In the late 16th Century, Protestant Britain and Catholic Spain were at each other’s throats. Spain was the leading power, but the British were constantly nipping at the hem of its robe. War broke out in 1585 as Spain finally had enough of England’s provocations. England supported the Dutch rebels. Queen Elizabeth beheaded her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots to aggravate the religious situation. But most provocative were the actions of the Sea Dogs. Elizabeth called these sea captains privateers, but Philip II insisted they were pirates. The Sea Dogs attacked Spanish settlements in the New World and the treasure ships returning from there. The most famous of these buccaneers was Sir Francis Drake. His knighting by Elizabeth in 1581 was a slap in the face of Philip. The Spanish took to calling Drake “El Draque” (The Dragon) and put a bounty of 6 million pounds on his head. Because of these causes, Philip began to assemble what would be known as the Invincible Armada. On April 12, 1587 Elizabeth sent Drake to inspect Spanish military preparations, interdict supply ships, and attack Spain, if feasible. Drake was given 4 galleons and 20 armed merchantmen. He captained the Elizabeth Bonaventure. Elizabeth had second thoughts and sent orders to return, but unfavorable winds prevented the counterorder to reach Drake. On April 19, Drake’s fleet entered the Bay of Cadiz where the Spanish invasion fleet was being assembled. Of the 60 Spanish ships in the harbor, over 30 would be destroyed before the British left on May 1. The British lost one ship. Drake left the harbor aflame. The significance of the attack was that the Armada was delayed by one year and this was a factor in England’s Defeat of the Spanish Armada. The British thereafter referred to Drake’s exploit as the “singeing of the Spanish king’s beard”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singeing_the_King_of_Spain%27s_Beard
https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Cadiz-1587
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