I-Armada YaseSpain—Uhambo Lwemikhumbi Olwaba Yinhlekelele

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ESPAIN

EMINYAKENI engaphezu kwengu-400 edlule, amabutho amabili emikhumbi atholana phezulu kuyi-English Channel ewumngcingo. Kule mpi kwakulwa amaProthestani namaKatolika futhi yayiyingxenye yombango wekhulu le-16 phakathi kwamabutho angamaProthestani eNdlovukazi yaseNgilandi u-Elizabeth I namabutho angamaRoma Katolika eNkosi yaseSpain uPhilip II. Incwadi ethi The Defeat of the Spanish Armada iyachaza: “Kubona, impi phakathi kwebutho lemikhumbi laseNgilandi nelaseSpain kule Nsungubezi yayiyimpi engumnqamulajuqu phakathi kwamabutho okukhanya namabutho obumnyama.”

Izingqapheli ezingamaNgisi zangaleso sikhathi zachaza i-Armada yaseSpain, noma ibutho elikhulu lemikhumbi, ngokuthi “ibutho lemikhumbi elikhulu kunawo wonke ezazike zawabona olwandle.” Kodwa lo mkhankaso we-Armada wabonakala uyiphutha eliyinhlekelele—ikakhulukazi ezinkulungwaneni eziningi ezalahlekelwa ukuphila kwazo. Yayiyini inhloso yawo, futhi kungani wahluleka?

Kungani Bazama Ukuyohlasela?

Kwase kuphele iminyaka abaphangi abangamaNgisi bephanga imikhumbi yaseSpain, futhi iNdlovukazi yaseNgilandi u-Elizabeth ikusekela ngentshiseko ukuvukela kwamaDashi umbuso waseSpain. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPhilip II owayengumKatolika wazizwa ebophekile ukusiza amaKatolika angamaNgisi ukuba aqede “ukuhlubuka” okwandayo kobuProthestani ezweni lawo. Ngenxa yalokho, i-Armada yayinabapristi nabeluleki benkolo abangaba ngu-180. Ngisho nalapho amabutho e-Armada ehlangana, indoda ngayinye kwakufanele ivume izono kumpristi bese idla uMthendeleko.

Isimo esingokwenkolo saseSpain nesenkosi yakhona saboniswa umJesuit ovelele waseSpain uPedro de Ribadeneyra, owathi: “UNkulunkulu iNkosi yethu, esivikela injongo yakhe nokholo olungcwele, uzosihola—futhi njengoba sinalo kaputeni akukho lutho esingalwesaba.” AmaNgisi wona ayenethemba lokuthi ukunqoba ngokuphelele kwakuyovula indlela yokuba imiqondo yobuProthestani isakazekele kulo lonke elaseYurophu.

Icebo lokuhlasela lenkosi yaseSpain lalibonakala lilula. Yayala imikhumbi ye-Armada ukuba yenyuse nge-English Channel iyolanda uMbusi WaseParma namabutho akhe angomakadebona angu-30 000 ayekanise eFlanders.a Esehlangene, la mabutho ayezowela iNsungubezi aye ogwini lwase-Essex, abese eviliyela alibangise eLondon. UPhilip wayecabanga ukuthi amaKatolika angamaNgisi ayezoyilahla indlovukazi yawo engumProthestani futhi azihlanganise nebutho lakhe.

Kodwa icebo likaPhilip lalinamaphutha amabi kakhulu. Njengoba ayecabanga ukuthi wayezothola ukusekelwa uNkulunkulu, akazange azinake izithiyo ezimbili eziyinhloko—amandla ebutho lemikhumbi lamaNgisi nobunzima bokulanda amabutho oMbusi WaseParma endaweni eyayingenalo itheku ababezohlangana kulo.

Ibutho Elikhulu Lemikhumbi Kodwa Elingahlelekile

UPhilip wamisa uMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia ukuba abe umkhuzi we-Armada. Nakuba lo mbusi ayengenalo ulwazi lwempi yemikhumbi, wayengumhleli onekhono futhi ngokushesha okaputeni bakhe abangomakadebona babambisana naye. Bebambisene, baphaka impi futhi banakekela lonke leli butho elikhulu ngokudla ngangokusemandleni abo. Ngokucophelela, bahlela izimpawu zokuxhumana, iziqondiso zokuhamba kwemikhumbi nendlela eyayizohamba ngayo eyayizokwenza ibutho labo lezizwe ezihlukahlukene libe nobunye.

Imikhumbi engu-130, amasosha angaba ngu-20 000 namatilosi angu-8 000 ayakha ibutho le-Armada ekugcineni asuka ethekwini laseLisbon ngo-May 29, 1588. Kodwa imimoya enamandla nesiphepho sawaphoqelela ukuba ame eLa Coruña, enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeSpain, ukuze kulungiswe imikhumbi futhi athole nokudla okwengeziwe. Ekhathazeke ngokuntuleka kokudla nokugula kwamabutho akhe, uMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia wabhalela inkosi incwadi engagwegwesi echaza ukukhathazeka kwakhe ngawo wonke lo mkhankaso. Kodwa uPhilip waphikelela ethi lo mkhuzi wempi makanamathele ohlelweni. Ngakho leli butho lemikhumbi elingahlelekile laqhubeka nohambo futhi ekugcineni lafika kuyi-English Channel ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili lisukile eLisbon.

Ukulwa Kuyi-English Channel

Lapho ibutho laseSpain lifika ngasogwini lwasePlymouth, eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNgilandi, amaNgisi ayelindile. Zombili lezi zinhlangothi zazinesibalo esifanayo semikhumbi, kodwa yayiklanywe ngezindlela ezingafani. Imikhumbi yaseSpain yayiphakeme, futhi yayinezinganono ezishaya eduze. Njengoba yayinemibhoshongo ngemuva nangaphambili, yayifana nezinqaba ezintantayo. Ngokwamacebo ebutho laseSpain, kwakufanele lingene emikhunjini yesitha, lisithelekele. Imikhumbi yamaNgisi yayingaphakeme kodwa yayishesha, inezinganono eziningi ezidubula kude. Okaputeni bayo bahlela ukuba bangasondeli esitheni kodwa bayishaye bekude imikhumbi yaseSpain.

Ukuze amelane nokushesha okukhulu nezinganono zemikhumbi yamaNgisi, umkhuzi wempi yaseSpain wahlela ukuhamba kwemikhumbi ngendlela eyisivikelo eme njengenhlendla, noma inyanga ewucezu. Emaceleni kwakuzogada imikhumbi emikhudlwana enezinganono ezidubula kude. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isitha siqhamuka ngakuphi, imikhumbi ye-Armada yayingaphenduka ibhekane naso njengenyathi ezivikela engonyameni ngezimpondo.

La mabutho amabili abambana ngezihluthu kuyo yonke i-English Channel futhi alwa izimpi ezincane ezimbili. Ukuma kwemikhumbi yaseSpain ngendlela eyisivikelo kwaphumelela, futhi izinganono zamaNgisi ezidubula kude zahluleka ukwenza ngisho nowodwa umkhumbi waseSpain ukuba ucwile. Okaputeni bamaNgisi baphetha ngokuthi kumelwe bayihlakaze ngandlela-thile futhi basondele. Lelo thuba lafika ngo-August 7.

UMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia wayelalele iziqondiso futhi waholela imikhumbi ye-Armada endaweni ababezohlangana kuyo noMbusi WaseParma namabutho akhe. Lapho esalinde izwi elivela kuMbusi WaseParma, uMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia wayala ukuba imikhumbi yehlise amahange ngaseCalais, ogwini lwaseFrance. Njengoba imikhumbi yaseSpain yayehlise amahange futhi ingavikelekile, amaNgisi athumela imikhumbi engu-8, eyayilayishwe iziqhumane yabe isithungelwa ngomlilo. Abaningi kokaputeni baseSpain batatazela befuna ukubaleka ukuze bagweme ingozi. Khona-ke umoya onamandla nomsinga wabadudulela enyakatho.

Entathakusa ngosuku olulandelayo, kwalwiwa impi yokugcina. Imikhumbi yamaNgisi yahlasela eyaseSpain iseduze, yabhubhisa okungenani imikhumbi emithathu futhi yalimaza eminye eminingi. Njengoba abaseSpain babenezikhali ezilinganiselwe, kwadingeka ukuba babekezelele ukuhlaselwa bengenandlela yokuzivikela.

Isiphepho esinamandla senza ukuba amaNgisi ahoxe ekuhlaseleni kwaze kwaba ngakusasa. Ekuseni ngalolo suku, imikhumbi ye-Armada, eyayisihlelwe kabusha yama njengenhlendla, inezikhali ezincane, yabhekana nesitha yalungela impi. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba amaNgisi adubule, imikhumbi yaseSpain yazithola ivaleleke ngasogwini, idudulwa umoya nomsinga onamandla futhi ilengela enhlekeleleni ngasosebeni lolwandle eZeeland, ogwini lwaseNetherlands.

Lapho sekubonakala kungathembisi, umoya washintsha futhi wadudulela imikhumbi ye-Armada enyakatho olwandle endaweni evulekile, ephephile. Kodwa indlela ebuyela eCalais yayivinjwe yimikhumbi yamaNgisi, nomoya wawusayidudulela enyakatho imikhumbi yaseSpain. UMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia wabona ukuthi kwakungekho ayengakwenza ngaphandle kokuyeka umkhankaso wempi ukuze alondoloze imikhumbi namasosha amaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. Wanquma ukubuyela eSpain ngokuzungeza iScotland ne-Ireland.

Iziphepho Nokuphahlazeka Kwemikhumbi

Imikhumbi ye-Armada eyayilimele yabhekana nohambo olunzima lokubuyela ekhaya. Ukudla kwakukuncane, futhi ngenxa yemiphongolo eyayivuza, namanzi ayeyingcosana. Imikhumbi eminingi yayilimale kabi ekuhlaseleni kwamaNgisi, futhi imbalwa kuphela eyayilungele ukuhamba olwandle. Kusenjalo, ngasogwini olusenyakatho-ntshonalanga ye-Ireland, imikhumbi ye-Armada yazithela eziphephweni ezinamandla ezathatha amasonto amabili. Eminye imikhumbi yanyamalala unomphela! Eminye yaphahlazeka ngasogwini lwase-Ireland.

Ekugcineni, imikhumbi yokuqala ye-Armada yafika ngencacamezela eSantander, enyakatho yeSpain, ngo-September 23. Ingaba ngu-60 kuphela imikhumbi eyayisuke eLisbon kanye nengxenye yamasosha eyakwazi ukufika ekhaya. Izinkulungwane zaminza olwandle. Abanye abaningi babulawa amanxeba noma yizifo endleleni elibangise ekhaya. Ngisho nabasinda abafika ogwini lwaseSpain baqhubeka bebhekene nobunzima.

Incwadi ethi The Defeat of the Spanish Armada ithi: “[Amasosha emikhunjini] eminingi ayengenakho nhlobo ukudla futhi aqhubeka ebulawa yindlala,” nakuba ayekanise ethekwini laseSpain. Le ncwadi ithi ethekwini laseLaredo eSpain, omunye umkhumbi wacwila “ngenxa yokuthi ayengekho amadoda anele okwehlisa oseyili nehange.”

Okushiwo Ukunqotshwa Kule Mpi

Ukunqotshwa kwe-Armada kwawenza azethemba amaProthestani aseNyakatho Yurophu nakuba izimpi zenkolo zaqhubeka zilwiwa. Ukuthi amaProthestani ayekholelwa ukuthi ukunqoba kwawo kwakuwubufakazi bokuthi asekelwe uNkulunkulu kubonakala ngendondo yamaNgisi yokukhumbula lesi senzakalo. Amazwi aqoshwe kuyo athi, Flavit יהוה et dissipati sunt 1588, okusho ukuthi, “uJehova waletha isiphepho futhi bahlakazeka ngo-1588.”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iGreat Britain yaba umbuso omkhulu wezwe, njengoba incwadi ethi Modern Europe to 1870 iphawula: “IGreat Britain yavelela ngo-1763 njengombuso wezwe omkhulu wezentengiselwano namakoloni.” Empeleni, incwadi ethi Navy and Empire iphawula ukuthi “ngo-1763 uMbuso WaseBrithani wabusa izwe njengokungathi umbuso wamaRoma ovuselelwe futhi omkhulu.” Kamuva, iGreat Britain yazihlanganisa nezwe elaliyikoloni layo i-United States of America zakha umbuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika.

Abafundi beBhayibheli bayithola ithakazelisa indaba yokuvelela nokuwa kwemibuso yezwe yezombangazwe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi imiBhalo Engcwele inikeza imininingwane yokulandelana kohulumeni bezwe, okuwukuthi, iGibhithe, i-Asiriya, iBhabhiloni, amaMede namaPheresiya, iGrisi, iRoma, futhi ekugcineni umbuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika. Empeleni, iBhayibheli labikezela esikhathini eside kusengaphambili ukuvelela nokuwa kweminingana yale mibuso.—Daniyeli 8:3-8, 20-22; IsAmbulo 17:1-6, 9-11.

Uma sibheka emuva, kuba sobala ukuthi okwenzeka ehlobo lika-1588, lapho imizamo yokunqoba ye-Armada yaseSpain ihluleka, kubaluleke kakhulu. Cishe eminyakeni engu-200 ngemva kokunqotshwa kwe-Armada, iGreat Britain yavelela njengombuso wezwe omkhulu, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, yaba nendima eyisihluthulelo ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Umdwebo/Ibalazwe ekhasini 26, 27]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Uhambo lwe-Armada yaseSpain

​——​ Umzila wokuyohlasela

–– Uhambo olubuyela ekhaya

X Izimpi

SPAIN

Lisbon

La Coruña

Santander

FLANDERS

Calais

SPANISH NETHERLANDS

UNITED NETHERLANDS

ENGLAND

Plymouth

London

IRELAND

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

INkosi uPhilip II

[Umthombo]

Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

INdlovukazi u-Elizabeth I

[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

UMbusi WaseMedina-Sidonia wayengumkhuzi we-Armada yaseSpain

[Umthombo]

Cortesía de Fundación Casa de Medina Sidonia

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 25]

Museo Naval, Madrid