ABSTRACT
England in 1585 was militarily stronger than had been the case for perhaps half a century. Elizabeth and her servants had used the years of peace to build up an effective fleet and improve the quality of her fighting men. From 1573 onwards, the queen belied her parsimonious reputation by spending heavily on naval construction, both increasing the number and improving the design of her ships. Although Philip II possessed the larger navy in the 1580s, Elizabeth had ‘the most powerful battle fleet afloat anywhere in the world’ (Parker 1996: 273). Beginning with the Dreadnought, which was launched in 1573, her ships followed a new design that resulted in a sleeker line and longer gun-deck. The effect was greater speed, better manoeuvrability, and more effective gun-power. England’s landed forces were also beginning to be modernised in the 1570s, though they still could not compete with those of Spain. Regular training of able-bodied men began in the counties in 1573; soldiers started to be organised in companies under an improved officer corps and command structure; and the new weaponry of pikes and harquebuses were slowly introduced. In addition, a small body of experienced officers and soldiers – men like John Norris who had come out of the wars in Ireland and mercenary armies on the Continent – provided the nucleus of a modest professional army. In 1585, therefore, England could deploy abroad a
small, well-equipped army, headed by experienced captains, and also muster some 11,000 trained troops and another armed 62,000 men for home defence.
