The 18th Century, known in Spain of the Golden Century because of its developement in culture and arts, is also known for the century of the downfall, of the Spanish armed fleet following the Treaty of Utrecht. It had its new beginnings in 1714, with the creation of the arsenals in Galicia and Murcia amongs others.
In 1755, following this development, greatly influenced by the Marqués de la Ensenada, Spain already posessed more than 65 ships. In 1790 this number was increased by 100 ships.

Circumstances

The Spanish Armada was after the Treaty of Utrecht practically inexistent. In order to keep its competing position with other European fleets, the Royal Armada was brought into being. With José Patiño, a solid base for the marine forces was founded. Armouries were created in Ferrol, Cartagena and Puntales. However, it was with the Marqués de Ensenada, that the Spanish marines received its definitive guiding, from the development of the communications system, to the summit of ship construction in the new armouries, parallel to the scientific formation. In the year 1755, in which Ensenada terminated his task, Spain possessed 42 ships and 28 frigates, opposite to the 18 ships which it called its property in 1714. The force was strongest in 1790 with 117 ships and frigates.

Unfortunately, this strength of the Spanish fleet was not reflected during the battles held at the ind of the 18th and beginning of the 19th Century. For example, in 1797, the squadron which besieged Gibraltar was going up in flames; in 1797 the Spanish ships bombed each other by mistake and in 1805 at the point of inflexion, the Spanish fleet was defeated in front of Cape Trafalgar.

Much was told and written about the battle of Trafalgar, of the defeat of the Franch-Spanish alliance against the British with Horatio Nelson on the lead. Summarized, one may conclude that the allied forces were less experienced; however there may also be more to it. Because in August 1796, the Treaty of San Ildefonso was signed, which constrained the French and the Spanish to collaborate, and in 1802 the Peace treaty of Amiens was signed, when the British returned Menoría to Spain. However, the worse was still to come. The British, honouring their history of piracy, grounded four Spanish ships on their way from South America with almost a million golden coins on board, for which Spain declared war to Great Britain.


Prologue of the battle of Trafalgar

Napoleon, allied of Spain, had an ambitious plan to invade Britain, by disarraying the British fleet in the Indias and it is for that, that the French Admiral Villeneuve leaves Toulon in March, despite the heavy blockade of the British and takes with 12 ships direction to Cadiz, arriving there in April with almost 5000 soldiers, where they merged with the Spanish fleet of approx. 6 ships and travelling together to Martinique and San Rafael. At their return, according to some interpretation of history, because of the incompetence of Admiral Villneuve, two Spanish ships were captured by the British opposite of the Cadiz coastline, for this lack of foresight, the fleet went to Vigo where it was restored.

The plan of the French was to regroup with the various ships of the Spanish and to direct themselves towards the Channel of la Mancha, it was then, when Villeneuve was making another unexpected move and instead of moving towards the north, turned south to Cadiz, which they reached on the 20th of August 1805. This change of strategy and plans enraged Napoleon, who ordered Villeneuve to immediately leave Cadiz and to go to Cartagena, in order to reunite with the reinforcements, whilst the British fleet was preparing to blockade Cadiz and following the plans to attack the allied opponents. Giving orders to the British forces was Horatio Nelson.


This is the way things happened preceding the battle of Trafalgar, on one side the Admiral Horatio Nelson, with very clear ideas on how to handle things and on the other side a French Admiral on command of the allied fleet, Villeneuve, improvising his actions, without any foresight of what he was doing. On the 8th of October 1805 a reunion took place on the ship Bucentaure, between the French and the Spaniards (Villeneuve in front of the British and Gravina and Alava in front of the Spanish) in order to decide the actions to be taken. The position was as follows: Villeneuve, still shaken by Napoleons reaction to his initiative, wanted to depart at all costs, whilst Gravina, being aware of the inferiority of the fleet and more so, he also predicted the defeat because of the very bad weather conditions in the Golf of Cadiz. Gravina stated his point, but Villeneuve, eager to reconciliate with Napoleon, who threatened to remove him as commanding officer, carried on with his decision and left the protecting surroundings of the harbour of Cadiz with 33 ships to encounter the British fleet with 27 ships. This was the 19th of October 1805 and on the 20th tragedy took its course.


20th of October 1805

On this day started something, which may be called a game of chess between Nelson and Villeneuve. At 7pm the allied forces took sight of the British naval and one hour later the battle deployment was ready. In the morning of the 21st of October the fleets were perfectly lined up against each other. At midday the first canon was fired, it was the San Agustin, of the allied fleet, and from there on, the battle took its course. The Admiral Nelson, standing on the highest point of the ship, was an easy target and as history goes, he was shot at 1.25pm severely insured and died at 4.30pm. The whole of the allied fleet was sunk.


Summary

The killed in the battle on the Spanish side were 1022 and insured 1388 of a total of 11000 men. The British lost 500 men and had 1300 insured. The French lost 3400 marines and 1200 were insured. 8000 French and Spanish were captured.

This battle was the start of the British ruling of the seas, it initiated the fall of Napoleon and for the Spanish it signified the loss of their naval power and the begin of the decline of the empire as it was not in their hands anymore to protect the colonies.

Esta batalla significó el comienzo del reinado británico en los mares, y una losa para el Imperio de Napoleón, para España, esta batalla significó la pérdida de su potencia naval, y el comienzo del fin del Imperio que un día fue, ya que el no poder proteger las colonias fue un ingrediente muy goloso para que estas comenzaran a independizarse.