Charles Howard Biography

Birth of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham

Created Baron of Effingham

Appointed Lord Chamberlain

Appointed Ambassador of France

Present at the peace negotiations between England and France which led to the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis of 1559. He personally informed Elizabeth of its ratification

Howard is appointed Keeper of the Queen's House

Appointed Keeper of the Queen's house

Carries the canopy of state when Queen Elizabeth opened her second Parliament

Commands the Horse against the northern rebels

Suppresses a Catholic rebellion in northern England

Recieves a Knighthood

Appointed Lord Privy Seal

Created Baron Effingham, 2nd

Elected to Order of the Garter

A Commissioner at the trial of Mary Queen of Scots

He was furthermore given full authority over the navy and army at sea.

Howard's commission is signed, requiring Howard "according as there shall be occasion, and wherever and whenever he shall deem it fitting, to invade.

Orders were drawn up for Howard to take the fleet to sea.

enter, spoil and make himself master of the kingdoms, dominions, lands, islands, and all other places whatever belonging to the said Spaniards".

Named Commander in Chief of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada although he does not directly take charge of the fighting

Named Commander in Chief of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada although he does not directly take charge of the fighting

Effingham orders an indirect strategy of harassing the Spanish fleet rather than attacking them directly

An English attack is launched from the Scilly Isles by Lord Howard

As the tide turned, 55 English ships set out to confront them from Plymouth under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham, with Sir Francis Drake as Vice Admiral. Howard ceded some control to Drake, given his experience in battle. The rear admiral was Sir John Hawkins

Howard keeps the English fleet close to the Armada as it moves toward the Flemish coast.

The Spanish Armada is defeated by an English naval force under command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake off the coast of Gravelines, now in France

The English and Spanish fleets again engage off the coast of Flanders, the English again are more successful

On the day after Gravelines, the wind had backed, southerly, enabling Medina Sidonia to move the Armada northward (away from the French coast), the English pursue the Spanish fleet, to prevent it returning to escort Parma

Sends 8 tarred fireships to attack the Armada where it waits to rendezvous with Parma

Howard reduces close pursuit after the Armada is driven clear of Flanders and English ammunition runs low.

Howard calls a halt to the chase in the latitude of the Firth of Forth off Scotland but ut by that point, the Spanish are suffering from thirst and exhaustion, the only option left to Sidonia is to chart a course home to Spain, along the Atlantic

Although their shot lockers were almost empty, the English pursued in an attempt to prevent the enemy from returning to escort Parma.

By that point, the Spanish were suffering from thirst and exhaustion, and the only option left to Medina Sidonia was to chart a course home to Spain, by a very hazardous route

On 2 August Old Style (12 August New Style) Howard called a halt to the pursuit in the latitude of the Firth of Forth off Scotland.

On the day after the Battle of Gravelines, the wind had backed southerly, enabling Medina Sidonia to move his fleet northward away from the French coast.

Appointed Lord Lieutenant General of England

Created Earl of Nottingham, 1st

Assists Essex on his Cadiz expedition

A Commissioner at the trial of Essex

Takes part in the Somerset House negotiations that end the Anglo-Spanish War.

Death of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham