"Singeing The King's Beard"
On April 2, 1587, a majestic sight left Plymouth harbor. Twenty three ships, including four large men-of-war carrying 2200 men set forth from the English port city in search of quarry. Guided by the Elizabeth Bonaventure, the flagship of English privateer Sir Francis Drake, the envoy set sail for their destination: Spain, the home of King Phillip II.
Drake, now appointed Her Majesty's Admiral-at-the-Seas by Queen Elizabeth I, was embarking on a perilous mission. With the Queen's knowledge, he was commanded "to distress the ships within the havens themselves." What this meant was that Drake was to do whatever necessary to keep the Spanish away from the shores of England. If the Spanish armada was already at sea, Drake and his ships were to stop them. If he safely made his way to Spain, he was under orders to disrupt the armada, whether it meant sinking their ships in their own ports or stealing their supplies. If England was to survive the threat of a Spanish invasion, it was imperative that the English strike first.
Drake's destination was the home port of the Spanish navy, Cadiz. The city, located on an island near the end of a peninsula, was known for its two well protected harbors. To reach his target, Drake's ships would have to navigate through a series of natural barriers consisting of treacherous rocks and sandbars to reach the harbor's main channel. Once inside, the English would confront the manmade barriers which surrounded the city's inner harbor: the barrels of Spanish cannons, which protected the dozen war galleys stationed in the harbor's waters.
Not more than three weeks later, on the afternoon of April 29, the residents of Cadiz, gathered in the town's main square, were enjoying the antics of a group of traveling performers. At first, no one paid attention to the commotion at the edge of the town square. Then, came the sharp cries. "Ingles! Ingles!" (The English! The English!) Ships had been sighted off the coast with English flags flying high on the ships' masts. The enemy had come to Spain!
Meanwhile, in the outer harbor, merchant ships tried to run for the safety of the city's inner harbor. Other ships whose sails were down were easy targets as they were boarded and plundered by Drake's men. The galleys were the only hope for the city. Lining up one beside the other, these war ships approached the English ships descending on Cadiz harbor.
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