Spanish Armada Defeat and Comuneros Revolt
The Spanish Armada's Attempt on England
The Spanish Armada, which brought Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) to attack England in 1588, was motivated by several factors. Both countries faced conflict due to Sir Francis Drake's pirate raids in the Indies and British aid to the Dutch rebels and Protestants in France.
Organization and Command
In 1587, the military fleet was organized in Lisbon under Álvaro de Bazán, Marquis of Santa Cruz. However, he died and was succeeded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who lacked the necessary capacity for the command.
The 1588 Campaign
The fleet started in 1588 with approximately 130 ships. Although the British fleet encountered at Portsmouth (England) had fewer ships, the Duke decided to attack. He then decided to retreat to Calais (France) intending to wait for the troops brought from Flanders by Parma.
The British forced the Spanish into action. Caught in a storm, the Spanish lost thirty-two ships and suffered approximately 10,000 casualties.
Aftermath and Legacy
The remnants of the Armada had to return to Spain by way of Scotland in a long and painful journey. However, some historians suggest the defeat's effects were not as catastrophic as often portrayed:
- Two-thirds of the ships returned to Spain.
- British misgivings about Spanish naval power remained.
- Spain retained mastery of the seas for protecting the Indies galleons.
Nevertheless, the event marked the beginning of growing British naval hegemony in Europe.
The Germanías Uprisings in Hispanic Territories
The Germanías (Communal Brotherhoods) occurred in the context of Hispanic demonstrations against the domestic policies of Charles of Habsburg, I of Spain and V of Germany (1516-1558), who belonged to the House of Austria.
Context and Location
These movements, also called "brotherhoods of artisans," took place spontaneously in Valencia and Mallorca between 1519 and 1523. They ran parallel to the Revolt of the Comuneros in Castile but differed because the Germanías were more social and less political in nature.
Conflict in Valencia
In Valencia, the fight developed along two main lines:
- Artisan Agermanados against the elite guilds (groups of people working in the same trade).
- Oppressed peasants against the abuses of the landed aristocracy.
The leader of the Germanías, Juan Llorens, aimed for nothing less than establishing a republican constitution for Valencia, modeled after the republics of Genoa and Venice. After his death, the movement lost capital control, and the uprising spread throughout Valencia, becoming radicalized and committing various atrocities.
Defeat and Consequences
This radicalization caused the movement to lose support from a sector of the middle class. This allowed the Viceroy Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and the nobles supporting him to defeat the Germanías in October 1522 through a significant slaughter.
Conclusion
The Germanías started as a protest against the nobles but ultimately ended up confronting King Charles I, who was supported by the nobility and the clergy. Ultimately, this repression resulted in a victory for monarchical absolutism.