The Spanish ArmadaThe Spanish Armada was a fleet assembled and sent by King Philip II of Spain to attempt to invade England in 1588. His attempt failed. Queen Elizabeth I of England considered the defeat of the armada one of her greatest achievements, contributing to the decline of the Spanish Empire. The armada had both a political and religious mission. King Philip, leader of Roman Catholic Spain, was unable to stop a revolt by his Protestant subjects in the Netherlands, a revolt that began in 1566, with the help of Protestant England. By 1586, Phillip had decided that he could not defeat the Dutch until he had first defeated England. It was hoped that the long-standing religious rivalry between Spain and England would be resolved by King Phillip dethroning Queen Elizabeth, thereby converting England back to Catholicism. The plan of conquest had begun. This plan consisted of the coordination of a fleet from Spain and an army from the Netherlands to create a simultaneous invasion of England. His force of 130 ships and over 30,000 men was to be led by Alonso Peréz Guzmán, Duke of Medina-Sidonia. England knew of the Spanish plans and attacked him at Cádiz, Spain, in 1587, managing to delay him for a year. In July 1588, the armada was spotted off the English coast on July 29. Lord Charles Howard intercepted it with a larger English fleet near Plymouth, and the following week launched small attacks against the Spanish in battles off Plymouth, Portland Bill. , and the Isle of Wight. Unable to break the Spanish Armada, they waited for their chance to strike a major blow. The opportunity finally presented itself when the armada anchored near Calais, France, hoping to join the troops who were to leave the Netherlands. Ingeniously, Howard ordered burning ships to be sent against the armada, causing a panic that broke the Spanish formation. At the ensuing Battle of Gravelines on 8 August, the Spanish were defeated by England and the armada returned home with the remaining ships which were heavily damaged to Spain; 67 of the initial 130 ships reached Spain, most in poor condition.