Spanish Treasure Fleet: The Not-So-Treasured Fleet of Spain

The Spanish Treasure Fleet, a group of ships that carried valuable cargo and treasure from the New World to Spain, was anything but fortunate. This fleet brought tears, disappointment, and frustration to the Spanish empire.

The Treasure Fleet was a group of galleon ships that sailed yearly from as early as the 16th century. The ships were loaded with gold, silver, and precious stones mined from Latin America. It was said that the fleet was the pride of the Spanish empire, but their luck wasn’t quite something to brag about.

On July 31, 1715, while on a journey back to Spain, the fleet was caught in a hurricane and wrecked off the coast of Florida. The only beneficiaries of this disastrous event were the sea creatures and some lucky pirates. The Spanish were left empty-handed.

That was not the only misfortune that struck the fleet. In 1622, eleven of twelve ships sank off the coast of Key West, Florida. Pirates also proved to be a significant menace, for they preyed on the fleet and made it their primary target.

One particular pirate who gave the Spanish fleet a hard time was Sir Francis Drake, known for his top-notch piracy skills. He plundered many Spanish ships, and the Treasure Fleet was the most valuable. Drake’s technique was to quickly board his target and seize all that he could before fleeing. Later on, he would auction the loot off to the highest bidder.

In conclusion, the Spanish Treasure Fleet was no more treasured than the Pirate’s treasure. Throughout the years of 16th to the 18th century, the Spanish empire’s fleet was plagued by storms, sinkings, and of course, pirate raids. Some of the treasure was salvaged, but the majority remains hidden and lost at the bottom of the ocean floor. The fleet proved to be anything but lucky. So much for being the pride of the Spanish empire!