Desperata Ferro

Whilst Sue and I were in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, she wanted to visit a tabac to buy some cigarettes. As there was a very high step up into the shop, I decided to stay outside and browse the magazines that were on sale at a small newspaper kiosk.

Whilst I was standing there looking, the owner - who spoke excellent English - asked me if I was looking for anything in particular, and when I replied that I was interested in wargaming and military history, he suggested that I ought to have a look at a very glossy magazine entitled DESPERTA FERRO*: HISTORIA MILITAR Y POLITICO DEL MUNDO MODERNO, SIGLOS XVI - XIX (which translates into English as AWAKE IRON: MILITARY AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD, 16TH-19TH CENTURIES).

I bought the latest issue (No.79) which was entitled CONTRAARMADA: EL CONTRAATTAQUE INGLÉS 1589 which was devoted to the story of England's disastrous post-Spanish Armada attack on Spain in 1589.

The magazine contained the following articles:

• El interludio de la Contraarmada (The interlude of the Counter Armada) by Porfirio Sans Camañes
• "Nuestro sencilla flota de barcos pesqueros": Finanzas, hombres y recursos de la Contraarmada ("Our simple fleet of fishing boats": Finances, men and resources of the Counterfleet) by Phillip Williams
• La Monarquía Hispánica frente a la Contraarmada (The Spanish Monarchy against the Counter-Armada) by Guillermo Nicieza Forcelledo
• La defensa de La Coruña (The defence of La Coruña) by Maria del Carmen Saavedra Vázquez
• La red de espionaje naval de Felipe II (Philip II's naval espionage network) by Guillermo Nicieza Forcelledo
• El desembaro inglés en Peniche y la defensa de Lisbon (The English landing in Peniche and the defense of Lisbon) by Augusto Salgado
• La retirada de la Contraarmada (The retreat of the Counter-Armada) by Alberto Raúl Esteban Ribas
• Los Doce Apóstoles: El rearme naval español (The Twelve Apostles: The Spanish naval rearmament) by José L Casabán

The magazine is printed on heavy, glossy paper, and this issue includes numerous colour illustrations and seven detailed maps.

I wish that there was an English language edition of this magazine or a similar English publication that was available for sale online or in High Street outlets. I’m sure that it would sell well.

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DESPERTA FERRO is published by Desperta Ferro Ediciones SLNE, Paseo del Prado, 12 – 1.°dcha, 28014 Madrid, and costs 7.50 Euros (approximately £6.60).

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* Desperta Ferro! (Awake Iron!) was an Medieval Aragonese battle cry used by the Almogavars. These were light infantry raised from the farmers and shepherds who lived in the countryside, woods, and frontier mountain areas of Aragon and then – somewhat later – from Catalonia, Castile, Valencia, and Portugal.