a price. Drake’s duel with the forts (as immortalized in William Barry’s famous painting) cost him three ships, and those that survived had taken heavy casualties.
While Drake engaged Port Láirge, Sir John Norris and his troops landed at Tramore under the cover of darkness (and the guns of Admiral Howard’s fleet). At that time, Tramore was a small fishing hamlet and offered no serious resistance (although a rider was dispatched to Port Láirge). It took less than a day for Norris’ army to reach Port Láirge.
But Drake and Norris had miscalculated. For not all of the Spanish ships in Ireland were at Port Láirge. By now, in fact, most of the ships at Port Láirge were those still needing repairs. Ships that were in better condition had been stationed at harbors throughout Ireland. The largest contingents were the galleys at Dublin and the galleons at Galway. While Governor-General Miguel de Oquendo prepared his troops, he sent word to the rest of the island, calling for reinforcements.
Oquendo was not a fool. Pitting the 6,000 soldiers he had in Port Láirge against 15,000 English troops in open battle was hopeless. But while the English had been preparing their Armada, Oquendo had not been idle. Port Láirge now boasted strong fortifications, and the city lay far enough inland that Drake couldn’t have brought the English fleet’s guns to bear even if he tried. Instead of a decisive battle, Norris settled in for a siege… after he seized Fort Philip and its cannons, to supplement his own meager artillery.
The siege would not last long. While there were relatively few Spanish troops in Ireland, the Irish had continued to raise their own troops. Turlough O’Neill, High Chief of Tyrone, had already raised 8,000 men in Ulster. As he marched south along the coast, then along the River Barrow, more flocked to his banner. A smaller force under High Chief Brian O’Rourke of West Briefne [2] arrived at Galway, and joined with the O’Connor/O’Hara forces already gathered there, forming the “Regiment of Connacht”. They took ship to Cork.
On May 14, Grainne O’Malley led the Squadron of Ireland in an attack on the English ships anchored in Tramore Bay. The attack was swiftly repulsed, but it was little more then a feint. While O’Malley’s galleys engaged the English, the transports (many of which were coastal luggers and fishing boats) slipped into Waterford Harbour. Fort St. Patrick, on the eastern shore of Waterford Harbour [3], was still under Spanish/Irish control, and covered the Regiment of Connacht as they came ashore. They were joined two days later by Tyrone and his “Regiment of Ulster”. Together, the Irish forces numbered around 18,000 men.
Norris had discounted the Irish previously, but the forces now assembling north of Belle Lake were clearly better organized than those he had fought before, and the combined enemy forces outnumbered his considerably. But there was still one chance. If he could break the Irish before they joined with the Spanish, he might still be able to take Port Láirge.
So on May 17, the English forces pulled out of their fieldworks outside Port Láirge. Initially, they marched south, but then wheeled east. There was no time for much subtlety. Norris had to hit the Irish as quickly as possible. He caught the Irish at perhaps an opportune moment – their leaders were squabbling over who should be in command of the combined force. Ultimately, Tyrone won by virtue of having more men, and they mounted a hasty defense. However, the Irish had managed to get their artillery into position, so even before the command dispute was resolved, English troops came under fire from Irish cannons, slowing their advance.
During this time, Miguel de Oquendo was not idle. He could watch the English army maneuvering, and as soon as he saw them turn east, he knew that they meant to attack the Irish. A sortie was quickly organized.
The Battle of Belle Lake has been depicted in a number of films. Almost every time, the Spanish sortie is represented as a glorious cavalry charge smashing into the English lines, bringing a decisive victory to the battle. In truth, the sortie was an infantry charge, and they never got into close combat with the main English force. Once Norris spotted the Spanish approaching, he knew the battle was lost. He sounded the retreat, and his troops withdrew to Tramore and the cover of Drake’s guns. Before sunrise on the 18th, the English were gone.
The English Armada is commonly viewed as a failure, and as an attempt to reconquer Ireland it certainly was. However, the English did deal heavy damage to the Spanish fleet anchored at Waterford Harbor, making a second Spanish Armada extremely unlikely. And if Sir James Norris had failed to seize Port Láirge or defeat High Chief O’Neill, he had managed to bring most of his men home alive. This, more than anything else, likely saved his military career. Even so, the Battle of Belle Lake was the last time English troops would ever fight on Irish soil, marking a firm end of the English domination of Ireland. A new period in Irish history had begun, that of Spanish Ireland…
[1] This was of course what England attempted IOTL.
[2] IOTL, Brian O’Rourke, Lord of West Briefne, was forced to flee to Scotland in 1590, and ultimately extradited to England and executed in 1591.
[3] Roughly where Hook Lighthouse is IOTL.
*An interesting timeline suddenly (re)appears!*
Well, would you look at that. Such a pleasant surprise!
Nicely done. Watched! Let's see where this goes.
Well, would you look at that. Such a pleasant surprise!
Nicely done. Watched! Let's see where this goes.