In the 1500s, Spain had the world's most powerful navy.
They called it La Grande y Felicísma Armada. That means “the Great and Most Fortunate Navy.” In English we call it the Spanish Armada. The fleet that sailed toward England in 1588 had between 120 and 160 ships. The English probably had around 200 ships, but many were smaller, with fewer guns. Few of the ships in either fleet were warships.
