At this time, in this sea, it was the English Royal Navy and the Spanish Invincible Armada that were fighting for supremacy.
In the mid-sixteenth century, Spain established the largest fleet at the time in order to protect its maritime transportation routes and its oversea interests. The fleet dominated the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean and proudly called itself the 'Invincible Armada'. The Spanish relied on the Invincible Armada to plunder large amounts of gold and silver, quickly making Spain the richest maritime empire in Europe.