Spanish Square to the Spanish Armada

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Spanish Square to the Spanish Armada

• MOI

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Readings

• Jones, The Art of War in the Western World,
  pp.192-213
• Handout

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Learning Objectives

• The student will know and understand
• Spanish tactical evolution on land emphasizing
  Cordoba
• The Battle of Pavia
• The Battle of Lepanto
• The defeat of the Spanish Armada
• Developments in weaponry during the mid-16th
  century

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Spanish Tactical Evolutions

• Conquest of Granada 1485-1492
• Background
• Moorish kingdom attacks Castilian town
• Ferdinand of Aragon Isabella of Castile were
  married and turn war into religious one to expel
  Moors from Spain and nationalize the country
• Granada very mountainous with few roads and well
  laid castles
• Focus was on artillery, infantry and siege
  operations

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Spanish Tactical Evolutions

• Gonzolo de Cordoba
• El Gran Capitan
• Used Economy of Force
• Used combination of infantry arms (pikes,
  firearms, swords) to score many victories
• Arquebusier Protection
• Recognized vulnerability of arquebusier
• Provided protection while reloading by using pike
  man
• Analogous to current day Marine fire team, always
  have a rifleman to protect the machine gunner
• First time small arms decisive in battle

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Spanish Tactical Evolutions

• Column and Tercio
• 1505- Column created by King Ferdinand based on
  Cordobas experience
• Became basic fighting unit
• Commanded by cabo de colunela or chief of the
  column, colonel
• 1534- Tercio developed
• 3 columns of men armed with arquebuses
• Tactical unit of 3000 men

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Spanish Tactical Evolutions

• Spanish Square
• Columns eventually developed into Spanish
  Square
• Made up of 50 or 60 pike men massed at front and
  20 deep and Arquebusiers at corners
• This allowed the arquesbusiers to fire and fall
  back behind pike men to reload
• Became new basic fighting unit
• Development of Countermarch

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Spanish Tactical Evolutions

• Conquest of Granada Cont.
• Results
• Used strategy of attrition and blockade of
  Moroccan coast
• Christians successfully repulsed all Moors
• First introduction of a Corps of Field Messenger
  and Medics
• Is the earliest recorded case of a field hospital
• Spanish Soldier became formidable
• Brought forth need for professional army

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The Battles of Pavia and Lepanto

• The Battle of Pavia 1525
• Small arms decisive. French Calvary attacked
  piecemeal and was methodically shot.
• The Battle of Lepanto 1571
• Last significant battle in age of galley warfare
• Gunpowder influence, but little else changed from
  traditional battle formations, infantry battle
  at sea
• Christians vs. Turks
• Christian Victory with Hand to Hand combat and
  gunpowder
• Began decline of Turkish power

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Spanish Armada

• Background
• Netherlands inherited by Spain
• Dutch Revolt 1568-1609
• Due to religious differences protestant vs.
  Catholic
• Phillip II dedicates himself to suppressing local
  liberties and centralizing the power of the crown
• 1585 Antwerp recaptured by Duke of Parma
• England forced to intervene on side of rebels

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Spanish Armada

• Background Cont
• Queen Elizabeth-policy of privateering raids for
  undeclared war with Phillip II
• Phillip II decides to destroy Protestant sea
  power

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Spanish Armada 1588

• Spanish Plan
• Armada to rendezvous with Parmas army in
  vicinity of Dunkirk
• Armada itself carried a subsidiary landing force
• English Plan
• Prevent the junction of the Armada and Parmas
  army

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Defeat of Spanish Armada

• English ships, guns, and gunnery decisively
  superior
• Armadas only chance was to close and attempt to
  board, but English thwarted all efforts
• English used wind and speed to escape boarding
  from slower Spanish
• Junction prevented and only a squall saved the
  Armada from complete destruction

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Defeat of Spanish Armada

• Spanish Ships 130
• 63 lost
• 15 sank or captured by English
• 19 wrecked on Scottish or Irish coast during
  retreat
• 33 unknown
• Revolt lasted another 21 years
• Heralded decline of Spanish empire and rise of
  English mastery of the sea

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Reforms of Maurice of Nassau

• Smaller force to make unit more flexible
• Down from depth of 40 to 10 and eventually to 5
  (number who could employ arms effectively)
• Formations had musketeers on flanks and frontage
  line of pike man
• Focus on drill taught by superiors
• Long term enlistments
• Good pay, regular professional army
• Encouraged development of new weaponry (explosive
  shells, mapmakers, field glasses)
• First military academy

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16th Century Weaponry

• Spanish introduce Musket with range of 300 yards
• Heavier
• Complex operation
• More Accurate
• Knock down power
• Wheel lock Pistol
• Allowed cavalry to use one hand

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16th Century Weaponry

• Naval Weapons
• Ship Smashing Guns
• Cannon-heavy iron (50lbs) at medium range
• Culverin-light iron (17 lbs) at long range
• Demi-Cannon 32lbs
• Demi-Culverin 9lbs

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Summary

• Spanish exploit new technology and use military
  genius to become dominating force and create
  standing armies
• New naval tactics used by English lead to
  destruction of Armada
• Maurice of Nassau makes innovative changes, many
  still seen today to create superior forces
• Use of new weapons and gun powder on battlefield
  make small arms important

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Questions?