<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th - century, English School) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Date </Th> <Td> July--August 1588 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> North - west Europe </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Result </Th> <Td> <P> Decisive Spanish defeat </P> <Ul> <Li> Militarily indecisive </Li> <Li> Spanish invasion failure </Li> <Li> Protestant propaganda victory </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Date </Th> <Td> July--August 1588 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> North - west Europe </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Result </Th> <Td> <P> Decisive Spanish defeat </P> <Ul> <Li> Militarily indecisive </Li> <Li> Spanish invasion failure </Li> <Li> Protestant propaganda victory </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Date </Th> <Td> July--August 1588 </Td> </Tr>

What caused the spanish armada to take place