When Elizabeth I ascended to the English throne in 1558, she rejected Philip II, Emperor of Spain, as a suitor. Thirty years later, he would lead a huge invasion force against her, seeking to depose Elizabeth and bring Protestant England back into the Catholic fold. It was a decision that would define them both, and change the future course of their respective countries. With exclusive access to a cache of 3,000 documents, including some written by Philip himself, this series journeys from the royal corridors of power, where two frail, aging monarchs fought hard to maintain control to the brutal reality of war and its tragic aftermath, offering fresh insight into a pivotal moment in European history. Armada: The Untold Story mixes authoritative documentary, world-class contributors, vivid drama reconstructions, and visceral in-the-moment battle scenes, brought to life with state-of-the art CGI to bring the key events of 1588 to life as never before.