Naval warfare and technology

The English navy relied on smaller, more manoeuvrable ships, like galleons, compared to the larger Spanish Armada.
Cannon and artillery innovations allowed English ships to attack at range.
Privateering combined naval skill with legal piracy, weakening Spanish shipping.
Francis Drake led a raid on the Spanish port of Cadiz, destroying ships and supplies. This delayed the Spanish Armada’s preparations by about a year, giving England time to strengthen defences.
The raid became known as the Singeing the King of Spain’s Beard and demonstrated the effectiveness of privateering and naval intelligence.

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