After the Marquis of Santa Cruz died, the Duke of Medina Sidonia inherited an operational system designed by someone else. Medina Sidonia's strength was high-level administration rather than fleet operations. Bringing him into the Armada organization earlier could have relieved some of Santa Cruz's workload while teaching Medina Sidonia how the expedition functioned. That preparation might even have reduced the strain on Santa Cruz before his fatal illness. If succession still became necessary, Medina Sidonia would then have assumed command with knowledge of the fleet, its logistics, and its working relationships.
Chapter · 21:25-23:04
Medina Sidonia's administrative strengths and Armada command
The Spanish Armada commander is recast as a capable administrator who should have helped build the expedition before being asked to lead it.