Historian challenges traditional narrative of Spanish Armada victory

Historian and writer José Calvo Poyato is challenging the traditional narrative regarding the Spanish Armada and the English Counter-Armada of 1588 and 1589 in his new novel, ‘El imperio en la tormenta’.

Calvo Poyato argues that the celebrated English victory was largely a product of English propaganda. He contends that the English navy did not engage in a decisive direct naval confrontation with the Spanish fleet, but instead attacked isolated ships, sinking approximately four to five out of more than 130 vessels. He suggests the primary Spanish losses occurred during the return journey along the Irish coast due to weather and navigation difficulties, rather than combat.

The author also highlights the failure of the operation was linked to the inability of Alexander Farnese’s troops in Flanders to embark. Furthermore, he points to the subsequent English Counter-Armada of 1589 as a significant disaster for England, noting that of the approximately 28,500 men who departed from Plymouth, only about 3,500 returned. The novel, published by HarperCollins Ibérica, features historical figures such as Philip II, Elizabeth I, Francis Drake, and Lope de Vega.