The Spanish Armada

[Bazile]

Watched earlier today an excellent / informative programmae on the Spanish Armada .

I thought I heard at the end that the victorious men of the navy were kept , when it was over in appaling conditions away from their homes , ( on the pretex that the armada might return ) because the politicians did not want to pay them .

Was this correct and how was / is this viewed down through the centuries - or was this ' forgotten ' about in the euphoria of the victory ?

[Lonnie]

I watched David Starkey's programme on the Armada, and yes this is correct, I tred to google some info for you, but no success.
You may be able to rent the dvd of it .
Just a shame that that part isn't taught in school.

[shaneystar2]

Charles Howard wrote
It is a most pitiful sight to see, here at Margate, how the men, having no place to receive them into here, die in the streets. I am driven myself, of force, to come a-land, to see them bestowed in some lodging; and the best I can get is barns and outhouses. It would grieve any man's heart to see them that have served so valiantly to die so miserably.

English losses were comparatively few, and none of their ships were sunk. But after the victory, typhus and dysentery killed many sailors and troops (estimated at 6,000�8,000) as they languished for weeks in readiness for the Armada's return out of the North Sea. Then a demoralising dispute occasioned by the government's fiscal shortfalls left many of the Armada defenders unpaid for months, which was in contrast to the assistance given by the Spanish government to its surviving men.

From Wiki.