As preparation for the Enterprise of England, Parma moved against Ostend and Sluis and captured Sluis in August 1587. Elizabeth's underfunded, underprepared, and poorly equipped garrison contributed to that success. This uneven land effort contrasted with the crown's more reliable naval power and experienced fleet leadership. Oliver Cromwell and George Monck appear as later English exceptions to the shortage of dependable army commanders. England's defense therefore depended heavily on stopping the invasion at sea rather than trusting an equally mature army establishment.
Notable Point · 44:54-46:19
The fall of Sluis exposed England's weak land effort
Parma's capture of Sluis showed the danger of England's underfunded garrisons and its shortage of dependable army commanders.