11 Facts About Spanish Navy

The Spanish navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, the most famous being the voyages of Christopher Columbus to America and the first global circumnavigation by Elcano.

Spanish Navy was the most powerful maritime force in the world from the late 15th century to the early 18th century.

The Spanish Navy built and operated one of the first military submarines, made important contributions in the development of destroyer warships, and again achieved a first global circumnavigation, this time by an ironclad vessel.

At the Battle of Lepanto, the Holy League, formed by Spain, Venice, the Papal States and other Christian allies, inflicted a great defeat on the Ottoman Spanish Navy, stopping Muslim forces from gaining uncontested control of the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, Spanish Navy ships were able to step up operations in the English Channel, the North Sea and towards Ireland.

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The Spanish Navy concentrated their efforts in keeping the most important islands, such as Cuba, Puerto Rico and the majority of Santo Domingo, while the system of treasure fleets, despite being greatly diminished, was rarely defeated in safely conveying its freight of silver and Asian luxuries across the Atlantic to Europe.

The program of naval renovation was continued and by the 1750s the Spanish navy had outstripped the Dutch to become the third most powerful in the world, behind only those of Britain and France.

The navy played a key role in the Spanish army led operations that defeated the British in Florida.

At that time, the Spanish Navy developed a Naval Aviation branch, the Aeronautica naval.

Since the mid-20th century, the Spanish Navy began a process of reorganization to become one of the major navies of the world.

At the head of the Navy is an Almirante general, denominated AJEMA or Admiral Chief of the General Staff of the Navy .