Slide 1
Machiavelli to the Defeat of
the Spanish Armada
Major Rascon
Slide 2
References
Jones, The Art of War in the Western World,
pp.195-213
 Montross, War Through the Ages, pp. 211214, 227-261
 Preston and Wise, Men in Arms, pp. 98-109,
119-131
 Ropp, War in the Modern World,j pp.19-40,
60-66

Slide 3
Learning Objectives
The student will know and understand:
 The contribution of Machiavelli with
emphasis on his attitudes on war and ethics
 Spanish tactical evolution on land,
emphasizing Cordoba and the Moor
expulsion
 The Battle of Lepanto
Slide 4
Learning Objectives (cont.)
The student will know and understand:
 The revolt in the Netherlands and the defeat
of the Spanish Armada
 The reforms of Maurice of Nassau
 The significant developments in weaponry
during the mid-16th century
Slide 5
Machiavelli, 1469-1527
Recognized link between military, social, and
political sphere
 Saw that new era of war had opened
 Effective armies composed of natives
 Will to fight based on satisfaction with
nation’s society

Slide 6
Machiavelli (cont.)
Principles:
- Quick, decisive defeat
- Command to one individual
- Training/discipline critical
- Punishment must be severe
“It is much safer to be feared than loved”
 These changes seen with innovations in
Spain

Slide 7
Spanish Tactical Evolutions
Granada - eventually defeated by Ferdinand
and Isabella
 Cordoba - very successful Spanish general
 Column - became basic fighting unit
 Tercio - later, 3 columns became a Tercio

Slide 8
Conquest of Granada
May 1485 - Jan 1492
Background
– Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille
married
– Their Goal - expel Moslem Moors from Spain
– December 1481 - Moslems seize Zahara
– Response - Christians
retaliate, Ferdinand
and Isabella come
to aid
Slide 9
Results of Granada

Successful
– April 1491 - January 1492: Christians, in
overwhelming force, repulsed all Moors
– Ended 8 centuries of Moslem/Christian struggle
Spanish Soldier became formidable
 Necessitated requirement for professional
army

Slide 10
Gonzalo de Cordoba

Used Economy of Force
 Arquebusier Protection
– Recognized potential and vulnerability Arquebusier
– Provided protection while reloading with pikemen
– Key in using small arms decisively on the battlefield

Video-10min Matchlock
Slide 11
Column and Tercio

1505 - Column created by King Ferdinand
based on Cordoba’s experience
– Mixed pikemen, halberdiers, arquebusiers, and
sword-and-buckler men
– Commanded by cabo de colunela (chief of
column), or “colonel”
– Originally used for admin and movement

1534 - The Tercio Developed
– Larger organization made up of 3 Colunelas
Slide 12
Spanish Square

“Spanish Square”

Employment

– Eliminated sword-and-buckler and halberdiers, leaving
only pikemen and arquebusiers
– Pikemen massed 50-60 men front, 20 deep
– Arquebusier at Corners
– Arquebusiers would fire, then fall back to protection of
pikemen while they reloaded
Became basic fighting unit
 Countermarch
 Video –5min Spanish square
Slide 13
Battle of Lepanto - 1571





Last significant galley battle
Influenced by gunpowder but little changed from
“infantry battle at sea”
Christians vs. Turks
Turks – 230 ships lost;
20,000 men killed
Christians – 173 ships lost;
7,600 killed
Slide 14
Revolt in the Netherlands

Netherlands inherited by Spain
 Dutch revolt: 1568-1609
– Religious differences: Northern provinces strongly
protestant; Spanish … Catholic
– Initial Spanish success:
1585: Recapture of Antwerp by
Alexander Farnese, Duke of
Parma
– English intervene of side of
rebels
Slide 15
Spanish Armada - 1588

AO designed to invade England
 The Armada was to rendezvous
with Parma’s army in Netherlands
and cross channel
 The Armada itself carried a
subsidiary landing force
 The English Plan
– Prevent the junction
Slide 16
The Destruction of the Armada
English ships, guns,
and gunnery proved
decisively superior
The Armada’s only
chance was to close
and attempt to board
•English used wind and speed to their advantage to escape
boarding
•Spanish are too slow for smaller, faster English
•English employed speed and guns effectively
Slide 17
Spanish Losses

Out of 130 Ships
– 63 lost
– English sank or captured 15
– 19 wrecked on Scottish or Irish coast
– Remaining 33 unknown
Heralded decline of Spanish empire
 Began England’s mastery of the seas
 Revolt lasted 21 years afterward, led by
Maurice of Nassau

Slide 18
Maurice of Nassau Philosophies






Continued Netherlands’ revolt
Restructured military using Romans as model
Reduced depth from 40 to 10 and then later down
to 5 (the number who could effectively employ their
arms)
Frontage of 50 pikemen at 3 ft intervals (modern
linear formations)
Formations had musketeers placed on the flanks
40 men, combined arms
This smaller force made unit more flexible
Slide 19
Features of Army under
Maurice of Nassau
Troops rigorously taught drill by superiors
 Long term enlistments of regular soldiers
 Good pay, regular professional army
 First military academy introduced
 Encouraged development of new weapons
- Gas and explosive shells
- Mapmakers
- Field glasses for observation

Slide 20
New 16th Century Weapons

Musket replaced arquebus

Wheellock pistol
– Increased range
– Greater stopping power
– Renewed importance of cavalry
– Now, less vulnerable to attack
Slide 21
Summary
Machiavelli foresees changing military
 Spanish exploit new technology to become
dominating force and create standing armies
 New naval tactics end “battle at sea”
principles and lead to destruction of Armada
 Maurice of Nassau makes innovative
changes to create a superior force
 Steady, increased use of new weapons and
gun powder on the battlefield

Slide 22
Questions?