The Spanish Armada

There are events in our species’ history that, due to the massive and fundamental changes that they wrought, constantly make historians wonder, “What would have happened had this plan failed? Had this scheme been discovered? Had this invasion succeeded?” The sinking of the Spanish King Philip II’s Grand Armada was one of these crucial points in human history. In this enlightening, engaging, and explanatory new work, Robert Hutchinson illuminates the unique problems that plagued the Spanish Armada at every step, the major political players at the time, and the intriguing series of events that led to the ultimate demise of the fleet.

This is a truly outstanding book. The book, deviating only slightly for explanations of context, retells all major events and most minor ones in chronological order, which made the book easy to follow and engrossing to read. Hutchinson spends quite a bit of time relating the struggles and thoughts of many individuals; surprisingly, Philip II became quite the empathetic character towards the middle of the book. All information is presented clearly and quickly, with never a dull moment. This is certainly one of the most enjoyable history books available, and is by far the best book on the Spanish Armada.