Spanish Armada Film

[DSiemens]

I ran into this.  I haven't purchased or watched it yet but it looks interesting.  Has anyone seen it?

 

It's on https://www.spanisharmadaireland.com/

 

 

[DSiemens]

Ok so curiosity got to me and I bought it.  I'm not sure it was worth $5.  I think it was well done but there's a lot of story to fit into 27 minutes and while they told the story which was very interesting they also skipped over the battles.  I think they were keeping it family friendly so violence is to a minimum but at such a minimum it feels like your reading a picture book. The ship graphics weren't bad.  They spend more time off of the ships though so there wasn't much ship wise to glean from the film. I think the most interesting point to come from the film was that there were Irish people willing to help the Spanish.  I guess it never crossed my mind before but of coarse Ireland had those that opposed the crown and were willing to help other nations that opposed England as well.  In that way a Spanish Captain could crash onto Ireland and find enough refuge to eventually make it back to Spain.  He definitely got lucky and he helped a few Irish lords out in some battles along the way.  So the story is very interesting.  I think it deserves a full length movie though. 

[exwafoo]

There are mixed stories over the fate of the Shipwrecked Armada Sailors on the West Coast of both Scotland and Ireland, some were rescued and became part of the community, others were killed. There seems to be very little published fact over it, especially as  'history' is written by the Victors'; it certainly was in those days.

[DSiemens]

Yeah. Its difficult. Its ussualy best to find original sources on both sides and determine the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.  The show was interesting because its based on a letter from the Spanish captain himself. Although I'm wary of that too.  Apparently he had gotten seperated and lost his ship and was picked up by others in the Spanish Armada. He was set to be court marshled for his failings but the ship that picked him up eventually grounded in Ireland and most of the crew was killed by the English.  So a big part of his letter back to Spain was explaining his heroic deeds in an effort to be pardened of the court marshal. Which ultimately worked. So I'd take that with a grain of salt as well.  

 

I have found an interesting podcast called the Pirate Podcast that starts out covering Sir Francis Drake and this time period. Its fun because the guy doing it explores original sources on both sides and gives a pretty good opinion on where the reality lies. Its pretty interesting. 

[exwafoo]

The Royal Navy Hydrographic Office produced a limited edition chart in 1988 showing the course and sites of the battles and other major events during the Armada's attempt at invasion. My Senior Officer managed to get hold of one for all his staff. I get it out sometimes from its roll holder just to check its ok. Its a nice bit of art to have. The information tends to stop after the remnants of the fleet sailed into the North Sea. Unsurprising as there was no real way to keep track and report where they went. Hostile waters, no charts, demoralised men, bad weather. Must have been a hell of a journey for those that did make it round the top and back. The hunt for the treasure reputably on board tone of the galleons that sank in Tobermory Bay, Isle of Mull, Scotland continues to this day, more contradicting facts including the name.

Drake was not considered a pirate in this country. He was in fact a trader, until the Spanish attacked him while he was at anchor off of a port in the Caribbean, killing a number of his men. After that it was no holds barred, especially after he had been given Letters of Marque from Queen Elizabeth I, a common practice in those days when there was not really a standing Naval Fleet. I've been on a replica of his ship, the Golden Hind, that is moored in London. Its small, and he went round the world in it.

Hope you enjoy the research.

Alan

Edited June 6, 2020 by exwafoo

[DSiemens]

Very true Drake was not a pirate really. A privateer is a better term.  I guess he was considered close enough for the podcast and he had his associations with French pirates. That was an interesting speculation from the podcast. In one of Drakes early voyages along side John Hawkins their orders were trade with but not attack the Spanish. Early in the voyage,Drake converses with some French pirates and then sails across to south America. They stop at port after port of Spanish towns that had just been sacked by the French. Each time they are able to trade supplies to help rebuild. The podcaster speculates that Drakes meeting with the French pirates was all a big plan. The French went ahead wrecking the towns and stealing what they could and as planned Drake followed right behind.  This woukd have accomplished the English goals of taking Spanish wealth while still not getting on Spains bad side, a delicate balance that later fell into war. 

[exwafoo]

search on 'Drake statue Plymouth Hoe'. Some nice phots on line. I spent a lot of time in Plymouth when I was in the RN, and found myself back on a regular basis when my son went to university there.

[exwafoo]

Some phots of the Golden Hinde replica in London.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by exwafoo

[Onni]

 Nice set of photos. They give an insight into how small these ships actually were and how amazing the voyages they undertook were. Could of done with these photos when I built my version in 2013.

[exwafoo]

Oni,

Its not one of the well known ships. Cutty Sark gets most of the publicity in London. It has a website and there are a lot more phots on line. I remember seeing a recent photo that shows the dock has been drained (the water was disgusting) and scaffolding erected around the ship, so I think some maintenance is being undertaken. Its worth a visit if you get a chance.

Al

[DSiemens]

There's a whole list of ships in the UK I'd love to go see. The Golden Hind, Cutty Sark, Victory, Mary Rose.  I'll have to make a trip some day.  There's a ship from that time period I've thought of building and maybe I aught to get on it. It was called the Desire and captained by Thomas Cavendish.  My 13th great grandfather Thomas Eldred sailed on it with Cavendish.   I guess they were good friends.  A Painting of Eldred and of the Desire is in the Christchurch Mansion.  Would be fun to visit the mansion too.      

 

 

[exwafoo]

Dan,

If you do decide to make the trip, try to make it when the EASIB convention is being held. Two birds with one stone.

Alan

[Chasseur]

Very cool, thanks for posting everyone!

⚔️ Chass