- published: 05 Jun 2015
- views: 29618
The Spanish Navy (Spanish: Armada Española) 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 from the Far East to America across the Pacific Ocean (Urdaneta's route). For three centuries the Spanish Navy played a crucial defensive and logistical role within the Spanish Empire. It formed part of a vast trade network that sailed the Pacific from Asia to America and the Atlantic from America to Europe escorting the galleon convoys. The Spanish Navy was the most powerful maritime force in the world in the 16th and early 17th centuries. After a gradual decline in the second half of the 17th century, it was revived following the Spanish War of Succession and for much of the 18th century was the third strongest in the world.
As of 1987, the Armada had 47,300 personnel, including Marines, of which about 34,000 were conscripted. In 2002 all branches of the Spanish armed forces were professionalized. The main bases of the Spanish Navy are located in Rota, El Ferrol, San Fernando and Cartagena.
(Vincent Bryan, Irving Berlin and Ted Snyder)
[1st verse:]
Love, never dying, love, ever sighing
Love, undenying love
Love, ever yearning, love, ever burning
Sweet fire from above
Love's mighty flame to my lonely heart came
'Tis a flame that will burn there forever evermore
Heaven above never knew greater love
Than the dear Spanish love I adore
[Refrain:]
Spanish love
Love that burns while it's chilling me
Thro' and thro' it is thrilling me
I would die for you willingly
Spanish love
With it's fire is instilling me
Flames of passion are filling me
Burning love that is killing me
[2nd verse:]
Dear one that I love, you shall be my love
Through all eternity
Time cannot change me, naught can estrange me
My king you'll ever be
Make me your own, let my heart be your throne
You will reign there alone, dear, forever and for aye
While time endures all my soul shall be yours
As I bow to your love's mighty sway