he defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 is firmly embedded within English mythology. The ‘Virgin Queen’ Elizabeth I’s crowning military achievement established her realm as the ruler of the waves and began the nation’s journey towards becoming a global superpower. However, what is often forgotten is the underwhelming subsequent attack by the ‘English Armada’. In 1589, in an attempt to capitalise on the victory against the Spanish the previous year, Elizabeth and her advisors organised an ambitious naval campaign under the command of Sirthe remaining Spanish navy, most of which was being rebuilt on the Cantabrian Coast; take Lisbon and install António, Prior of Crato as king of Portugal; and capture the Azores Islands to help establish English control over Atlantic trade routes.
