Even today, four and a half centuries later, Francis Drake continues to speak, especially in Galicia, for the atrocities he committed there at the end of the 16th century. The latest news occurred last week, when the discovery of the remains was announced … of the monastery that the English pirate devastated on the island of Tambó, belonging to the Pontevedrés municipality of Poio. According to recent archaeological excavations, which allowed to identify remains of walls and walls in two different areas, had been built in the seventh century.
The finding has occurred in the place where the known as Monastery of Santa María de Graciaas confirmed by those responsible for the Irmandade Illa de Tambo association. “This would undoubtedly be a great contribution to increase the patrimonial value of the island,” says the collective, which has already formally notified the discovery of the heritage service of the Xunta de Galicia. The assault against that religious building occurred precisely days after Drake sweeps the Coruña in 1589, which is the city that occupies us for the forgotten episode that we are going to tell you next.
In May of that year, the Coruña neighborhood of the fish market was in ruins. The Pirate had turned it into a war zone, which swept without regard, after anchoring in the Bay of La Coruña with an army of 150 ships. Up to eight thousand English went down to take the walls defended by men and women, with the famous María Pita at the head of the rebellion. Many innocent died and much of the neighborhood was lost, but the Coruña won and the pirate had to flee, heading south until they reached the Baixas Rías, to show their cruelty again. It was at that time that they razed the aforementioned monastery that had been missing since then.
They were years of hate. The antipathy that Spain felt for Isabel I of England had increased significantly in 1585, when the news that Drake had landed in Galicia reached the court. The objective of the pirate was to sow panic and steal everything that could the premises with the approval of his queen, as he had been doing since, with only 13 years, he threw himself into the sea next to his second cousin John Hawkins.
Attack Spain
From that moment on, the doubtful and profitable art of attacking the Spanish ports, taking advantage of the defenses and the lucrative smuggling business. The most famous corsair of the 16th century ended up sending his own company and continued to enrich himself with the looting he made to the then empire of Felipe II.
Queen Elizabeth was so happy with the results and money collected that, on April 4, 1581, she got into the Drake flagship and appointed her gentleman. Thus he legitimized his actions and made him a respectable sailor with a seat in Parliament.
When he arrived at La Coruña in 1585, however, the privateer and his men did not show the slightest diplomacy. They destroyed religious images, mistreated the clergy of the city and captured numerous hostages and Spanish ships. A month later, a main minister of Felipe II arrived in Madrid who lamented “deeply that the Queen of England made war so cheeky and dishonest without us being able to take revenge.” Drake’s incursions continued in the Canary Islands, the Islands of Cabo Verde and, finally, the Caribbean, where Santo Domingo, Cartagena de Indias and San Agustín in Florida.
Public opinion
All these attacks are well known, but what we did not know until many centuries later was the tremendous impact they had on public opinion and the monarchy itself. This fact was revealed by a document included in the Altamira collection of the Hispanic Society of America of New York, which was discovered in 2013. According to the text, dated in July 1586, Felipe II arrived at the El Escorial Palace the rumors about the fear and helplessness that Spain seemed to be showing with respect to the continuous incursions of the pirate:
«In Madrid there is very loosely about the damage made by English Francisco Draque [en referencia a Drake]. With very decomposed and disorderly words, it is implied that the remedy that should be placed, which makes it suspected that it has put the vassals, has put the vassals, the vassals, [por el hecho de] Do not look with the great prudence and consideration with which your majesty usually attends and prevent [estos ataques] by providing your subjects of everything necessary ».
The Count of Barajas, president of the Council of Castile, received orders to investigate. His response was extraordinarily frank: «Although there are bad people everywhere and disturbing intentions, [los críticos] They want to see what their Majesty secretly provides so that things in these kingdoms are going well, and that is going on in this matter that is so important and that it is publicly seen that it depends on England and English Francisco Draque ».
Drake’s ghost
These words constitute, as defined by Geoffrey Parker in ABC, the first clear reference of a demonstration of popular feeling in the Spain of the Austrias. “It is an open debate among the common vassals, concerned by what the government was doing, and stopping doing, in a matter as extraordinary and public as were the attacks of the English pirate,” said the famous British historian.
The implacable Francis Drake became a kind of ghost in the popular imaginary, as demonstrated in the early hours of May 3 to 4, 1589. The pirate then had a fleet of 150 ships – some sources speak of 200 – and more than 23,000 English, which made its appearance once again on the coast of the Coruña. Dam of nervousness, Felipe II came to think that he had lost God’s favor. However, the courage and resistance capacity demonstrated by the Galicians at that time was very different.
The Corsair ordered to land 10,000 of his men, during the morning of day 4, to take positions. His advance by sea was slowed down by the cannons of the Spanish ships that defended the city from the coast: a Nao, two galleys and a galleon. It was not much, so the English managed to reach the ground and take the fishing neighborhood located outside the walls. In that operation they killed 70 Spaniards and captured the artillery of the San Bernardo Galeon. Two days later, Drake demanded the surrender of the 1,500 defenders, but they refused.
The pirate response was to fly a part of the wall of La Coruña, which left an important step to the heart of the city. The Spaniards resisted, against all prognosis, the onslaught of the invaders. On May 16, when it seemed that the Galicians were going to succumb, it is said that María Pita, one of the defenders whose husband had died on the walls, ended the Ensign that carried the English flag and waved it as a sign of grieving. In this way he filled the heart of the Spanish troops, which turned to the contest. Apparently, Drake’s men ended up retiring to their bajeles on the 18th after losing two ships and fled from the coasts.
#English #hatred #lost #letter #Galicians #asked #revenge #pirate #drake
