Museum buys rare hand-drawn maps of Spanish Armada to keep them in England

One of "Armada Maps" is seen at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, Britain. Photo: Reuters

A set of 10 hand-drawn, 16th century maps showing the progress of the Spanish Armada that attacked England in 1588, an event that shaped national identity, will remain in Britain after a museum raised £600,000 pounds (RM3.4mil) to buy them.

The ink and watercolour maps, thought to be the earliest surviving images of the battles between the fleets of Queen Elizabeth I of England and of Philip II of Spain, had been at risk of export after a private sale last year.