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Battle of Gravelines (1588)
The Battle of Gravelines was a naval engagement fought on July 29, 1588 as part of the Anglo-Spanish War. It took place at Gravelines, a town in the Spanish Netherlands, near the border with France. The Spanish Armada, a large naval fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain to invade England, was engaged by the English fleet, under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham and Sir Francis Drake. The English were aided by the Dutch and the French, who also had conflicts with Spain.
The battle was fought at close range, with the English using their superior firepower to good effect. The Spanish Armada was severely damaged and was forced to retreat. Many of its ships were lost in storms as it attempted to return to Spain. The Battle of Gravelines was a significant victory for the English, as it prevented the Spanish from invading England and established English naval supremacy for the next several decades.