Spanish Navy

Spanish Navy
Organizational information
Leader's title	Monarch of the Spanish Empire
Operational center	Spain
Locations	Spain Hispanic America (Industrial era) Spanish Empire (Industrial - Modern era)

The Spanish Navy (Spanish: Armada Española) is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, as well as being one of the oldest active naval forces in the modern world. The Armada historically allowed Spain to expand into the Caribbean and the South American mainland where colonies were established. They were associated with many naval battles, including the Battle of Manila Bay which transpired in 1898, in addition to the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741.

Edward Kenway served against the Spanish Navy as a British privateer during the wars of Spanish Succession, until the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht. Thereafter, Kenway operated as a pirate in the West Indies, and would go on to have many altercations with the Spanish Navy. Additionally, Kenway's ship, the Jackdaw, had also been a part of the navy's treasure fleet under the name El Dorado, until he commandeered it in 1715.

The Spanish Navy operated numbers of ships during the Golden Age of Piracy, which included galleons, gunboats, schooners, frigates, and brigs, all of which were painted a reddish-brown color to distinguish them from the Royal Navy ships they often fought against, with the only exceptions being the galleon El Arca del Maestro, El Impoluto, and naval convoys. Two of the five legendary ships in the Caribbean also sailed under the Spanish flag: La Dama Negra and El Impoluto.

Notable ships

The following is a list of well-known ships in the navy, not including merchant and privateer vessels:

• El Arca del Maestro
• El Dorado
• El Impoluto
• La Dama Negra
• San Ignacio
• San Lorenzo
• Hercules

References

• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag