Launched in 1587 for the Armada, Nuestra Señora del Rosario was a new, heavily armed thousand-ton galleon carrying roughly 360 crew and troops. Her size, cannon, and sail power made her one of the expedition's strongest new ships. That quality made her a natural flagship for Don Pedro de Valdés. She suffered collision damage only eighteen days after leaving A Coruña, evidence that officers and crew could still have trouble handling a strong but unfamiliar vessel.
Chapter · 31:11-32:50
Nuestra Señora del Rosario enters the Armada
The new thousand-ton Rosario became a flagship, but an early collision exposed the handling risks of an unfamiliar ship.