España class battleship
Encyclopedia
The España class was a series of three dreadnought
battleships. They were the first and last dreadnoughts built in Spain, the only dreadnoughts ever operated by the Spanish Navy
, and the smallest dreadnoughts ever built.
of 1898, Spain lacked the money to rebuild its navy, so it was not until the Navy Law of 7 January 1908 that a new program authorizing three new battleships (España
, Alfonso XIII
, and Jaime I
), along with other ships, was passed. The delay enabled Spain to take advantage of experience gained by Britain with the world's first commissioned dreadnought, Dreadnought
, and by the United States with its first dreadnought, USS South Carolina
. As Spain was incapable of building the España class herself, Armstrong
s were contracted for the design and John Brown
for the construction of the shipyard and ships themselves.
In order to avoid rebuilding existing docks, the units of the España class were constructed with a shorter hull
than a purely rational design required, and they were the smallest dreadnought-type battleships ever built. Freeboard amidships was only 15 feet (4.6 m), and the main battery guns were 24 feet 6 inches (7.5 m) above the waterline.
The vessels had a single stack
amidships, two tripod mast
s, and small superstructure
.
Their main armament was eight 12-inch (305 mm) guns, each weighing 67.1 tons, firing an 850-pound (385 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
of 2950 ft/s (902 m/s) with a maximum range of 23,500 yards (21,500 m), at a rate of fire of one round per minute. These guns were housed in four twin turret
s, arranged with "A" and "Y" on the centerline, the others en echelon on the wings, similar to the British Invincible class battlecruiser
s ("B" to starboard, "Q" to port). This was done in preference to superimposed turrets (as in the South Carolinas), to save weight and cost. In June 1914, España first tested her main battery, demonstrating she was able to fire a full broadside of all eight rifles, and (unusually) employ six guns in pursuit or retirement. The secondary battery was poorly laid out in casemates along the hull too close to the waterline. Such heavy armament in a small-displacement battleship, however, result in a tiny armour protection and low speed.
Although the lead unit, España, was built in less than four years, her sisters, and particularly the third unit, Jaime I, were held up by a lack of materials from Britain as a result of the outbreak of World War I
.)
Built for coast defense and national pride more than for combat, the España class provided Spain with formidable ships at reasonable cost. Unfortunately, due to rapid technological change at the time and lengthy delays in completion of the later units of the class, the España class was obsolescent before completion.
. The ships saw active service, including action against Rif insurgents
in Morocco
, during which one was wrecked. The two survivors fought on opposite sides in the Spanish Civil War
, and both were lost during that conflict.
was the lead unit, the first dreadnought ever built in Spain, and was constructed along with the new shipyard in which she took shape. Laid down on 6 December 1909 and launched on 5 February 1912, she was completed on 23 October 1913. She visited Chile
, becoming the first Spanish Navy ship to transit the Panama Canal
during the voyage. Her only overseas combat service was in Morocco
in the Rif War
in the early 1920s, during which she ran aground and was wrecked on 26 August 1923.
, Alfonso XIII
was laid down on 23 February 1910, launched on 7 May 1913, and completed on 16 August 1915. After the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII, she was renamed España in April 1931. By 1934 she was laid up at Ferrol awaiting disposal, but was refitted in 1936 and fought on the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War
. España, along with the cruiser Almirante Cervera
, was a key player during the Nationalist blockade on the Republican ports in northern Spain, specially Bilbao
. She struck a Nationalist mine and sank off Cape Peñas
, near Santander
, on 30 April 1937.
, Jaime I
was laid down on 5 February 1912 and launched on 21 September 1914. The onset of World War I
in August 1914 meant a shortage of materials for her construction from the United Kingdom
, and she was not completed until 20 December 1921, by which time her design was quite obsolescent. She saw action against Rif
insurgents in Morocco
in the early 1920s. She was on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War
. She shelled a number of rebel ports, among them Ceuta
, Melilla
and Algeciras
. In Algeciras she hit the Nationalist gunboat Dato, which was burned down to the waterline. After enduring a number of air attacks, Jaime I was eventually wrecked while docked for repairs at Cartagena
on 17 June 1937. The cause of her loss was a magazine explosion and subsequent fire, apparently due to sabotage.
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
battleships. They were the first and last dreadnoughts built in Spain, the only dreadnoughts ever operated by the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
, and the smallest dreadnoughts ever built.
Description
Following disastrous losses in the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
of 1898, Spain lacked the money to rebuild its navy, so it was not until the Navy Law of 7 January 1908 that a new program authorizing three new battleships (España
Spanish battleship España (1912)
España was a Spanish dreadnought-type battleship, lead ship of the España-class, in service from 1913 until she was broken up after running aground in 1924...
, Alfonso XIII
Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1915 to 1937. She was renamed España in 1931 for her sister ship, an earlier battleship España that served in the Spanish fleet from 1913 to 1923.-Technical...
, and Jaime I
Spanish battleship Jaime I
Jaime I was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1921 to 1937.-Technical Characteristics:...
), along with other ships, was passed. The delay enabled Spain to take advantage of experience gained by Britain with the world's first commissioned dreadnought, Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought (1906)
HMS Dreadnought was a battleship of the British Royal Navy that revolutionised naval power. Her entry into service in 1906 represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts", as well as the class of...
, and by the United States with its first dreadnought, USS South Carolina
South Carolina class battleship
The United States Navy's South Carolina class consisted of two battleships: and , both of which were launched in 1908. These were among the first warships built with armament organized on the "all-big gun" and the first American battleships of the type...
. As Spain was incapable of building the España class herself, Armstrong
Armstrong
- Places :* Armstrong Creek , various placesArgentina* Armstrong, Santa FeAustralia* Armstrong, VictoriaCanada* Armstrong, British Columbia* Armstrong, Ontario* Armstrong, Thunder Bay District, OntarioUnited States...
s were contracted for the design and John Brown
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
for the construction of the shipyard and ships themselves.
In order to avoid rebuilding existing docks, the units of the España class were constructed with a shorter hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
than a purely rational design required, and they were the smallest dreadnought-type battleships ever built. Freeboard amidships was only 15 feet (4.6 m), and the main battery guns were 24 feet 6 inches (7.5 m) above the waterline.
The vessels had a single stack
Stack
-Mathematics:* Stack , general category-theoretical concept to formalise "pull-back" operations in geometry and algebra* Algebraic stack, a generalisation of scheme and algebraic space in algebraic geometry; a specific type of the above-Computers:...
amidships, two tripod mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
s, and small superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
.
Their main armament was eight 12-inch (305 mm) guns, each weighing 67.1 tons, firing an 850-pound (385 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of 2950 ft/s (902 m/s) with a maximum range of 23,500 yards (21,500 m), at a rate of fire of one round per minute. These guns were housed in four twin turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s, arranged with "A" and "Y" on the centerline, the others en echelon on the wings, similar to the British Invincible class battlecruiser
Invincible class battlecruiser
The three Invincible class battlecruisers were built for the Royal Navy and entered service in 1908 as the world's first battlecruisers. They were the brainchild of Admiral Sir John Fisher, the man who had sponsored the construction of the world's first "all big gun" warship,...
s ("B" to starboard, "Q" to port). This was done in preference to superimposed turrets (as in the South Carolinas), to save weight and cost. In June 1914, España first tested her main battery, demonstrating she was able to fire a full broadside of all eight rifles, and (unusually) employ six guns in pursuit or retirement. The secondary battery was poorly laid out in casemates along the hull too close to the waterline. Such heavy armament in a small-displacement battleship, however, result in a tiny armour protection and low speed.
Although the lead unit, España, was built in less than four years, her sisters, and particularly the third unit, Jaime I, were held up by a lack of materials from Britain as a result of the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.)
Built for coast defense and national pride more than for combat, the España class provided Spain with formidable ships at reasonable cost. Unfortunately, due to rapid technological change at the time and lengthy delays in completion of the later units of the class, the España class was obsolescent before completion.
History
The class had a lengthy construction period of twelve years, thanks to delays in the construction of the third unit caused by materials shortages during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The ships saw active service, including action against Rif insurgents
Rif War
The Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif Berbers.-Rifian forces:...
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, during which one was wrecked. The two survivors fought on opposite sides in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, and both were lost during that conflict.
España
Named for her country, EspañaSpanish battleship España (1912)
España was a Spanish dreadnought-type battleship, lead ship of the España-class, in service from 1913 until she was broken up after running aground in 1924...
was the lead unit, the first dreadnought ever built in Spain, and was constructed along with the new shipyard in which she took shape. Laid down on 6 December 1909 and launched on 5 February 1912, she was completed on 23 October 1913. She visited Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, becoming the first Spanish Navy ship to transit the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
during the voyage. Her only overseas combat service was in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
in the Rif War
Rif War (1920)
The Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif Berbers.-Rifian forces:...
in the early 1920s, during which she ran aground and was wrecked on 26 August 1923.
Alfonso XIII (later renamed España)
Named for the reigning King Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, Alfonso XIII
Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1915 to 1937. She was renamed España in 1931 for her sister ship, an earlier battleship España that served in the Spanish fleet from 1913 to 1923.-Technical...
was laid down on 23 February 1910, launched on 7 May 1913, and completed on 16 August 1915. After the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII, she was renamed España in April 1931. By 1934 she was laid up at Ferrol awaiting disposal, but was refitted in 1936 and fought on the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. España, along with the cruiser Almirante Cervera
Spanish cruiser Almirante Cervera
Almirante Cervera was a light cruiser of the Cervera class of the Spanish Navy. She was named after the Spanish admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete, commander of the Spanish naval forces in Cuba during the Spanish-American War...
, was a key player during the Nationalist blockade on the Republican ports in northern Spain, specially Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
. She struck a Nationalist mine and sank off Cape Peñas
Gozón
Gozón is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. The Cantabrian Sea lies on its northern edge, and it is bordered to the south by Corvera de Asturias, to the west by Avilés, and to the east by Carreño....
, near Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
, on 30 April 1937.
Jaime I
Named for James I of AragonJames I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
, Jaime I
Spanish battleship Jaime I
Jaime I was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1921 to 1937.-Technical Characteristics:...
was laid down on 5 February 1912 and launched on 21 September 1914. The onset of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in August 1914 meant a shortage of materials for her construction from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and she was not completed until 20 December 1921, by which time her design was quite obsolescent. She saw action against Rif
Rif
The Rif or Riff is a mainly mountainous region of northern Morocco, with some fertile plains, stretching from Cape Spartel and Tangier in the west to Ras Kebdana and the Melwiyya River in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the river of Wergha in the south.It is part of the...
insurgents in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
in the early 1920s. She was on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. She shelled a number of rebel ports, among them Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
, Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
and Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
. In Algeciras she hit the Nationalist gunboat Dato, which was burned down to the waterline. After enduring a number of air attacks, Jaime I was eventually wrecked while docked for repairs at Cartagena
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
on 17 June 1937. The cause of her loss was a magazine explosion and subsequent fire, apparently due to sabotage.
External links
- Haze Gray & Underway World Battleship Lists
- Buques de Guerra, a Spanish website about warships