List of ships of the Spanish Armada

The armada was divided into ten "squadrons"

List of Squadron Commanders

• The Duke of Medina Sidonia commander of Squadron of Portugal
• Diego de Medrano commander of Squadron of Galleys of Portugal
• Juan Martinez de Recalde commander of Squadron of Biscay
• Diego Flores de Valdés commander of Squadron of Castile
• Pedro de Valdés commander of Squadron of Andalusia
• Miguel de Oquendo commander of Squadron of Guipuzcoa
• Martin de Bertendona commander of Squadron of Levant
• Hugo de Moncada commander of Squadron of Galleasses of Naples
• Juan Gomez de Medina commander of Squadron of Urcas
• Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza commander of Squadron of Pataches and Zabras

Ships of the Squadrons

Squadron of Portugal

Twelve ships (total seamen 1,293; total soldiers 3,330);

• São Martinho (48 guns). Known in Spanish as San Martin and in English as Saint Martin. Flagship of the commander-in-chief (Fleet Capitana), the Duke of Medina Sidonia and Maestre Francisco Arias de Bobadilla, the senior army officer. (São Martinho had an overall length of about 180 feet (55 m) with a beam of about 40 feet (12 m). She carried the aforementioned 48 heavy guns on two enclosed gun decks, plus multiple smaller weapons).
• São João (de Portugal). (50 guns). Vice-flagship (Fleet Almiranta). Known in Spanish as San Juan de Portugal and in English as Saint John of Portugal. Captained by Recalde (captain of this ship later in the expedition).
• São Marcos (33 guns). She was wrecked on the coast of County Clare, Ireland.
• São Filipe (40 guns). She ran aground between Nieuport and Ostend.
• São Luis (38 guns).
• São Mateus (34 guns). Known in Spanish as San Mateo and in English as Saint Matthew. She ran aground between Nieuport and Ostend.
• Santiago (24 guns).
• São Francisco (Florencia or Galleon of Florence). (52 guns). Italian-built nau integrated within the squadron of Portuguese galleons. 3 Portuguese galleons were dismissed after the storm that the Armada faced after leaving Lisbon (2 already older at the time and one sent to India - the São Lucas and the São Rafael).
• São Cristóvão (20 guns).
• São Bernardo (21 guns).
• Zabra Augusta (13 guns).
• Zabra Júlia (14 guns).

Squadron of Galleys of Portugal

Four ships under Diego de Medrano (total seamen 362; total rowers 888; no soldiers);

• Capitania (5 guns). Foundered off Bayonne, France, in the Bay of Biscay.
• Princesa (5 guns).
• Diana (5 guns).
• Bazana (5 guns).

Squadron of Biscay

Fourteen ships (total seamen 863; total soldiers 1,937);

• Santa Ana (30 guns: Flagship of Juan Martinez de Recalde, Captain General and second in command of the Armada).
• El Gran Grin (28 guns: Vice-flagship). Wrecked near SW tip of Clare Island, Clew Bay, County Mayo, Ireland.
• Santiago (25 guns).
• La Concepción de Zubelzu. (16 guns).
• La Concepción de Juanes del Cano (18 guns). Wrecked on Carna, County Galway, Ireland.
• La Magdalena (18 guns).
• San Juan (21 guns). Wrecked at Dunkirk, France.
• La Maria Juan (24 guns). Damaged during the Battle of Gravelines and sank two days later.
• La Manuela (24 guns).
• Santa Maria de Montemayor (18 guns).
• Patache La Maria de Aguirre (6 guns).
• Patache La Isabela (10 guns).
• Patache de Miguel de Suso (6 guns).
• Patache San Estaban (6 guns).

Squadron of Castile

Sixteen ships (total seamen 1,719; total soldiers 2,458);

• San Cristobal (36 guns). Flagship of Diego Flores de Valdés.
• San Juan Bautista (24 guns). Vice-flagship. Sunk at Blasket Islands, County Kerry, Ireland, in late September 1588.
• San Pedro (24 guns).
• San Juan (24 guns).
• Santiago el Mayor (24 guns).
• San Felipe y Santiago (24 guns).
• La Asunción (24 guns).
• Nuestra Señora del Barrio (24 guns).
• San Medel y Celedon (or San Linda y Celedón). (24 guns).
• Santa Ana (24 guns).
• Nuestra Señora de Begoña (24 guns).
• La Trinidad Bogitar (24 guns).
• La Santa Catalina (24 guns).
• San Juan Bautista (24 guns).
• Patache Nuestra Señora del Socorro (or Nuestra Señora del Rosario). (24 guns). Possibly lost in Tralee Bay, County Kerry, Ireland.
• Patache San Antonio de Padua (12 guns). Sank off the west coast of Ireland.

Squadron of Andalusia

Eleven ships (total seamen 780; total soldiers 2,325);

• Nuestra Señora del Rosario (46 guns). Flagship of Don Pedro de Valdés. (Captured by Drake, sent into Torbay)
• San Francisco (21 guns). Vice-flagship.
• San Juan Bautista (31 guns).
• San Juan de Gargarin (16 guns).
• La Concepción (20 guns).
• Urca Duquesa Santa Ana (23 guns). Wrecked at Loughros More, County Donegal, Ireland.
• Santa Catalina (23 guns).
• La Trinidad (13 guns).
• Santa Maria del Juncal (20 guns).
• San Bartolomé (20 guns).
• Patache El Espíritu Santo (32 guns).

Squadron of Guipuzcoa

Fourteen ships (total seamen 616; total soldiers 1,992);

• Santa Ana (47 guns). Flagship of Miguel de Oquendo.
• Santa Maria de la Rosa (or Nuestra Señora de la Rosa). (47 guns). Vice-flagship. Wrecked on Stromboli Reef at Blasket Sound, Ireland, 21 September 1588.
• San Salvador (25 guns). (Captured, taken into Weymouth)
• San Esteban (26 guns). Wrecked near Doonbeg River, County Clare, Ireland.
• Santa María (or Santa Marta). (20 guns).
• Santa Barbara (12 guns).
• San Buenaventura (21 guns).
• La Maria San Juan (12 guns).
• Santa Cruz (18 guns).
• Urca Doncella (16 guns). The hulk foundered when she returned to Santander, Spain.
• Patache La Asunción (9 guns).
• Patache San Bernabé (9 guns).
• Pinaza Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (1 gun).
• Pinaza Magdalena (1 gun).

Squadron of Levant

Ten Mediterranean merchant-ships embargoed in Sicily and in Lisbon (total seamen 767; total soldiers 2,780);

• La Regazona (30 guns). Venetian merchantman. Flagship of Martín de Bertendona. Came back to Spain very damaged and sank off La Coruña.
• La Lavia (25 guns). Venetian merchantman. Vice-flagship. Grounded near Streedagh Strand, ten miles North of Sligo town, Ireland.
• La Rata Santa María Encoronada (35 guns). Genoese merchantman. Grounded and set alight, late September 1588 in Blacksod Bay, County Mayo, Ireland.
• San Juan de Sicilia (26 guns). Ragusan merchantman. Wrecked for an English sabotage off of the Inner Hebridean island of Mull, Scotland.
• La Trinidad Valencera (42 guns). Venetian merchantman. Wrecked, 16th September 1588 at Glenagivney, Kinnagoe Bay Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland.
• La Anunciada (24 guns). Ragusan merchantman. She was anchored in the mouth of the River Shannon at Scattery Roads, Ireland, and was burnt and abandoned by her crew who were rescued by other armada ships.
• San Nicolás Prodaneli (26 guns). Ragusan merchantman.
• Juliana (32 guns). Catalan merchantman. Grounded near Streedagh Strand, ten miles North of Sligo town, Ireland.
• Santa Maria de Vison (de Biscione) (18 guns). Ragusan merchantman. Grounded near Streedagh Strand, ten miles North of Sligo town, Ireland.
• La Trinidad de Scala (22 guns). Genoese merchantman. Came back to Spain (Santander) very damaged and was unrigged.

Squadron of Galleasses of Naples

Four ships;

• San Lorenzo (50 guns). Flagship of Don Hugo de Moncada. Grounded at Calais after the Battle of Gravelines. Captured by the French after a hard fight with the English that cost Don Hugo de Moncada his life.
• Zúñiga (50 guns). Forced to take refuge at Le Havre after suffering rudder damage while trying to return home. It is unclear whether Zúñiga ever returned home. It was last reported silted up at Le Havre after an unsuccessful effort to sail home.
• La Girona (50 guns). Wrecked 30th October 1588 at Lacada Point, County Antrim, Ireland. There may have been as many as 1,295 casualties due to survivors from Santa Maria Rata Encoronada and Duquesa Santa Ana.
• Napolitana (50 guns). Returned home intact, making landfall at Laredo, Spain.

Squadron of Urcas

Twenty three ships (total seamen 608; total soldiers 3,121);

• El Gran Grifón (38 guns). Flagship of Juan Gómez de Medina. Wrecked, 27 September 1588 at Stroms Hellier, Fair Isle, Orkney Islands, Scotland. Her three hundred sailors spent six weeks on the island.
• San Salvador (24 guns). Vice-flagship.
• Perro Marino (7 guns).
• Falcon Blanco Mayor (16 guns).
• Castillo Negro (27 guns). The ship foundered off Donegal, Ireland.
• Barca de Amburgo (or Barca de Hamburg) (23 guns). The ship sank during a storm south-west of Fair Isle, Scotland. Her crew were take aboard El Gran Grifon and La Trinidad Valencera; both were later wrecked.
• Casa de Paz Grande (26 guns).
• San Pedro Mayor (29 guns).
• El Sansón (18 guns).
• San Pedro Menor (18 guns).
• Barca de Anzique (or Barca de Danzig) (26 guns).
• Falcon Blanco Mediano (16 guns). Lost on Connemara coast, County Galway, possibly near Inish Boffin, on Freaghillaun Rock?, Ireland.
• San Andrés (14 guns).
• Casa de Paz Chica (15 guns).
• Ciervo Volante (18 guns). She was wrecked off the west Irish coast.
• Paloma Blanca (12 guns).
• La Ventura (4 guns).
• Santa Bárbara (10 guns).
• Santiago (19 guns). Wrecked near Mosterhamn in Hardanger Fjord, south of Bergen, Norway.
• David (7 guns).
• El Gato (9 guns).
• Esayas (4 guns).
• San Gabriel (4 guns).

Squadron of Caravels of Portugal (Round caravels and Lateen caravels)

• São Lorenço
• Santo António (1ª)
• Nossa Senhora da Conceição (1ª)
• Jesus da Ajuda
• São João
• Santo António (2ª)
• A Conceição (2ª)
• São Jorge
• Nossa Senhora da Assunção
• Conceição (3ª)
• Santo António (3ª)
• Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Nossa Senhora da Conceição (2ª), possibly not joined the expedition beyond Corunna. Only eleven left Lisbon, and possibly about 9 or 10 (?), after the storm, left Corunna).

Squadron of Pataches and Zabras

Twenty two ships (5 to 10 guns) under Don Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza (total seamen 574; total soldiers 479);

• Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza
• La Caridad
• San Andres
• El Crucifijo
• Nuestra Señora del Puerto
• La Concepción de Cararsca
• Nuestra Señora Begoña
• La Concepción Capetillo
• San Jeronimo
• Nuestra Señora de Gracia
• La Concepción Francisco de Latero
• Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
• San Francisco
• Espiritu Santo
• Zabra Trinidad
• Nuestra Señora de Castro
• Santo Andres
• La Concepción de Valmeseda
• La Concepción de Somanila
• San Juan de Carasa
• Asunción

Complement of the Fleet

• 132 ships.
• 8,766 sailors.
• 21,556 soldiers.
• 2,088 convict rowers

Ship Types

Source

Galleon

• Pronunciation: /ˈɡæliən/ GAL-ee-ən. Etymology: Old Spanish galeón, from Middle French galion, from Old French galie. Date: 1529.

Galleon: A heavy square-rigged sailing ship of the 16th to early 18th centuries used for war or commerce especially by the Spanish.

Galley

• Pronunciation: /ˈɡæli/ GAL-ee. Etymology: Middle English galeie, from Anglo-French galie, galee, ultimately from Middle Greek galea. Date: 13th century.

Galley: A ship or boat propelled solely or chiefly by oars:

1. a long low ship used for war and trading especially in the Mediterranean Sea from the Middle Ages to the 19th century;
2. also : galleass : a warship of classical antiquity — compare bireme, trireme;
3. a large open boat (as a gig) formerly used in England.

Galleass

• Pronunciation: /ˈɡæliəs/ GAL-ee-əs. Etymology: Middle French galeasse, from Old French galie galley. Date: 1544.

Galleass: A large fast galley used especially as a warship by Mediterranean countries in the 16th and 17th centuries and having both sails and oars but usually propelled chiefly by rowing.

Urca

• "The urcas, supply hulks, had largely been requisitioned when they sailed into Spanish ports, regardless of their owners' rights and wishes. Baltic made urcas with two lateen mizzen masts were unable to sail close to the wind. They were also no good for fitting fighting 'castles' to. Some urcas came from Hanseatic ports. In all there were twenty three urcas in the fleet."

Zabra

• Small two masted ships.

Patache

• A patache is a type of sailing vessel with two masts, very light and shallow, a sort of cross between a brig and a schooner, which originally was a warship, being intended for surveillance and inspection of the coasts and ports.

Pinaza

• The pinaza (pinnace) is a light boat, propelled by oars or sails, carried aboard merchant and war vessels to serve as a tender.

Caravel

• Caravel (Lateen Caravel), a highly maneuverable sailing ship. The lateen sails gave her speed and the capacity for sailing to windward (beating). Caravels were used especially by the Portuguese for the oceanic exploration voyages during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Square-rigged caravel (Round caravel)

• the Square-rigged caravel is another type of caravel which is a combination of the carrack and the caravel, distinguished from both ships by its combined sails, with four or more masts, usually three with lateen rigged sails and the fore-mast with two square sails, and by its hull design which is narrower and longer (with a stercastle, forcastle and a galleon design). It is doubtful that the caravels of Portugal in the Spanish Armada - with the assistance mission, support, and transport of provisions and military itens - had the size and the heavy weaponry of the other traditional Portuguese large Caravelas de Armada (Square-rigged caravels).

Summary of Armada Make Up

• Total Number of Ships Mustered at Corunna = 130
• Total tons of Shipping at Muster = 58,705
• Total people on ships, soldiers & sailors = 25,826 people
• Total number of Guns = 2,477
• Total Number of Ships Lost/Burned/Missing = 68
• Total Number that Failed to Start = 5

Collecting Data/ Under Construction

See also

• List of shipwrecks in the 16th century
• Spanish Armada in Ireland

Bibliography

• The Spanish Armada, Colin Martin and Geoffrey Parker, 1988. Guild Publishing, ISBN 9780241121252.
• The Spanish Armada, Roger Whiting, 1988. Sutton Publishing, ISBN 0-7509-3647-9.
• Ireland Graveyard of the Spanish Armada, Kilfeather. 1967, Anvil Books.
• The Confident Hope of a Miracle, Neil Hanson, 2003. ISBN 0-3856-0451-3.
• Armada in Ireland, Niall Fallon, 1978. Stamford Maritime.