page_title: 3rd Spanish Armada
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Spanish Armada / Aftermath
context_page_description: The 3rd Spanish Armada, also known as the Spanish Armada of 1597, was a major naval event that took place between October and November 1597 as part of the Anglo–Spanish War. The armada, which was the third attempt by Spain to invade or raid the British Isles during the war, was ordered by King Philip II of Spain in revenge for the English attack on Cadiz following the failure of the 2nd Spanish Armada the previous year due to a storm. The Armada was executed by the Adelantado, Martín de Padilla, who was hoping to intercept and destroy the English fleet under Robert Devereux the 2nd Earl of Essex as it returned from the failed Azores expedition. When this was achieved, the Armada would go on to capture either the important port of Falmouth or Milford Haven and use those places as a base for invasion.
  When the Spanish arrived in the English Channel, however, they were dispersed by a storm which scattered their fleet. Even so, some ships did push on and even landed troops on the English and Welsh coasts.
context_section_description: By the middle of November it was clear that the Spanish Armada invasion had obviously failed and some floating remains of Spanish ships were coming ashore on the English coast. The fleet, militias, and troops were kept on alert but it was realized that the danger had passed and were thus disbanded for winter quarters. Troops that had arrived from the continent either returned to Holland or France once the situation had abated.
  Overall seven ships and around 15 other vessels were sunk; six Spanish ships in total from the armada were captured by the English all over the South West of England and West Wales. Only one large galleon was lost, while a merchant hulk was captured by the French in which its 300 crew were imprisoned. In all between 1,500 and 2,000 troops, sailors, and civilians were lost, captured, or were sick to disease. A muster on 21 November put the number of ships at A Coruña at 108 vessels with many in need of repairs, while the entire fleet required new provisions, especially victuals. With these losses, the failure of the campaign ended any hope of making an attack for the remainder of the year. In addition the core of the English Catholics did not rise up in rebellion even when the Spanish fleet offshore was known to them, in fact many had even spoken out in support of fighting them. King Philip according to the Spanish commanders had more trust in God than in preparation; Padilla was so angered at the lack of preparation that he said to the Spanish King:
  If your majesty decides on an attempt on England, take care to make preparations in good quantity and in good time and if not then it is better to make peace.
  — Martín de Padilla to the King
  The Spanish king was distraught by the news and he knew there was no possibility a third armada could be attempted. He afterwards fell ill, went into a palsy, and shut himself away in his palace. Bonfires and processions all over Spain were lit in the hope of his health returning. Before he had been taken ill, Philip had decided that he only wanted peace. His health did not improve and he resultingly died the following year.
  For the English and in particular Queen Elizabeth it was more about luck as to how England had been saved. However she was displeased with Essex for the fact that the Azores expedition was a failure as well as leaving England's coastline defenceless. The English had obtained vital information from the captured Spanish ships and prisoners. They were able to learn what was happening; the objectives and overall strategy of the Spanish armada as a whole within a few days, whilst the ships were off the English and Welsh coasts. Howard on his return was rewarded soon after by the Queen and was created Earl of Nottingham.
  Lessons were learned however, in particular at Falmouth, where Mountjoy's consultant military engineer Paul Ivey was responsible for strengthening the castles at St Mawes and Pendennis. It was put into immediate effect - information from prisoners claimed that an invasion would be attempted the following summer but only if the taking of Falmouth or Milford had succeeded. This was confirmed by an English spy in Spain who commented on the Spanish confusion and misfortune in the aftermath but bragged about what they would do next Spring. Plymouth and Milford Haven's defences were also improved as well as militia units trained in the art of war. In all two companies of English foot soldiers from the Low countries had been in place in Cornwall, English troops from France on standby returned there to fight with Henry IV in Brittany at the closing of the Franco-Spanish war before the Peace of Vervins was signed.
  The Spanish would never again try a large naval armada directed at England. The cost had almost been ruinous to Spain and nearly bankrupted the country's finance again. It was not as bad as the previous years failure however since gold and silver bullion was still arriving in numbers from the Americas. The insurmountable debt rose and soon after the campaign there was a further arrangement to clear it.
  The failure of the Armada effec
caption: Philip II of Spain
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