This book is the latest contribution to a unique series in a common format documenting in great detail the warships of the major naval powers during the age of sail. To date, four volumes have covered the British Navy, two have been devoted to the French Navy and one each to the Dutch and Russian Navies. This volume on the Spanish Navy, for much of its history the third largest in the world, fills the final gap in the ranks of the major maritime powers. This book is the first comprehensive listing of these ships in English and covers the development of all the naval vessels owned or deployed by Spain during the period of the Bourbon monarchy from 1700 to 1860 (including the period of French control during the Napoleonic Wars), but it also sets the scene for that period by summarizing the origins of Spanish naval development under the preceding Habsburg regime. As with previous volumes in the series, the main chapters list all the naval vessels from 1700 onwards (including those 16th century ships which survived into the new regime in 1700) by type, with the first chapters listing the ships of the line (navíos in Spanish terminology) and frigates in descending order of firepower, and subsequent chapters covering minor and ancillary vessels. Where available, a brief service history of each individual ship is given. A comprehensive introductory section includes a group of background essays designed to provide the reader with a deep understanding of how Spanish naval forces operated, and the context within which they were organized. Certain to become the standard English-language reference work, its publication is of the utmost importance to every naval historian and general reader interested in the navies of the sailing era.

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 76. Chapters: Age of Sail ships of Spain, Ironclad warships of Spain, Lists of ships of Spain, Merchant ships of Spain, Naval ships of Spain, Passenger ships of Spain, Ships built in Spain, Spanish-American War ships of Spain, Steamships of Spain, Tall ships of Spain, List of battleships and monitors of Spain, Spanish ship Neptuno, Jupiter class minelayer, List of ships of the line of Spain, HTMS Chakri Naruebet, MV Mar Negro, SS Cantabria, Spanish cruiser Almirante Cervera, Sutil, Spanish cruiser Vizcaya, Spanish cruiser Almirante Oquendo, List of Spanish sail frigates, Spanish cruiser Castilla, Spanish cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa, Mexicana, La Princesa, Spanish cruiser Reina Cristina, Spanish battleship Espana, FV Athena, Descubierta and Atrevida, HMS Princess, Molasses Reef Wreck, SS Empire Morn, MT Haven, Spanish submarine C-3, Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII, Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes, Spanish ship Juan Carlos I, USS Reina Mercedes, Spanish aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias, HMS Amfitrite, Emperador Carlos V, Esmeralda, MS Smyril, MS Hildasay, Spanish battleship Jaime I, MS Gemini, Spanish cruiser Baleares, USS Don Juan de Austria, HMS Santa Margarita, MS Arrow, Spanish ship Duque de Tetuan, Discoverer Enterprise, Spanish cruiser Don Antonio de Ulloa, Spanish destroyer Jose Luis Diez, Aratere, Spanish cruiser Don Juan de Austria, Spanish cruiser Aragon, Spanish destroyer Lepanto, Spanish transport Buenos Aires, Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII, Viking ADCC, Spanish cruiser Alfonso XIII, Alvaro de Bazan, List of submarines in the Spanish Navy, USS Elcano, Spanish cruiser Navarra, Spanish destroyer Sanchez Barcaiztegui, Almirante Juan de Borbon, Spanish cruiser Isabel II, Bark Marques, BAE Guayas, SS Castillo de Olite, Spanish destroyer Almirante Ferrandiz, Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, HSC...

Harbron attempts to disprove many beliefs about the ineptness of the commanders and the poor quality of equipment attributed to the Spanish at Trafalgar. While the author describes the history of Spanish ship building and design, the case that would prove the ships were well led is not made.