8 august 1588

The decisive running battle off the coast of Calais and the Spanish Netherlands cost the fire-damaged Spanish Armada dearly as the English fleet chased them back into the open waters of the English Channel. The Armada’s only chance of survival was to wait out the wind and land its army the Spanish Netherlands, where it could escape Drake’s predations, while the only chance of success was to board the Spanish Army of Flanders in their barges from the coast.