Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:02,201 --> 00:00:05,377
Royal history is at the heart
of our national identity.
2
00:00:07,332 --> 00:00:12,006
We think of it as the definitive
truth about our past.
3
00:00:12,031 --> 00:00:17,767
Dates and facts, kings and queens,
all consigned to a past
4
00:00:17,792 --> 00:00:19,967
that's unchanging and fixed.
5
00:00:19,992 --> 00:00:22,607
But it's not like that at all.
6
00:00:22,632 --> 00:00:25,847
History is a chorus of voices,
7
00:00:25,872 --> 00:00:29,767
each of them shouting out
its own version of the story.
8
00:00:29,792 --> 00:00:34,537
And very often, it's the loudest
voices that get heard most clearly.
9
00:00:35,792 --> 00:00:40,767
In this series, I'm lifting the lid
on three of royal history's
10
00:00:40,792 --> 00:00:42,926
great nation-building stories.
11
00:00:44,462 --> 00:00:47,327
Henry the Vlll's Reformation.
12
00:00:47,352 --> 00:00:50,157
This was a political earthquake
that broke England's
13
00:00:50,182 --> 00:00:52,607
ties with Europe.
14
00:00:52,632 --> 00:00:56,157
So why is it often told
as a sexy royal soap opera?
15
00:00:57,951 --> 00:01:01,517
Queen Anne helped create
Great Britain,
16
00:01:01,542 --> 00:01:04,767
but she's remembered
as a disastrous monarch.
17
00:01:05,992 --> 00:01:09,207
Did her liberal enemies
blacken her reputation?
18
00:01:11,432 --> 00:01:16,287
And in this episode, Elizabeth I
and the Spanish Armada,
19
00:01:16,312 --> 00:01:20,647
when the English Navy destroyed
an invincible Spanish fleet.
20
00:01:22,182 --> 00:01:24,287
The defeat of the Spanish Armada
21
00:01:24,312 --> 00:01:27,647
is often talked about
as the crowning achievement
22
00:01:27,672 --> 00:01:29,897
of Elizabeth l's golden age
23
00:01:29,922 --> 00:01:33,256
and a defining moment
in English history.
24
00:01:33,281 --> 00:01:38,567
England's great naval victory
made icons of Sir Francis Drake
25
00:01:38,592 --> 00:01:40,847
and the Virgin Queen...
26
00:01:40,872 --> 00:01:43,767
"And a king of England too!"
27
00:01:44,872 --> 00:01:49,077
...and it laid the foundations
of the British Empire.
28
00:01:49,102 --> 00:01:54,847
It's a great story, but it's full
of exaggerations, distortions
29
00:01:54,872 --> 00:01:57,157
and some whopping great fibs.
30
00:01:57,182 --> 00:02:01,046
Was England really
the plucky underdog?
31
00:02:01,071 --> 00:02:02,796
This is fake news, isn't it?
32
00:02:02,821 --> 00:02:04,897
You'd think people
would see through it
33
00:02:04,922 --> 00:02:07,357
but actually people believe
what they want to believe.
34
00:02:07,382 --> 00:02:11,487
Did Elizabeth truly play a crucial
role in England's triumph?
35
00:02:11,512 --> 00:02:13,647
It is the victors who write
history, of course.
36
00:02:13,672 --> 00:02:16,357
This is a classic case of that.
37
00:02:16,382 --> 00:02:21,537
And was the Armada the decisive
victory we've always believed?
38
00:02:21,562 --> 00:02:24,207
The Counter Armada was
a terrible defeat
39
00:02:24,232 --> 00:02:27,006
for England,
and they hid the history.
40
00:02:29,742 --> 00:02:32,967
The Spanish Armada
marked out England
41
00:02:32,992 --> 00:02:35,926
as an exceptional island nation,
42
00:02:35,951 --> 00:02:39,407
destined by God for special things.
43
00:02:39,432 --> 00:02:41,437
This is the moment we took on Europe
44
00:02:41,462 --> 00:02:43,256
and won...
45
00:02:43,281 --> 00:02:45,437
...or so the story goes.
46
00:02:56,312 --> 00:02:58,687
The Spanish Armada of 1588
47
00:02:58,712 --> 00:03:01,287
is told as the founding story
48
00:03:01,312 --> 00:03:03,647
of the British Empire.
49
00:03:03,672 --> 00:03:06,006
This little Protestant island
50
00:03:06,031 --> 00:03:08,287
is attacked by Catholic Spain,
51
00:03:08,312 --> 00:03:12,126
the mightiest imperial power
in the world.
52
00:03:12,151 --> 00:03:14,967
And victory sets
Elizabeth l's England
53
00:03:14,992 --> 00:03:17,207
on the road to imperial glory.
54
00:03:21,462 --> 00:03:23,287
Traditionally, the story begins
55
00:03:23,312 --> 00:03:26,847
with the Elizabethan sea dog,
Sir Francis Drake,
56
00:03:26,872 --> 00:03:29,847
playing a game of bowls in Plymouth
57
00:03:29,872 --> 00:03:33,717
when the Armada is
first spotted off the English coast.
58
00:03:35,872 --> 00:03:41,077
Francis Drake is the embodiment
of Cool Britannia. Ha-ha!
59
00:03:41,102 --> 00:03:43,967
Of "Keep Calm And Carry On."
60
00:03:43,992 --> 00:03:46,796
He turned to Lord Howard, commander
of the English fleet,
61
00:03:46,821 --> 00:03:49,717
and he said, "We've plenty of time
to finish our game
62
00:03:49,742 --> 00:03:52,897
"and to thrash the Spaniards too!"
63
00:03:52,922 --> 00:03:56,567
It's classic
English understatement.
64
00:03:56,592 --> 00:03:58,487
It's nonchalance under fire.
65
00:03:59,792 --> 00:04:03,537
Unfortunately, though, it's likely
to be a complete fabrication.
66
00:04:06,992 --> 00:04:10,327
Not one of the first accounts
of the Armada mention
67
00:04:10,352 --> 00:04:12,407
anyone playing bowls.
68
00:04:12,432 --> 00:04:15,126
So where does it come from?
69
00:04:17,312 --> 00:04:21,967
25 years after the event, we finally
get a historical document
70
00:04:21,992 --> 00:04:26,157
which mentions the sailors
at Plymouth dancing, bowling
71
00:04:26,182 --> 00:04:28,327
and making merry on the shore.
72
00:04:30,672 --> 00:04:35,006
Nearly 150 years after that,
local legends about Drake
73
00:04:35,031 --> 00:04:38,256
finishing his game
entered the history books,
74
00:04:38,281 --> 00:04:41,767
and by 1888,
at the height of empire,
75
00:04:41,792 --> 00:04:45,126
his line about thrashing
the Spanish was in print too.
76
00:04:46,462 --> 00:04:50,647
Drake had become the perfect
imperial hero to inspire
77
00:04:50,672 --> 00:04:53,687
future generations with
his stiff upper lip.
78
00:04:56,102 --> 00:04:58,607
WINSTON CHURCHILL: We must regard
the next week or so
79
00:04:58,632 --> 00:05:01,717
as a very important week for us
80
00:05:01,742 --> 00:05:03,407
in our history.
81
00:05:03,432 --> 00:05:06,537
It ranks with the days
when the Spanish Armada
82
00:05:06,562 --> 00:05:08,046
was approaching the Channel,
83
00:05:08,071 --> 00:05:11,207
and Drake
was finishing his game of bowls.
84
00:05:16,632 --> 00:05:19,796
The story of the Spanish Armada
was manipulated
85
00:05:19,821 --> 00:05:21,607
right from the start.
86
00:05:23,352 --> 00:05:26,357
This story is often presented
as a personal battle
87
00:05:26,382 --> 00:05:28,687
between two bitter enemies,
88
00:05:28,712 --> 00:05:32,926
Philip ll of Spain
and Queen Elizabeth I.
89
00:05:34,712 --> 00:05:39,157
In 1588, Philip was 61,
a devout Catholic
90
00:05:39,182 --> 00:05:41,847
and king of a global empire.
91
00:05:43,182 --> 00:05:46,991
Elizabeth was 54,
the unmarried, childless,
92
00:05:47,016 --> 00:05:50,111
Protestant Queen of England.
93
00:05:50,136 --> 00:05:51,781
The story goes that Philip
94
00:05:51,806 --> 00:05:55,781
couldn't bear to see Elizabeth
on the throne.
95
00:05:55,806 --> 00:05:58,111
But actually, three
decades before the Armada,
96
00:05:58,136 --> 00:06:01,082
he'd helped get her there
in the first place.
97
00:06:03,657 --> 00:06:08,422
In 1554, 34 years before
the Spanish Armada,
98
00:06:08,447 --> 00:06:11,472
Philip became part
of the Tudor family.
99
00:06:13,266 --> 00:06:15,342
He set sail for England
to marry
100
00:06:15,367 --> 00:06:18,312
Elizabeth's Catholic
half-sister, Queen Mary I.
101
00:06:21,087 --> 00:06:24,111
We often forget that before he was
King of Spain,
102
00:06:24,136 --> 00:06:27,781
Philip ll, the great villain of the
story of the Armada,
103
00:06:27,806 --> 00:06:30,592
had spent four years
as King of England.
104
00:06:31,977 --> 00:06:35,552
His wife, Queen Mary, was
the Catholic daughter
105
00:06:35,577 --> 00:06:38,422
of Henry VIII
and Catherine of Aragon.
106
00:06:41,136 --> 00:06:46,272
When she became queen in 1553, Mary
reversed the Protestant Reformation
107
00:06:46,297 --> 00:06:50,231
and restored England
to the Roman Catholic faith.
108
00:06:54,697 --> 00:06:59,111
Mary and Philip both wanted
to secure England's religious future
109
00:06:59,136 --> 00:07:00,752
with a Catholic heir.
110
00:07:04,727 --> 00:07:07,272
But if they failed
to produce a child,
111
00:07:07,297 --> 00:07:11,312
the crown would be up for grabs
after Mary's death.
112
00:07:11,337 --> 00:07:13,672
Next in line to the throne
was Elizabeth,
113
00:07:13,697 --> 00:07:17,702
the Protestant daughter of Henry
Vlll's second wife, Anne Boleyn.
114
00:07:18,977 --> 00:07:23,422
The chief rival was her Catholic
cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots.
115
00:07:24,657 --> 00:07:27,672
And Mary Tudor hated the idea
of her half-sister
116
00:07:27,697 --> 00:07:29,312
ever becoming queen.
117
00:07:35,447 --> 00:07:39,231
One of the ambassadors to court
recorded that Mary's opinion
118
00:07:39,256 --> 00:07:42,342
of Elizabeth was that she was
illegitimate,
119
00:07:42,367 --> 00:07:44,502
the daughter of a strumpet!
120
00:07:44,527 --> 00:07:46,422
Mary wasn't a fan.
121
00:07:46,447 --> 00:07:48,882
She doubted her half-sister's
loyalty,
122
00:07:48,907 --> 00:07:53,192
to herself as queen, and
also to the Catholic faith.
123
00:07:53,217 --> 00:07:55,832
Mary thought that Elizabeth
was involved in all sorts
124
00:07:55,857 --> 00:07:57,392
of plots against her.
125
00:07:57,417 --> 00:07:59,882
She even had her locked up
for a while
126
00:07:59,907 --> 00:08:01,882
in the Tower of London.
127
00:08:01,907 --> 00:08:06,142
But Mary's Spanish husband,
Philip, he had a different opinion.
128
00:08:07,417 --> 00:08:10,062
The truth is, Philip
was on Elizabeth's side.
129
00:08:11,857 --> 00:08:16,472
He even persuaded Mary
to free her from house arrest
130
00:08:16,497 --> 00:08:19,832
because the Catholic alternative,
Mary, Queen of Scots,
131
00:08:19,857 --> 00:08:22,882
would have brought England
under the control
132
00:08:22,907 --> 00:08:25,192
of Philip's enemies, the French.
133
00:08:25,217 --> 00:08:29,312
There was no way, for political
reasons, that Philip could allow
134
00:08:29,337 --> 00:08:32,632
Mary, Queen of Scots, to become
Queen of England
135
00:08:32,657 --> 00:08:37,192
because Mary was betrothed to the
son of the King of France,
136
00:08:37,217 --> 00:08:41,472
and England would have been
absorbed into the French Empire,
137
00:08:41,497 --> 00:08:44,552
had Mary, Queen of Scots,
become Queen of England.
138
00:08:44,577 --> 00:08:46,981
So there's lots of things
wrong with Elizabeth.
139
00:08:47,006 --> 00:08:50,312
She's got this dangerous
Protestant tendency.
140
00:08:50,337 --> 00:08:53,312
She's illegitimate in the eyes
of his wife, but she's
141
00:08:53,337 --> 00:08:55,672
the least-bad alternative
as far as Philip's concerned.
142
00:08:55,697 --> 00:08:59,062
Yes. And also, he was convinced
that he could turn her...
143
00:08:59,087 --> 00:09:02,882
Into a good Catholic?
..Into a good Catholic.
144
00:09:02,907 --> 00:09:06,312
Elizabeth, you know, she appeared
to be submissive.
145
00:09:06,337 --> 00:09:10,522
She attended Catholic Church
services, including the Mass.
146
00:09:10,547 --> 00:09:12,472
Had she the right husband,
147
00:09:12,497 --> 00:09:16,031
she would conform, or at least keep
the Church where it was.
148
00:09:16,056 --> 00:09:19,422
And how did Mary feel about this
pressure her husband was putting
149
00:09:19,447 --> 00:09:23,031
on to her, to be nice to her sister,
to make her the successor?
150
00:09:23,056 --> 00:09:24,702
From the evidence that we have,
151
00:09:24,727 --> 00:09:27,272
it does seem that she was just not
152
00:09:27,297 --> 00:09:29,552
prepared to be the good wife.
153
00:09:29,577 --> 00:09:32,392
She dug her heels in, as well.
154
00:09:32,417 --> 00:09:35,312
She did not want Elizabeth
to be her successor.
155
00:09:35,337 --> 00:09:38,392
But she had to, in the end,
give way.
156
00:09:38,417 --> 00:09:44,342
And so, at the end of her life,
she tried to fix Elizabeth
157
00:09:44,367 --> 00:09:47,031
into committing herself
into being a Catholic,
158
00:09:47,056 --> 00:09:49,272
but was unsuccessful.
159
00:09:49,297 --> 00:09:52,192
Poor Mary. Just
doesn't get what she wants.
160
00:09:55,547 --> 00:09:59,111
In November 1558, Mary Tudor
was on her deathbed.
161
00:10:01,367 --> 00:10:03,231
Philip knew that when Mary died,
162
00:10:03,256 --> 00:10:05,781
his influence over England
would die too.
163
00:10:07,527 --> 00:10:10,312
So he sent his ambassador
to remind Elizabeth
164
00:10:10,337 --> 00:10:13,312
just how much he'd supported her.
165
00:10:13,337 --> 00:10:15,552
The meeting didn't go well.
166
00:10:15,577 --> 00:10:18,231
She did concede that, yes,
167
00:10:18,256 --> 00:10:20,472
maybe he had helped her
to get out of jail,
168
00:10:20,497 --> 00:10:23,552
but she did not concede
any role he might claim
169
00:10:23,577 --> 00:10:26,231
in her likely
succession to the throne.
170
00:10:26,256 --> 00:10:27,752
If she got to the throne,
171
00:10:27,777 --> 00:10:31,781
she said, it would be her people
who had put her there.
172
00:10:31,806 --> 00:10:36,552
Elizabeth was already writing
the Spanish king out of her story.
173
00:10:38,167 --> 00:10:41,192
When Mary died, Philip
made a last attempt
174
00:10:41,217 --> 00:10:43,832
to save Catholic England.
175
00:10:43,857 --> 00:10:46,572
He proposed to Elizabeth,
176
00:10:46,597 --> 00:10:50,251
on condition that she converted
to the Roman Catholic faith.
177
00:10:52,026 --> 00:10:54,442
Months later, she turned him down.
178
00:10:56,467 --> 00:10:59,131
By then, Philip was making
an alliance with France
179
00:10:59,156 --> 00:11:01,251
by marrying a French princess.
180
00:11:02,927 --> 00:11:04,412
Elizabeth jokes,
181
00:11:04,437 --> 00:11:06,292
and this is classic Elizabeth I,
182
00:11:06,317 --> 00:11:10,131
that he couldn't have loved
her all that much
183
00:11:10,156 --> 00:11:12,852
if he couldn't even wait
a few months for her answer.
184
00:11:12,877 --> 00:11:15,001
But they didn't fall out over this.
185
00:11:15,026 --> 00:11:17,972
Their letters remained
in the friend zone.
186
00:11:17,997 --> 00:11:21,692
He referred to her as his sister
whom he loved.
187
00:11:21,717 --> 00:11:24,332
They resolved that they were
going to remain allies.
188
00:11:28,107 --> 00:11:30,772
When Elizabeth
came to the throne in 1558,
189
00:11:30,797 --> 00:11:34,612
she returned England
to the Protestant faith,
190
00:11:34,637 --> 00:11:36,082
but the country was divided.
191
00:11:38,357 --> 00:11:41,692
To many in her court, Elizabeth
wasn't Protestant enough.
192
00:11:43,437 --> 00:11:46,051
She kept some of
the practices associated
193
00:11:46,076 --> 00:11:48,332
with her father's Anglo-Catholicism.
194
00:11:50,567 --> 00:11:53,442
For others, Elizabeth
was too Protestant.
195
00:11:55,997 --> 00:11:59,522
The Pope encouraged
Catholics to rebel,
196
00:11:59,547 --> 00:12:01,852
and also put pressure
on Philip
197
00:12:01,877 --> 00:12:03,492
to help get rid of the queen.
198
00:12:04,877 --> 00:12:09,492
But Philip still didn't want to go
to war with Elizabeth.
199
00:12:09,517 --> 00:12:12,212
Legend has it that, when it came
to the Armada,
200
00:12:12,237 --> 00:12:14,332
Catholic Spain started it.
201
00:12:14,357 --> 00:12:16,852
They were the aggressors
invading England
202
00:12:16,877 --> 00:12:18,612
just because it was Protestant.
203
00:12:18,637 --> 00:12:20,931
But that's way too simplistic.
204
00:12:20,956 --> 00:12:23,131
It was going to take
more than religion
205
00:12:23,156 --> 00:12:25,612
to drive Philip into war.
206
00:12:28,357 --> 00:12:30,972
Philip had a global empire
207
00:12:30,997 --> 00:12:33,162
and the Pope had given him
a monopoly
208
00:12:33,187 --> 00:12:35,492
on trade routes to the Americas.
209
00:12:36,597 --> 00:12:39,692
But in the third decade
of Elizabeth's reign, she began
210
00:12:39,717 --> 00:12:42,881
protecting Protestant interests
by challenging
211
00:12:42,906 --> 00:12:44,902
Philip's global domination.
212
00:12:47,276 --> 00:12:50,801
Elizabeth encouraged English sailors
like Francis Drake
213
00:12:50,826 --> 00:12:54,492
to plunder Spanish ships
and ports in the New World.
214
00:12:56,317 --> 00:12:59,442
Her coffers were soon filling
up with Spanish gold.
215
00:13:02,517 --> 00:13:04,332
In 1580, Drake returned
216
00:13:04,357 --> 00:13:08,131
from a lucrative circumnavigation
of the globe.
217
00:13:09,927 --> 00:13:12,542
Elizabeth rewarded him
with a knighthood.
218
00:13:15,276 --> 00:13:20,162
The knighting of Drake marked him
out as a national treasure.
219
00:13:20,187 --> 00:13:22,801
But not everybody was pleased.
220
00:13:25,597 --> 00:13:29,852
To the Spanish, Drake was nothing
more than a pirate,
221
00:13:29,877 --> 00:13:32,722
a thief who'd stolen their gold.
222
00:13:34,107 --> 00:13:37,902
Elizabeth couldn't afford
an all-out war with Philip,
223
00:13:37,927 --> 00:13:41,442
but she was determined to curb
Spanish power
224
00:13:41,467 --> 00:13:44,131
before it crushed Protestant Europe.
225
00:13:46,076 --> 00:13:47,801
UPBEAT FLAMENCO FAN FARE
226
00:13:54,107 --> 00:13:57,902
England wasn't just damaging Spain's
interests in the New World,
227
00:13:57,927 --> 00:14:02,162
it was also goading Spain
on its own doorstep in Europe.
228
00:14:03,956 --> 00:14:06,652
In Philip's territory
in the Netherlands,
229
00:14:06,677 --> 00:14:09,902
the Protestant
population was rebelling.
230
00:14:09,927 --> 00:14:13,292
Elizabeth sent an army
of over 6,000 troops
231
00:14:13,317 --> 00:14:16,131
to help the Protestant revolt.
232
00:14:16,156 --> 00:14:18,692
Elizabeth knew that this was
a dangerous move,
233
00:14:18,717 --> 00:14:21,881
so she set about taking
control of the story.
234
00:14:23,797 --> 00:14:27,572
The queen circulated a pamphlet
across Europe
235
00:14:27,597 --> 00:14:29,772
justifying her actions.
236
00:14:29,797 --> 00:14:34,542
She claimed she wasn't attacking
her brother and ally, Philip,
237
00:14:34,567 --> 00:14:37,332
she was just defending
her neighbours.
238
00:14:42,517 --> 00:14:45,362
Despite Elizabeth's attempts
to spin the story,
239
00:14:45,387 --> 00:14:49,492
to Philip, she was clearly
supporting rebellion against him.
240
00:14:54,076 --> 00:14:55,412
To make matters worse,
241
00:14:55,437 --> 00:14:57,692
English ships were now raiding ports
242
00:14:57,717 --> 00:14:59,181
on the Spanish coast.
243
00:15:02,076 --> 00:15:04,772
Elizabeth had provoked Spain
into action,
244
00:15:04,797 --> 00:15:08,492
and Philip's plans
for the Armada began to take shape.
245
00:15:16,357 --> 00:15:19,692
Philip would now unleash
Spain's imperial power.
246
00:15:21,387 --> 00:15:22,722
To stop Elizabeth's games,
247
00:15:22,747 --> 00:15:26,332
he would have to
invade England and depose her.
248
00:15:27,997 --> 00:15:30,001
After two years of planning,
249
00:15:30,026 --> 00:15:34,801
the Spanish Armada finally
set sail in May 1588.
250
00:15:36,437 --> 00:15:39,362
In the usual story
of the Spanish Armada,
251
00:15:39,387 --> 00:15:41,772
it's gone down as invincible,
252
00:15:41,797 --> 00:15:45,292
the largest fleet ever
to sail on England.
253
00:15:45,317 --> 00:15:47,652
Basically, the Armada is Goliath.
254
00:15:58,187 --> 00:15:59,612
SHE YELLS
255
00:16:01,747 --> 00:16:05,001
Meanwhile, England is
the plucky little underdog,
256
00:16:05,026 --> 00:16:07,181
fighting a cruel giant
257
00:16:07,206 --> 00:16:11,442
determined to make the streets
of London run with blood.
258
00:16:11,467 --> 00:16:13,931
But that image is something
of an exaggeration.
259
00:16:17,637 --> 00:16:21,332
This wasn't the biggest fleet
ever to attack England.
260
00:16:22,956 --> 00:16:27,212
Bigger invasion fleets had been sent
by the Normans in 1066,
261
00:16:27,237 --> 00:16:29,131
and by the French in 1545.
262
00:16:33,517 --> 00:16:36,692
The Spanish fleet
had around 130 ships.
263
00:16:38,637 --> 00:16:41,362
The queen's navy was only
34 ships strong.
264
00:16:42,877 --> 00:16:47,082
But a host of private ships
were commandeered to create a force
265
00:16:47,107 --> 00:16:48,902
which outnumbered the Spanish.
266
00:16:51,026 --> 00:16:54,722
And before they even left home
the Spanish Navy was in trouble.
267
00:16:56,357 --> 00:16:58,212
Some of the ships were damaged.
268
00:16:58,237 --> 00:16:59,902
Some of the men had diseases.
269
00:16:59,927 --> 00:17:02,212
Some of the provisions
had gone rotten.
270
00:17:02,237 --> 00:17:05,852
So they had to stop at Corunna
in northern Spain,
271
00:17:05,877 --> 00:17:09,251
and from here, their commander,
the Duke of Medina Sidonia,
272
00:17:09,276 --> 00:17:10,801
wrote to King Philip.
273
00:17:10,826 --> 00:17:13,292
And he said, "Look, it's not
going at all well.
274
00:17:13,317 --> 00:17:16,001
"My sailors are utterly useless."
275
00:17:16,026 --> 00:17:18,001
But the king wrote back and he said,
276
00:17:18,026 --> 00:17:21,162
"Pull yourself together, man,
and get on with it!"
277
00:17:22,877 --> 00:17:27,772
The Armada's aim was to sail in
tight formation up the Channel,
278
00:17:27,797 --> 00:17:30,572
towards its narrowest point.
279
00:17:30,597 --> 00:17:33,801
There they would meet an army
of 26,000 soldiers
280
00:17:33,826 --> 00:17:35,652
from the Netherlands.
281
00:17:35,677 --> 00:17:39,722
The Armada would protect this army
as it crossed to invade England.
282
00:17:44,956 --> 00:17:47,162
As the Spanish made their way
along the Channel,
283
00:17:47,187 --> 00:17:49,612
they were hounded
by the English Navy.
284
00:17:50,677 --> 00:17:53,931
But the first two major casualties
to the Armada
285
00:17:53,956 --> 00:17:55,362
were self-inflicted.
286
00:17:56,747 --> 00:18:00,051
A crash within the Spanish fleet
allowed Francis Drake
287
00:18:00,076 --> 00:18:03,162
to capture one of the
damaged ships, the Rosario.
288
00:18:05,026 --> 00:18:06,801
But this disease-ridden,
289
00:18:06,826 --> 00:18:09,892
accident-prone Armada
would soon be spun
290
00:18:09,917 --> 00:18:13,332
into the Goliath of history.
291
00:18:13,357 --> 00:18:16,131
Because the fighting
was all happening out at sea,
292
00:18:16,156 --> 00:18:18,292
communication was a real problem,
293
00:18:18,317 --> 00:18:22,051
and this led to rumour
and speculation,
294
00:18:22,076 --> 00:18:24,931
and sometimes even outright lies.
295
00:18:24,956 --> 00:18:28,722
The capture of the Rosario
gave the popular press
296
00:18:28,747 --> 00:18:31,051
the most wonderful story to exploit.
297
00:18:32,956 --> 00:18:35,442
ENERGETIC SINGING OF VICTORY BALLAD
298
00:18:37,387 --> 00:18:40,251
The English were fearful
of invasion,
299
00:18:40,276 --> 00:18:41,572
and news of the campaign
300
00:18:41,597 --> 00:18:44,612
was spread through the streets
by popular ballads.
301
00:18:44,637 --> 00:18:47,001
MUSIC: AjOYFUL NEW BALLAD
by Thomas Deloney
302
00:19:03,817 --> 00:19:06,821
Political songs were big
sellers in this period.
303
00:19:06,846 --> 00:19:09,872
These Armada ballads are
sort of political news
304
00:19:09,897 --> 00:19:11,592
and political commentary, as well.
305
00:19:11,617 --> 00:19:16,352
In this case, the words
are by a man called Thomas Deloney,
306
00:19:16,377 --> 00:19:20,872
who was probably the greatest
songwriter of his age.
307
00:19:20,897 --> 00:19:23,592
He's like, you know, Elton john,
Lennon and McCartney,
308
00:19:23,617 --> 00:19:27,872
he knew how to kind of
lay down a hit like nobody else.
309
00:19:27,897 --> 00:19:31,872
Within a few clays of the capture
of the Rosario,
310
00:19:31,897 --> 00:19:35,151
Thomas Deloney
had written a ballad about it.
311
00:19:49,046 --> 00:19:51,432
It seems like
it's about current affairs,
312
00:19:51,457 --> 00:19:54,232
but if you actually
look at the words,
313
00:19:54,257 --> 00:19:55,951
this is fake news, isn't it?
314
00:19:55,976 --> 00:19:57,542
It's not just news. It's fake news.
315
00:19:57,567 --> 00:20:02,182
Yes, definitely, but it is based on
these actual events that happened,
316
00:20:02,207 --> 00:20:04,912
which are then sort of blown up,
blown out of proportion.
317
00:20:04,937 --> 00:20:08,712
The emphasis is very much
on the might of the Spanish.
318
00:20:08,737 --> 00:20:13,271
The idea that, you know, that,
actually, there's this huge force
319
00:20:13,296 --> 00:20:16,592
with massive ships, you know,
massively armed,
320
00:20:16,617 --> 00:20:19,592
and plucky little
England somehow survived.
321
00:20:19,617 --> 00:20:22,712
And what you don't get is the fact
that the Rosario
322
00:20:22,737 --> 00:20:26,662
basically took itself, in a way.
It bumped into another Spanish ship,
323
00:20:26,687 --> 00:20:28,742
so it was a Spanish own goal.
324
00:20:28,767 --> 00:20:30,512
But in the ballad,
325
00:20:30,537 --> 00:20:33,071
it's more about, you know,
a mighty kind of mismatch
326
00:20:33,096 --> 00:20:35,592
between a huge Catholic empire
327
00:20:35,617 --> 00:20:38,512
and a tiny, little Protestant
nation.
328
00:20:51,537 --> 00:20:53,792
There's something
about the language of it.
329
00:20:53,817 --> 00:20:57,232
We've got virgins being deflowered
and babies being smited.
330
00:20:57,257 --> 00:20:59,352
That's very sort of tabloid,
isn't it?
331
00:20:59,377 --> 00:21:03,712
Definitely. I mean, it is
whipping up a frenzy
332
00:21:03,737 --> 00:21:07,312
against, you know,
a dangerous foreign force.
333
00:21:08,767 --> 00:21:11,071
You know, you'd think people
would see through it,
334
00:21:11,096 --> 00:21:13,592
but I think there's always
that sense that people believe
335
00:21:13,617 --> 00:21:15,271
what they want to believe.
336
00:21:15,296 --> 00:21:17,662
It's amazing that there's
nothing official about this.
337
00:21:17,687 --> 00:21:20,432
This isn't the government.
It's the marketplace.
338
00:21:20,457 --> 00:21:22,792
And yet, it is propaganda
for the Tudor regime.
339
00:21:22,817 --> 00:21:25,662
It is. Yeah. It does seem to be
commercially driven.
340
00:21:25,687 --> 00:21:28,512
It does seem to be giving the
English public what they want.
341
00:21:28,537 --> 00:21:30,662
It's a time of national panic.
342
00:21:30,687 --> 00:21:32,662
So to be told constantly,
343
00:21:32,687 --> 00:21:34,102
God is on your side,
344
00:21:34,127 --> 00:21:36,312
that you've had this
miraculous escape
345
00:21:36,337 --> 00:21:39,821
which just proves that whatever
happens to you, you'll be OK,
346
00:21:39,846 --> 00:21:43,712
is kind of reassuring,
at that point in time.
347
00:21:43,737 --> 00:21:47,432
I think he created a story
that resonated in 1588,
348
00:21:47,457 --> 00:21:52,352
and it has resonated whenever
England is in danger from Europe.
349
00:21:52,377 --> 00:21:54,542
And doesn't it still resonate today?
It does!
350
00:21:54,567 --> 00:21:57,742
It does still resonate today. Yes.
Yes, indeed.
351
00:22:09,054 --> 00:22:12,909
The Spanish Armada was followed
up the Channel for eight days.
352
00:22:16,804 --> 00:22:18,470
But as they reached Calais
353
00:22:18,495 --> 00:22:21,550
there was still no sign
of the invasion troops.
354
00:22:23,495 --> 00:22:26,270
Now they had to wait,
exposed to attack.
355
00:22:36,615 --> 00:22:41,420
It's at this point in the story
that Elizabeth's big moment comes,
356
00:22:41,445 --> 00:22:44,830
and normally she's dressed
to impress for it,
357
00:22:44,855 --> 00:22:47,909
perhaps in a white velvet gown,
358
00:22:47,934 --> 00:22:51,140
maybe with feathers in her hair,
or even wearing armour.
359
00:22:52,855 --> 00:22:55,950
The queen visits her army,
here at Tilbury, on the banks
360
00:22:55,975 --> 00:22:58,190
of the Thames,
where they're assembled
361
00:22:58,215 --> 00:23:00,500
to protect Essex from invasion.
362
00:23:02,695 --> 00:23:06,979
She delivers a rousing speech
to the troops.
363
00:23:07,004 --> 00:23:09,140
She says that she, herself,
364
00:23:09,165 --> 00:23:12,270
is here in the midst and heat
365
00:23:12,295 --> 00:23:16,159
of battle to live and die
amongst you all.
366
00:23:19,335 --> 00:23:25,340
"L know I have the body
but of a weak and feeble woman,
367
00:23:25,365 --> 00:23:29,109
"but I have the heart
and stomach of a king,
368
00:23:29,134 --> 00:23:32,060
"and of a king of England, too.
369
00:23:32,085 --> 00:23:35,750
"L, myself, will take up arms.
370
00:23:35,775 --> 00:23:39,620
"L, myself, will be your general,
371
00:23:39,645 --> 00:23:45,109
"judge and rewarder of every one
of your virtues in the field."
372
00:23:52,775 --> 00:23:54,979
In the traditional version
of the story,
373
00:23:55,004 --> 00:23:57,700
the queen's speech
launches the attack.
374
00:23:59,445 --> 00:24:02,750
The English set fire to eight
of their own ships
375
00:24:02,775 --> 00:24:07,270
and sent them off
into the midst of the Armada.
376
00:24:07,295 --> 00:24:12,520
In a panic, Spanish ships cut anchor
and were scattered.
377
00:24:12,545 --> 00:24:14,979
Three collided and one ran aground.
378
00:24:18,134 --> 00:24:22,270
In the battle that followed, four
Spanish ships were lost.
379
00:24:23,365 --> 00:24:26,779
Then strong winds drove
the Armada to the north.
380
00:24:28,645 --> 00:24:31,470
Cutting their losses,
the Spanish headed home
381
00:24:31,495 --> 00:24:33,140
via Scotland and Ireland.
382
00:24:35,445 --> 00:24:40,060
It seems like Elizabeth's rallying
cry worked, it did the trick.
383
00:24:40,085 --> 00:24:44,029
But, in fact, the story of her
most famous speech
384
00:24:44,054 --> 00:24:45,620
is riddled with holes,
385
00:24:45,645 --> 00:24:48,909
and the biggest fib of all
lies in the timing.
386
00:24:52,134 --> 00:24:55,060
When Elizabeth began planning
her Tilbury visit,
387
00:24:55,085 --> 00:24:56,979
invasion did seem imminent.
388
00:25:00,254 --> 00:25:05,029
But by the time she actually made
the speech, the battle was over.
389
00:25:06,855 --> 00:25:09,310
This extravaganza
at Tilbury happened
390
00:25:09,335 --> 00:25:12,140
a whole 11 clays after the fire ships
391
00:25:12,165 --> 00:25:14,670
and by this point,
the Spanish Armada,
392
00:25:14,695 --> 00:25:16,029
well, it had floated off.
393
00:25:16,054 --> 00:25:18,700
It was somewhere off the coast
of Scotland.
394
00:25:18,725 --> 00:25:22,190
Not only were the men not
going to get to do any fighting,
395
00:25:22,215 --> 00:25:25,190
very soon, they were going
to get sent home,
396
00:25:25,215 --> 00:25:27,909
and that was because the queen
couldn't afford
397
00:25:27,934 --> 00:25:29,870
to go on paying their wages.
398
00:25:32,775 --> 00:25:34,950
But that didn't fit with the image
of Elizabeth
399
00:25:34,975 --> 00:25:38,830
that was already emerging,
even as the Armada sailed home.
400
00:25:40,615 --> 00:25:42,779
A poet called James Aske,
401
00:25:42,804 --> 00:25:45,270
who claimed to have been
at Tilbury,
402
00:25:45,295 --> 00:25:48,750
wrote an epic verse called
Elizabeth Triumphans,
403
00:25:48,775 --> 00:25:50,190
in November 1588.
404
00:25:53,975 --> 00:25:58,229
It mythologised Elizabeth
as a warrior queen, and it placed
405
00:25:58,254 --> 00:26:01,500
Tilbury before the battle
for dramatic effect.
406
00:26:03,254 --> 00:26:06,620
But Aske doesn't mention the most
famous line in her speech.
407
00:26:08,365 --> 00:26:11,140
The reference to the heart
and stomach of a king
408
00:26:11,165 --> 00:26:14,520
doesn't appear
until 35 years after the event.
409
00:26:17,295 --> 00:26:20,190
It was first introduced
by a Protestant chaplain
410
00:26:20,215 --> 00:26:21,909
who'd also been at Tilbury,
411
00:26:21,934 --> 00:26:25,700
and who was keen to glorify
the now-long-dead Elizabeth.
412
00:26:29,004 --> 00:26:33,140
Historians still argue over
the speech's authenticity.
413
00:26:36,895 --> 00:26:40,550
But, accurate or not,
the queen's speech at Tilbury
414
00:26:40,575 --> 00:26:43,590
is now part of our history,
and it continues
415
00:26:43,615 --> 00:26:45,700
to inspire in the 21st century.
416
00:26:57,855 --> 00:27:00,420
During the 2019 Women's World Cup,
417
00:27:00,445 --> 00:27:02,979
an advert featured English
celebrities
418
00:27:03,004 --> 00:27:04,779
performing the speech.
419
00:27:25,934 --> 00:27:30,950
As the Armada made its long journey
back to Spain, at least 22 ships
420
00:27:30,975 --> 00:27:34,620
were sunk in storms off the coast
of Scotland and Ireland.
421
00:27:36,575 --> 00:27:38,779
It wasn't the queen or her navy
422
00:27:38,804 --> 00:27:42,550
who had dealt the decisive blow
to the Spanish Armada,
423
00:27:42,575 --> 00:27:44,830
it was the weather,
424
00:27:44,855 --> 00:27:47,909
but that suited the Elizabethan
narrative very well.
425
00:27:49,595 --> 00:27:51,080
If anyone still doubted
426
00:27:51,105 --> 00:27:53,830
that the future of
England was Protestant,
427
00:27:53,855 --> 00:27:57,979
this victory would be used
to put them right.
428
00:27:58,004 --> 00:28:01,779
The storms which had scattered
the Armada were God's storms,
429
00:28:01,804 --> 00:28:05,229
which meant that God had clearly
picked the Protestant side,
430
00:28:05,254 --> 00:28:07,029
and all over Europe
431
00:28:07,054 --> 00:28:11,390
Protestants were determined
to make a big deal about this.
432
00:28:11,415 --> 00:28:15,470
Even Elizabeth herself wrote a
verse praising the God who'd made
433
00:28:15,495 --> 00:28:20,340
the winds and waters rise
to scatter all of her enemies.
434
00:28:20,365 --> 00:28:25,830
In the Netherlands celebratory
medals were struck, like this one.
435
00:28:25,855 --> 00:28:28,029
It says on it, "He blew."
436
00:28:28,054 --> 00:28:30,060
That's God blew.
437
00:28:30,085 --> 00:28:32,590
And they were "Dissipati".
438
00:28:32,615 --> 00:28:35,190
They were dissipated,
they were scattered.
439
00:28:35,215 --> 00:28:39,310
England was a unified, victorious
Protestant nation.
440
00:28:43,445 --> 00:28:47,570
After the Armada, the Protestant
propaganda war continued.
441
00:28:51,415 --> 00:28:54,140
A letter from a Catholic priest
in England
442
00:28:54,165 --> 00:28:57,909
to the Spanish ambassador in Paris
was published across Europe.
443
00:29:00,335 --> 00:29:03,340
The person who wrote the letter
found it highly regrettable
444
00:29:03,365 --> 00:29:07,229
that Spain had tried to invade
England, and he claims that even
445
00:29:07,254 --> 00:29:09,870
English Catholics had thought
that this was a bad idea,
446
00:29:09,895 --> 00:29:12,340
a mistake in the eyes of the Lord.
447
00:29:12,365 --> 00:29:14,340
He even claims
that these English Catholics
448
00:29:14,365 --> 00:29:18,310
are more loyal to their queen
than they are to the Pope.
449
00:29:18,335 --> 00:29:22,750
The word he uses is "addicted".
He says they are addicted to her.
450
00:29:22,775 --> 00:29:25,830
And some translations finish
like this -
451
00:29:25,855 --> 00:29:29,700
"Here ends the story of the
misfortunes of the Spanish Armada,
452
00:29:29,725 --> 00:29:32,779
"which they used to call
invincible."
453
00:29:32,804 --> 00:29:35,340
"lNVINCIBLE". Ha-ha-ha!
454
00:29:35,365 --> 00:29:37,060
It's even written
in capital letters
455
00:29:37,085 --> 00:29:39,590
just to heighten
that delicious irony.
456
00:29:41,895 --> 00:29:45,950
The description of the Armada
as "invincible" still appears
457
00:29:45,975 --> 00:29:48,420
in history books today,
458
00:29:48,445 --> 00:29:50,750
but it was never used by the Spanish
459
00:29:50,775 --> 00:29:53,830
to describe their Armada,
and it gets worse.
460
00:29:55,335 --> 00:29:57,779
The letter was a fake.
461
00:29:57,804 --> 00:29:59,390
It was a forgery.
462
00:29:59,415 --> 00:30:02,779
It was made up by the Machiavellian
William Cecil,
463
00:30:02,804 --> 00:30:04,620
Elizabeth's close adviser.
464
00:30:04,645 --> 00:30:08,890
There are even drafts of it
in his own handwriting.
465
00:30:08,915 --> 00:30:11,610
But this was a brilliantly
successful bit of fake news.
466
00:30:11,635 --> 00:30:15,210
People believed it and they thought,
well, if even the English Catholics
467
00:30:15,235 --> 00:30:18,799
are keen on the queen
then she must now truly rule
468
00:30:18,824 --> 00:30:20,440
over a unified nation.
469
00:30:27,105 --> 00:30:29,640
In November 1588,
470
00:30:29,665 --> 00:30:33,440
Queen Elizabeth I held
a procession through London.
471
00:30:35,995 --> 00:30:38,970
This was her victory parade.
472
00:30:40,795 --> 00:30:44,440
The queen made her way through
the city to St Paul's,
473
00:30:44,465 --> 00:30:45,770
to give thanks.
474
00:30:45,795 --> 00:30:48,690
God and his chosen special monarch
475
00:30:48,715 --> 00:30:51,049
together had saved the day.
476
00:30:51,074 --> 00:30:55,890
THEY were the hero and the heroine
at the heart of this narrative.
477
00:30:55,915 --> 00:30:59,879
But in reality, though, things
weren't quite so heroic.
478
00:31:02,515 --> 00:31:05,850
Elizabeth's promise at Tilbury
to reward her soldiers
479
00:31:05,875 --> 00:31:07,999
proved to be empty rhetoric.
480
00:31:10,385 --> 00:31:13,929
The war had drained
Elizabeth's coffers.
481
00:31:13,954 --> 00:31:16,999
The sailors who fought for England
were hit by disease,
482
00:31:17,024 --> 00:31:19,929
and were still fighting
for their wages.
483
00:31:22,555 --> 00:31:24,640
The Crown threatened prison
484
00:31:24,665 --> 00:31:28,520
for those slanderously suggesting
that they hadn't been paid.
485
00:31:31,665 --> 00:31:35,360
William Cecil now rubbed
salt into the wound.
486
00:31:35,385 --> 00:31:38,330
He said, "Well, if the soldiers die
of illness,
487
00:31:38,355 --> 00:31:42,129
"then at least the Crown
won't have to pay them!"
488
00:31:42,154 --> 00:31:44,129
By the end of 1588,
489
00:31:44,154 --> 00:31:47,570
more than half of the men
who'd fought in the Armada campaign
490
00:31:47,595 --> 00:31:50,570
were dead, and they were killed
not by the Spanish,
491
00:31:50,595 --> 00:31:52,970
but by disease and starvation.
492
00:32:03,274 --> 00:32:06,249
The reality of post-Armada England
493
00:32:06,274 --> 00:32:10,570
was economic crisis
and an increasingly unpopular queen.
494
00:32:12,545 --> 00:32:16,129
But history was soon to forget
all of this, thanks to the courtiers
495
00:32:16,154 --> 00:32:19,210
who commissioned a painting
which celebrated the queen
496
00:32:19,235 --> 00:32:20,970
and her Armada victory.
497
00:32:24,355 --> 00:32:29,530
This portrait is absolutely
overflowing with symbolism
498
00:32:29,555 --> 00:32:31,360
and, indeed, the pearls are probably
499
00:32:31,385 --> 00:32:34,520
the most prominent symbol
in this picture.
500
00:32:34,545 --> 00:32:37,570
It seems to be this sort
of endless abundance of them.
501
00:32:37,595 --> 00:32:42,210
Pearls at this period symbolised
purity and chastity.
502
00:32:42,235 --> 00:32:46,080
And, of course, Elizabeth
at this point, in 1588,
503
00:32:46,105 --> 00:32:47,799
she's in her mid-50s,
504
00:32:47,824 --> 00:32:50,080
she's no longer
of child-bearing age,
505
00:32:50,105 --> 00:32:54,640
and we see this cult of the Virgin
Queen being introduced.
506
00:32:54,665 --> 00:32:58,440
So we have, for example,
this fabulous pearl positioned
507
00:32:58,465 --> 00:33:00,770
exactly where, in a portrait
of Henry VIII,
508
00:33:00,795 --> 00:33:03,929
you'd have an enormous codpiece,
for example.
509
00:33:03,954 --> 00:33:07,490
This is Elizabeth really playing
on this idea
510
00:33:07,515 --> 00:33:11,210
of her virginity,
and, of course, this is a mirror
511
00:33:11,235 --> 00:33:14,160
of the idea of
the impenetrability of England.
512
00:33:15,795 --> 00:33:19,080
A virgin queen who'd failed
to produce an heir
513
00:33:19,105 --> 00:33:20,720
was highly problematic.
514
00:33:22,274 --> 00:33:24,530
But in the story of the Armada,
515
00:33:24,555 --> 00:33:27,850
Elizabeth's virginity
becomes a superpower.
516
00:33:29,074 --> 00:33:33,179
This puts her front and centre
of the events unfolding,
517
00:33:33,204 --> 00:33:34,970
and it positions her really
518
00:33:34,995 --> 00:33:38,610
as the sort of grand choreographer
of what's going on.
519
00:33:38,635 --> 00:33:43,410
And she is, if you like, the source
of light in this picture,
520
00:33:43,435 --> 00:33:47,610
and she is casting her light
onto this scene,
521
00:33:47,635 --> 00:33:50,640
in the left of the picture
of the English fleet,
522
00:33:50,665 --> 00:33:54,330
and turning her back,
of course, on the Spanish fleet,
523
00:33:54,355 --> 00:33:56,570
which is wrecked in this storm.
524
00:33:56,595 --> 00:34:00,280
She's taking the credit for it
all, really? Absolutely.
525
00:34:00,305 --> 00:34:03,490
Yeah. Good for her.
Ha-ha. She owns it.
526
00:34:03,515 --> 00:34:05,850
And what has she got
under her hands there?
527
00:34:05,875 --> 00:34:08,999
This hand is hovering over a globe,
528
00:34:09,024 --> 00:34:11,410
and you can just about make out
her fingers
529
00:34:11,435 --> 00:34:15,410
are almost caressing, if you like,
an image of the Americas.
530
00:34:15,435 --> 00:34:18,770
This is a not-so-subtle
reference to her
531
00:34:18,795 --> 00:34:22,249
and to England's ambitions
for empire.
532
00:34:22,274 --> 00:34:25,799
But indeed, when she died,
there was no empire to be spoken of
533
00:34:25,824 --> 00:34:28,929
beyond the British Isles.
534
00:34:28,954 --> 00:34:31,049
This is really an
image of aspiration
535
00:34:31,074 --> 00:34:33,640
and not of reality.
536
00:34:33,665 --> 00:34:35,850
The British Empire starts here...
537
00:34:35,875 --> 00:34:38,970
Indeed. ..in the grasp of those
white fingers. Yeah.
538
00:34:38,995 --> 00:34:42,999
This is the, sort of, the creation
myth, if you like.
539
00:34:43,024 --> 00:34:45,520
This idea of Britain
as an island nation
540
00:34:45,545 --> 00:34:47,490
that is looking globally,
541
00:34:47,515 --> 00:34:50,129
with its ambitions,
across the Atlantic.
542
00:34:50,154 --> 00:34:55,640
This is just an amazingly powerful
propaganda message, isn't it?
543
00:34:55,665 --> 00:34:58,280
And wouldn't you say it's really
worked terrifically well?
544
00:34:58,305 --> 00:35:00,530
It is the victors who
write history, of course,
545
00:35:00,555 --> 00:35:03,440
so this is a classic case of that.
546
00:35:03,465 --> 00:35:06,080
And the painters who paint
history, as well. Indeed.
547
00:35:06,105 --> 00:35:08,490
They did a very good job
in selling her version.
548
00:35:09,795 --> 00:35:13,210
The Armada portrait has become
the lasting symbol
549
00:35:13,235 --> 00:35:15,330
of Elizabeth's triumph,
550
00:35:15,355 --> 00:35:19,330
forever connecting
the queen with victory and empire.
551
00:35:20,745 --> 00:35:23,890
But the reality was that Spain's
empire and navy
552
00:35:23,915 --> 00:35:27,280
continued to dominate the world
for another half century.
553
00:35:36,185 --> 00:35:37,850
In 1603,
554
00:35:37,875 --> 00:35:42,080
the Tudor dynasty came
to an end with Elizabeth's death.
555
00:35:42,105 --> 00:35:45,540
The crowns of England
and Scotland were united
556
00:35:45,565 --> 00:35:49,740
as James VI of Scotland
became James I of England.
557
00:35:51,125 --> 00:35:54,069
England remained
a Protestant country,
558
00:35:54,094 --> 00:35:58,380
but a Catholic resistance
was still at work
559
00:35:58,405 --> 00:36:01,069
and Elizabethan propaganda
still came in useful.
560
00:36:03,655 --> 00:36:06,019
In this small church in Norfolk
561
00:36:06,044 --> 00:36:09,740
is a pair of paintings created
in the 17th century,
562
00:36:09,765 --> 00:36:12,630
during the reign of King James I.
563
00:36:14,685 --> 00:36:17,790
So, Natalie, what's happening
in these amazing pictures?
564
00:36:17,815 --> 00:36:22,230
So, on this side, we have a
depiction of the Spanish Armada
565
00:36:22,255 --> 00:36:26,460
and particularly Elizabeth
visiting the troops at Tilbury,
566
00:36:26,485 --> 00:36:30,590
with a depiction of the fire
ships in the background.
567
00:36:30,615 --> 00:36:32,269
The fire ships are fantastic.
568
00:36:32,294 --> 00:36:37,350
So this painting depicts
the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
569
00:36:37,375 --> 00:36:40,710
It was a Catholic plot to blow
up James,
570
00:36:40,735 --> 00:36:44,100
his heir, Prince Henry,
and the whole of Parliament.
571
00:36:44,125 --> 00:36:47,819
So this is the opening of Parliament
and below that,
572
00:36:47,844 --> 00:36:49,819
and it is unfortunately very dark...
573
00:36:49,844 --> 00:36:51,100
It's quite exciting!
574
00:36:51,125 --> 00:36:53,870
...you can just see the cellars
575
00:36:53,895 --> 00:36:58,180
and here, you can see
the conspirators being discovered.
576
00:36:58,205 --> 00:37:00,819
And we actually see right
at the far corner, a devil,
577
00:37:00,844 --> 00:37:04,510
just to make sure you know
who's on the wrong side.
578
00:37:04,535 --> 00:37:06,990
I didn't know that the Devil
himself took part in the plot,
579
00:37:07,015 --> 00:37:08,870
but I guess it all makes sense.
580
00:37:08,895 --> 00:37:10,630
So the two paintings we've got,
581
00:37:10,655 --> 00:37:13,910
defeating the Armada,
defeating the Gunpowder Plot,
582
00:37:13,935 --> 00:37:15,910
some parallel is being drawn here.
583
00:37:15,935 --> 00:37:17,840
What was the purpose
of putting them up
584
00:37:17,865 --> 00:37:19,380
in this church, do you think?
585
00:37:19,405 --> 00:37:22,630
So, these are two key moments
in English Protestant history.
586
00:37:22,655 --> 00:37:27,790
On both occasions, God
intervenes in England's favour.
587
00:37:27,815 --> 00:37:31,819
So these paintings are using
these kind of iconic moments
588
00:37:31,844 --> 00:37:35,790
of Protestant history to give
a message to the parishioners
589
00:37:35,815 --> 00:37:39,180
who would have seen them on
a sort of daily basis,
590
00:37:39,205 --> 00:37:42,269
about how to act and how to behave.
591
00:37:42,294 --> 00:37:45,790
A message for parishioners
can be found in another version
592
00:37:45,815 --> 00:37:50,540
of the Tilbury speech at
the bottom of the painting.
593
00:37:50,565 --> 00:37:53,430
It doesn't have all those famous
phrases about,
594
00:37:53,455 --> 00:37:55,510
"l may have the body of a weak
and feeble woman,
595
00:37:55,535 --> 00:37:57,910
"but I have the heart and stomach
of a king."
596
00:37:57,935 --> 00:38:04,550
Instead, it emphasises that though
we may be in danger from Spain
597
00:38:04,575 --> 00:38:07,790
and from Catholicism, we've got
God on our side. Yes.
598
00:38:07,815 --> 00:38:12,100
And the real danger will
be if we forfeit God's favour
599
00:38:12,125 --> 00:38:14,660
by being sinful and ungodly.
600
00:38:14,685 --> 00:38:19,069
So it's a message actually
about being more pious
601
00:38:19,094 --> 00:38:22,990
and using the Armada as a symbol
of God's providence
602
00:38:23,015 --> 00:38:27,790
and favour to England
and the English church.
603
00:38:27,815 --> 00:38:32,910
But these paintings may also contain
a subtle message for the king.
604
00:38:32,935 --> 00:38:37,380
Why in james's reign were people
glorifying Elizabeth
605
00:38:37,405 --> 00:38:40,510
and the defeat
of the Armada like this?
606
00:38:40,535 --> 00:38:43,269
Well, some people
had their suspicions about James,
607
00:38:43,294 --> 00:38:45,949
that he was too sympathetic
to Catholics,
608
00:38:45,974 --> 00:38:47,949
both in England and abroad.
609
00:38:48,974 --> 00:38:51,870
He sees his role in Europe
as a peacemaker.
610
00:38:51,895 --> 00:38:55,790
He does negotiate a peace with Spain
at the beginning of his reign.
611
00:38:55,815 --> 00:39:00,300
And then, most famously,
he negotiates a marriage
612
00:39:00,325 --> 00:39:04,590
between his son, Prince Charles,
who is heir by that time,
613
00:39:04,615 --> 00:39:06,740
to marry the Spanish lnfanta
614
00:39:06,765 --> 00:39:08,710
and that occurs in 1623-4.
615
00:39:09,735 --> 00:39:12,590
Now, certainly at that time,
616
00:39:12,615 --> 00:39:15,069
the imagery of the Armada
617
00:39:15,094 --> 00:39:18,790
and Elizabeth very much
comes to the fore
618
00:39:18,815 --> 00:39:20,949
because Elizabeth is seen
619
00:39:20,974 --> 00:39:25,550
as a champion against Spanish
and Catholic aggression,
620
00:39:25,575 --> 00:39:29,990
and so her image is used,
particularly by critics
621
00:39:30,015 --> 00:39:35,069
of the Spanish match, as a sort
of a warning to James.
622
00:39:35,094 --> 00:39:38,870
No, you shouldn't be effecting
this marriage to Spain.
623
00:39:38,895 --> 00:39:41,069
Look what they've done to us
in the past.
624
00:39:41,094 --> 00:39:45,380
You should be acting more
like Elizabeth and standing up
625
00:39:45,405 --> 00:39:48,019
against Spain and Catholicism.
626
00:39:48,044 --> 00:39:52,019
So, at that point in 17th-century
history, when James was flirting
627
00:39:52,044 --> 00:39:55,590
with the Spanish, it made sense
for people to start talking
628
00:39:55,615 --> 00:39:58,350
about how great Elizabeth
was at beating the Spanish.
629
00:39:58,375 --> 00:40:01,660
Exactly. You can never criticise
a king openly.
630
00:40:01,685 --> 00:40:04,300
So, what you could do is you
631
00:40:04,325 --> 00:40:07,510
give an example of someone else,
632
00:40:07,535 --> 00:40:10,230
and that's the model
that you should be following.
633
00:40:13,205 --> 00:40:16,910
The heroic queen strand
of the Armada tale
634
00:40:16,935 --> 00:40:20,430
continued to dominate
in the 17th century,
635
00:40:20,455 --> 00:40:23,949
but an alternative narrative
was fighting to get out.
636
00:40:26,735 --> 00:40:31,790
With all this talk about a
Protestant wind and a royal victory,
637
00:40:31,815 --> 00:40:34,790
the contribution
that the Navy made to the defeat
638
00:40:34,815 --> 00:40:37,460
of the Spanish Armada seemed
to be taking second place.
639
00:40:37,485 --> 00:40:41,019
But the commander of the fleet,
Lord Howard of Effingham,
640
00:40:41,044 --> 00:40:43,790
he saw things differently.
641
00:40:43,815 --> 00:40:48,790
In 1592, Lord Howard commissioned
one of Europe's greatest weavers
642
00:40:48,815 --> 00:40:51,990
to create ten tapestries
for his London home.
643
00:40:54,655 --> 00:40:56,949
Based on his own account
of the campaign,
644
00:40:56,974 --> 00:40:59,199
they cost over £1,500,
645
00:40:59,224 --> 00:41:02,510
the equivalent of
87 years' wages
646
00:41:02,535 --> 00:41:05,019
for the average English
worker at the time.
647
00:41:07,455 --> 00:41:11,660
These tapestries told the naval
story of the Armada
648
00:41:11,685 --> 00:41:14,180
on a gigantic scale.
649
00:41:14,205 --> 00:41:16,100
They were 4m tall.
650
00:41:16,125 --> 00:41:18,380
Some of them were 9m wide.
651
00:41:18,405 --> 00:41:22,069
They must have looked absolutely
massive in Howard's house,
652
00:41:22,094 --> 00:41:26,300
but they were going to make an even
bigger impact than that.
653
00:41:26,325 --> 00:41:30,819
In 1616, Howard sold his
tapestries to King James.
654
00:41:34,294 --> 00:41:37,660
And they were hung at the heart
of political power,
655
00:41:37,685 --> 00:41:39,790
in the House of Lords.
656
00:41:46,815 --> 00:41:49,660
By the late 18th century, the
tapestries had become
657
00:41:49,685 --> 00:41:52,630
an integral part of Westminster.
658
00:41:52,655 --> 00:41:56,660
Not only were they a reminder
of the great historical event,
659
00:41:56,685 --> 00:42:00,910
they were also being used
as propaganda in their own right.
660
00:42:02,565 --> 00:42:07,870
In 1798, Britain was threatened
by another European invasion,
661
00:42:07,895 --> 00:42:10,590
this time from Napoleonic France.
662
00:42:11,615 --> 00:42:13,819
To inspire patriotism,
663
00:42:13,844 --> 00:42:18,069
satirist James Gillray created
a series of cartoons called
664
00:42:18,094 --> 00:42:21,269
Consequences Of A Successful
French Invasion.
665
00:42:23,044 --> 00:42:26,660
Gillray shows French revolutionaries
who've invaded England
666
00:42:26,685 --> 00:42:29,939
tearing down the Armada tapestries.
667
00:42:29,964 --> 00:42:32,269
This one is hacking at them
with his sword.
668
00:42:32,294 --> 00:42:34,710
This one is setting fire to them,
669
00:42:34,735 --> 00:42:38,590
and here are the familiar
words about the defeat
670
00:42:38,615 --> 00:42:42,460
of the Spanish invincible Armada.
671
00:42:42,485 --> 00:42:46,149
England's great triumph
over a European enemy
672
00:42:46,174 --> 00:42:49,100
is really what's being torn
down here,
673
00:42:49,125 --> 00:42:52,230
and with it one of the founding
mythologies
674
00:42:52,255 --> 00:42:54,300
of England's national story.
675
00:42:57,535 --> 00:43:01,300
In 1834, Gillray's vision
of burning tapestries
676
00:43:01,325 --> 00:43:03,300
became a reality.
677
00:43:04,535 --> 00:43:07,019
A fire swept through Westminster
678
00:43:07,044 --> 00:43:09,430
and they were destroyed,
679
00:43:09,455 --> 00:43:12,380
but a plan soon emerged to recreate
680
00:43:12,405 --> 00:43:15,149
the tapestries as paintings
for the new
681
00:43:15,174 --> 00:43:17,590
Victorian Palace of Westminster.
682
00:43:20,844 --> 00:43:23,819
Whose artistic vision
do we see here in this
683
00:43:23,844 --> 00:43:26,710
really rich,
gold-encrusted interior?
684
00:43:26,735 --> 00:43:29,660
Well, the Fine Arts Commission
were tasked with decorating
685
00:43:29,685 --> 00:43:31,870
the entire palace,
but it was Prince Albert
686
00:43:31,895 --> 00:43:33,460
as the chair of the commission
687
00:43:33,485 --> 00:43:37,740
who really drove the direction of
the artistic works that we see here.
688
00:43:37,765 --> 00:43:40,590
This room was selected
to be a Tudor room.
689
00:43:40,615 --> 00:43:42,870
So the scenes that you see
around the room
690
00:43:42,895 --> 00:43:45,380
are various scenes
from Tudor history.
691
00:43:45,405 --> 00:43:48,990
These are then topped with
a series of Tudor portraits.
692
00:43:49,015 --> 00:43:53,380
And then all of this is topped
off with the views of the Armada.
693
00:43:53,405 --> 00:43:56,870
And at the centre of the entire
room we have this enormous statue
694
00:43:56,895 --> 00:43:59,230
of Queen Victoria herself,
by Gibson.
695
00:43:59,255 --> 00:44:02,590
It's pretty Tudor-tastic
in here. It certainly is!
696
00:44:02,615 --> 00:44:04,939
I think it's very telling because
there's been a lot
697
00:44:04,964 --> 00:44:07,630
of British history that was
available to them to revive,
698
00:44:07,655 --> 00:44:09,790
but no, they went for the Tudor age.
699
00:44:09,815 --> 00:44:12,870
That seemed like the most potent,
the most exciting age for them
700
00:44:12,895 --> 00:44:14,550
to associate themselves with.
701
00:44:14,575 --> 00:44:17,269
Well, the Armada's seen
as the most important
702
00:44:17,294 --> 00:44:19,990
British naval victory in history,
703
00:44:20,015 --> 00:44:22,350
and so, by highlighting
a link to that,
704
00:44:22,375 --> 00:44:25,269
showing the enormous naval
power of Britain
705
00:44:25,294 --> 00:44:26,819
in the Victorian age.
706
00:44:26,844 --> 00:44:29,630
She thought, "l'd like a little
bit of that glory to rub off on me."
707
00:44:29,655 --> 00:44:33,069
Absolutely. I mean, having
Victoria's enormous statue
708
00:44:33,094 --> 00:44:35,870
in this space is drawing
a very clear line
709
00:44:35,895 --> 00:44:40,289
between Victoria herself and all of
her Tudor forebears.
710
00:44:40,314 --> 00:44:44,209
This is about showing the continuous
link between a sort of golden age
711
00:44:44,234 --> 00:44:46,570
of British monarchy, of Elizabeth I
712
00:44:46,595 --> 00:44:51,169
and the relatively, at this point
relatively new Queen Victoria.
713
00:44:54,635 --> 00:44:58,250
For the Victorians, the Armada
signalled the start
714
00:44:58,275 --> 00:44:59,810
of the British Empire.
715
00:45:01,145 --> 00:45:05,010
In the 19th century,
Britannia ruled the waves
716
00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:07,930
and heroic tales about the Armada
717
00:45:07,955 --> 00:45:11,650
seemed to offer a connection
to England's past.
718
00:45:11,675 --> 00:45:15,890
The story of British sea power began
with Drake's game of bowls
719
00:45:15,915 --> 00:45:18,730
and led to this massive empire.
720
00:45:21,395 --> 00:45:24,169
The Victorians pushed
the naval triumph back
721
00:45:24,194 --> 00:45:27,320
into the national consciousness.
722
00:45:27,345 --> 00:45:30,810
Monuments and art celebrated
Sir Francis Drake...
723
00:45:33,725 --> 00:45:38,139
...and Elizabethan sea dogs became
the heroes of popular fiction.
724
00:45:40,005 --> 00:45:41,700
As the empire flourished,
725
00:45:41,725 --> 00:45:46,620
the Armada victory became a tale
of British naval power and courage.
726
00:45:49,365 --> 00:45:52,090
And THAT version of
the story survived
727
00:45:52,115 --> 00:45:55,420
even as the British
Empire eventually crumbled.
728
00:46:01,954 --> 00:46:04,500
Nearly 400 years after the Armada,
729
00:46:04,525 --> 00:46:06,730
another female leader was keen
730
00:46:06,755 --> 00:46:09,860
to align herself
with the warrior queen.
731
00:46:11,605 --> 00:46:13,620
I know that one or two men are
prejudiced,
732
00:46:13,645 --> 00:46:18,009
but after all, their prejudice
is really so, so ridiculous.
733
00:46:18,034 --> 00:46:19,889
I mean, I say to some of them
sometimes,
734
00:46:19,914 --> 00:46:22,450
"My goodness! It's as well
you didn't live in the time
735
00:46:22,475 --> 00:46:24,090
"of Queen Elizabeth I, isn't it?"
736
00:46:24,115 --> 00:46:25,780
After all, I wonder if we should
737
00:46:25,805 --> 00:46:27,780
have grown to such
a fantastic nation
738
00:46:27,805 --> 00:46:29,370
if we hadn't had people like her?
739
00:46:31,034 --> 00:46:33,900
In January 1976,
740
00:46:33,925 --> 00:46:37,450
Margaret Thatcher
gave a speech called Britain Awake.
741
00:46:38,675 --> 00:46:43,009
It was a call to arms for Britain
to stand up to communism
742
00:46:43,034 --> 00:46:45,500
and Russian aggression.
743
00:46:45,525 --> 00:46:47,730
Now, in response to the speech,
744
00:46:47,755 --> 00:46:50,220
a Soviet newspaper, The Red Star,
745
00:46:50,245 --> 00:46:53,170
came up with a nickname
for Margaret Thatcher.
746
00:46:53,195 --> 00:46:55,889
It was the Iron Lady.
747
00:46:55,914 --> 00:46:58,090
She was quick to respond to this,
748
00:46:58,115 --> 00:47:02,009
and a week later she made another
speech, defending herself
749
00:47:02,034 --> 00:47:06,900
with what seems to be
an allusion to Elizabeth I.
750
00:47:12,365 --> 00:47:14,530
LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE
751
00:47:27,395 --> 00:47:29,009
LAUGHTER
752
00:47:33,755 --> 00:47:35,220
APPLAUSE
753
00:47:38,645 --> 00:47:41,500
She, too, had a feminine exterior
754
00:47:41,525 --> 00:47:44,530
hiding the heart
and stomach of a king.
755
00:47:55,284 --> 00:47:58,580
The Iron Lady moniker would stick
756
00:47:58,605 --> 00:48:02,090
and so too would the image of
Thatcher as warrior leader
757
00:48:02,115 --> 00:48:05,220
at the centre of the action
amongst her troops.
758
00:48:07,725 --> 00:48:11,450
Jenny, how does it seem
to you that Margaret Thatcher
759
00:48:11,475 --> 00:48:15,620
used the idea of Elizabeth I
in her self-presentation?
760
00:48:15,645 --> 00:48:18,730
Elizabeth I was a
phenomenal person
761
00:48:18,755 --> 00:48:21,450
for putting herself forward,
762
00:48:21,475 --> 00:48:24,340
knowing how to dress, knowing
how to behave,
763
00:48:24,365 --> 00:48:28,259
knowing how to speak, knowing how
to be feminine and warlike.
764
00:48:28,284 --> 00:48:32,809
And when Thatcher put herself
up onto a tank, she was doing
765
00:48:32,834 --> 00:48:36,340
exactly what Elizabeth I
had done at Tilbury.
766
00:48:36,365 --> 00:48:40,420
Whenever I drive past Tilbury,
a little thrill goes through me,
767
00:48:40,445 --> 00:48:42,809
and has done since I was a teenager
768
00:48:42,834 --> 00:48:47,090
and I learned about Elizabeth I
on her white charger,
769
00:48:47,115 --> 00:48:50,650
delivering that amazing speech
that, you know,
770
00:48:50,675 --> 00:48:53,580
she had the body of a weak
and feeble woman,
771
00:48:53,605 --> 00:48:56,900
but the heart and stomach of a king.
772
00:48:56,925 --> 00:49:01,259
And I remember thinking as a
teenager, "Wow, that is amazing!"
773
00:49:01,284 --> 00:49:05,259
And then when I looked at Thatcher
I thought,
774
00:49:05,284 --> 00:49:11,500
she has exactly that same
sense of femininity
775
00:49:11,525 --> 00:49:16,860
and having to play on her femininity
to quite a degree.
776
00:49:16,885 --> 00:49:19,170
Whether Thatcher thought "Hmm, maybe
777
00:49:19,195 --> 00:49:21,500
"l could be like Elizabeth l,"
I don't know,
778
00:49:21,525 --> 00:49:23,730
but when Elizabeth
sat on that charger
779
00:49:23,755 --> 00:49:25,980
and made her wonderful speech,
780
00:49:26,005 --> 00:49:30,139
you can draw a direct line
to Thatcher sitting on a tank.
781
00:49:31,885 --> 00:49:36,290
Elizabeth's Tilbury visit has become
a touchstone of history,
782
00:49:36,315 --> 00:49:39,929
but it's a touchstone
built on shaky foundations.
783
00:49:42,395 --> 00:49:45,220
Now, the Tilbury speech
that everybody loves,
784
00:49:45,245 --> 00:49:48,059
does it not matter to you that it
didn't really quite happen
785
00:49:48,084 --> 00:49:50,370
in the way that we like to
think that it did?
786
00:49:50,395 --> 00:49:52,340
I know it's questionable,
787
00:49:52,365 --> 00:49:54,340
but I will not question it.
788
00:49:54,365 --> 00:49:57,620
That image of a woman being powerful
789
00:49:57,645 --> 00:50:01,900
and taking control
and being proud of her power,
790
00:50:01,925 --> 00:50:05,220
and knowing how to express
it, is a myth that...
791
00:50:06,555 --> 00:50:08,730
I don't believe it's a myth.
I think it's true.
792
00:50:08,755 --> 00:50:11,340
So even if it's a myth,
it's a good myth for us to have.
793
00:50:11,365 --> 00:50:13,059
It's a very good myth.
794
00:50:14,525 --> 00:50:16,290
Take that, history!
795
00:50:16,315 --> 00:50:17,530
Quite!
796
00:50:19,755 --> 00:50:24,420
Margaret Thatcher understood
the power of the Armada legend
797
00:50:24,445 --> 00:50:27,730
and, even after she left office,
she continued to use
798
00:50:27,755 --> 00:50:30,730
Elizabethan history
for her own purposes.
799
00:50:31,994 --> 00:50:35,940
In 1998, the Chilean dictator
General Pinochet
800
00:50:35,965 --> 00:50:39,610
was held under house arrest
in England.
801
00:50:39,635 --> 00:50:41,969
Spain wanted to extradite him
802
00:50:41,994 --> 00:50:44,690
to face trial
for human rights crimes.
803
00:50:46,075 --> 00:50:48,250
Margaret Thatcher took
on the Spanish
804
00:50:48,275 --> 00:50:50,330
and campaigned for his release.
805
00:50:52,155 --> 00:50:56,219
When Pinochet was declared unfit
to stand trial and sent home,
806
00:50:56,244 --> 00:51:00,690
his plane was stopped
on the runway to take delivery
807
00:51:00,715 --> 00:51:03,330
of a gift from Margaret Thatcher.
808
00:51:03,355 --> 00:51:07,860
It was a plate commemorating
the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
809
00:51:07,885 --> 00:51:11,490
It came with a personal
note from Thatcher.
810
00:51:11,515 --> 00:51:13,969
"With your return to Chile,"
she wrote,
811
00:51:13,994 --> 00:51:18,860
"Spain's attempt at judicial
colonialism has been decisively and,
812
00:51:18,885 --> 00:51:20,969
"l trust, permanently rebuffed."
813
00:51:23,275 --> 00:51:26,250
Now, we don't know what Pinochet
made of his plate,
814
00:51:26,275 --> 00:51:30,180
but we do know that the Spanish
weren't impressed by all this.
815
00:51:30,205 --> 00:51:32,660
Their foreign minister
said that Thatcher
816
00:51:32,685 --> 00:51:34,540
needed her head examining.
817
00:51:40,565 --> 00:51:44,690
It's easy to see why the British
have continued to use the story
818
00:51:44,715 --> 00:51:48,050
of our triumph over Spain
as a powerful weapon.
819
00:51:50,565 --> 00:51:53,180
But what if it that victory
is built on sand?
820
00:51:55,565 --> 00:51:58,490
History paints the Spanish Armada
821
00:51:58,515 --> 00:52:00,460
as the end of the story.
822
00:52:00,485 --> 00:52:03,860
Peace and unity come to England
823
00:52:03,885 --> 00:52:07,690
as the Spanish ships
are broken by the storm.
824
00:52:07,715 --> 00:52:10,690
But that's just another big fib
because it's not the end
825
00:52:10,715 --> 00:52:13,300
of the story of the Spanish Armada.
826
00:52:13,325 --> 00:52:14,610
By the end of 1588,
827
00:52:14,635 --> 00:52:18,710
Elizabethan England was planning
a Counter Armada.
828
00:52:21,585 --> 00:52:24,680
The war with Spain
was unfinished business.
829
00:52:25,865 --> 00:52:28,600
Around half of Philip's ships
had made it home
830
00:52:28,625 --> 00:52:30,630
and were now being repaired.
831
00:52:32,345 --> 00:52:36,119
So, in 1589, Sir Francis Drake
led an attack on Spain.
832
00:52:37,814 --> 00:52:41,119
His orders were to destroy
what was left of Spain's fleet,
833
00:52:41,144 --> 00:52:43,480
invade Spanish-owned Portugal
834
00:52:43,505 --> 00:52:46,320
and put a Portuguese king
on the throne.
835
00:52:48,455 --> 00:52:50,270
But the expedition failed.
836
00:52:52,425 --> 00:52:56,880
England's Counter Armada
was a disaster.
837
00:52:58,505 --> 00:53:02,200
Today, English people have forgotten
the story of the Counter Armada.
838
00:53:02,225 --> 00:53:05,760
Was it well known at the
time, in the 16th century?
839
00:53:42,264 --> 00:53:47,200
The pamphlets downplayed the failure
and denounced negative accounts
840
00:53:47,225 --> 00:53:49,680
of the expedition
as malicious slander.
841
00:54:03,505 --> 00:54:05,680
Our propaganda was better? Yes?
842
00:54:05,705 --> 00:54:07,119
Yeah, of course.
843
00:54:39,144 --> 00:54:40,710
So, we English people,
844
00:54:40,735 --> 00:54:44,400
we like to think
that England beat Spain.
845
00:54:44,425 --> 00:54:46,989
We won! But it's not
that simple, is it?
846
00:55:46,785 --> 00:55:50,150
The Spanish Armada was just one
battle in a war
847
00:55:50,175 --> 00:55:53,600
that outlasted
Elizabeth and Philip,
848
00:55:53,625 --> 00:55:56,430
and the heroic legend
would last even longer.
849
00:55:58,095 --> 00:55:59,680
For over 400 years,
850
00:55:59,705 --> 00:56:03,239
the triumphant story
of the Spanish Armada
851
00:56:03,264 --> 00:56:06,880
has armed Britain
with a sense of confidence,
852
00:56:06,905 --> 00:56:10,320
ambition and cocky independence.
853
00:56:10,345 --> 00:56:12,200
As our own farewell
to the European Union,
854
00:56:12,225 --> 00:56:14,600
The Sun have projected our
own message onto the side
855
00:56:14,625 --> 00:56:15,880
of the White Cliffs of Dover.
856
00:56:15,905 --> 00:56:20,039
The Armada is part of the bedrock
of our national story.
857
00:56:20,064 --> 00:56:23,630
Its rhetoric informs the speeches
of any leader seeking
858
00:56:23,655 --> 00:56:26,239
to galvanise the nation.
859
00:56:26,264 --> 00:56:29,550
No-one in the last few centuries
has succeeded
860
00:56:29,575 --> 00:56:33,760
in betting against the pluck
and nerve and ambition
861
00:56:33,785 --> 00:56:35,119
of this country.
862
00:56:37,655 --> 00:56:39,480
The story of the Spanish Armada,
863
00:56:39,505 --> 00:56:41,510
as told by the Elizabethans
864
00:56:41,535 --> 00:56:44,400
and retold by generations
since,
865
00:56:44,425 --> 00:56:46,270
has a powerful legacy.
866
00:56:48,345 --> 00:56:51,350
It's been manipulated by monarchs,
867
00:56:51,375 --> 00:56:55,200
artists and politicians
for centuries.
868
00:56:57,934 --> 00:57:01,680
But it remains an inspiring
national myth
869
00:57:01,705 --> 00:57:04,350
that reassures us
in times of crisis.
870
00:57:07,505 --> 00:57:09,600
It's been used to convince us
871
00:57:09,625 --> 00:57:13,400
that our little island can take
on superpowers,
872
00:57:13,425 --> 00:57:16,070
that we come
from a line of cool-headed
873
00:57:16,095 --> 00:57:18,989
and inspirational leaders.
874
00:57:19,014 --> 00:57:20,680
That, small as we are,
875
00:57:20,705 --> 00:57:24,510
we can still play a mighty role
on the world stage.
876
00:57:24,535 --> 00:57:26,840
Even in a secular age,
877
00:57:26,865 --> 00:57:31,680
it seems like English people,
British people, feel special,
878
00:57:31,705 --> 00:57:34,430
marked out for greatness.
879
00:57:34,455 --> 00:57:36,039
And, whether it's true or not,
880
00:57:36,064 --> 00:57:38,600
the drama of that defeat
of the Armada
881
00:57:38,625 --> 00:57:42,159
gives us the confidence
to believe in ourselves.
882
00:57:42,184 --> 00:57:45,789
Who knows where that potent mix
883
00:57:45,814 --> 00:57:48,960
of fact and fantasy and fibs
884
00:57:48,985 --> 00:57:50,710
may take us next?
885
00:57:54,785 --> 00:57:58,880
In the next programme, Queen Anne
comes to the throne
886
00:57:58,905 --> 00:58:01,119
and helps create Great Britain.
887
00:58:03,345 --> 00:58:06,909
She's remembered by history
as fat and foolish.
888
00:58:09,095 --> 00:58:12,150
But was she the victim of character
assassination
889
00:58:12,175 --> 00:58:15,350
by her liberal enemies?
890
00:58:15,375 --> 00:58:19,350
Sarah chose to drag
Anne's name through the mud
891
00:58:19,375 --> 00:58:53,800
and to maintain her own
reputation in the process.
102722
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.