Engraving of the preparations of the great Armada against England

lithography 1588 great Armada against England

Historia de la Marina Real Española. Reunida en Lisboa la soberbia Armada Española que se llamó Invencible, sale de aquel puerto contra Inglaterra, al mando del Duque de Medinasidonia, á fines de mayo de 1588, Urrabieta, dibuixant; J. J. Martinez, gravador, ca 1850

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Num. inventory: 14257

Object name: print (visual piece)

Title: Historia de la Marina Real Española. Reunida en Lisboa la soberbia Armada Española que se llamó Invencible, sale de aquel puerto contra Inglaterra, al mando del Duque de Medinasidonia, á fines de mayo de 1588

Object date: c. 1850

Author: Urrabieta, illustrator; J. J. Martinez, engraver.

Technique and material: colour lithograph on paper.

Engravings and lithographs

Lithography from 1588, showing a view from sea of the port of Lisbon, with the wall on the left and the square tower of Belém, flying the Portuguese flag, at the top. In the background, we see the city over the sea, with multiple vessels, galleys and galleons with red flags. In the foreground are several smaller vessels, and a barrel serving as a buoy. It includes the following legend: “Gathered in Lisbon, the proud Spanish Armada called invincible, which left that port to attack England under the command of the Duke of Medinasidonia in late May 1588.”

Between May 28^th and 30^th, 1588, the Invincible Armada left Lisbon to conquer England under the command of Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y Sotomayor. The fleet was made up of about 130 ships, 8,000 sailors and 18,000 soldiers. It carried 1,500 bronze cannons and 1,000 iron cannons, and it took two days to leave the port. It included 28 warships, 20 galleons and 8 galleys. The other heavy ships were mainly armed carracks and transports, and there were also 34 light vessels. The expedition was a failure.