The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada, was an attack fleet sent against Spain by Queen Elizabeth I of England that sailed on April 28, 1589, during the undeclared Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and the Eighty Years' War under Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris with three tasks: Destroy the battered Spanish Atlantic fleet, which was being repaired in ports of northern Spain Make a landing at Lisbon, Portugal and raise a revolt there against King Philip II (Philip I of Portugal) installing the pretender Dom António, Prior of Crato to the Portuguese throne Take the Azores if possible so as to establish a permanent base. The expedition ended in a heavy defeat and none of the objectives were achieved.R. O. Bucholz, Newton Key. Early modern England 1485–1714: a narrative history (John Wiley and Sons, 2009). p. 145 Dozens of ships were lost, thousands of English soldiers and sailors died, and heavy economic losses were incurred, in a similar disaster to the Spanish Armada.John Hampden Francis Drake, privateer: contemporary narratives and documents (Taylor & Francis, 1972). p. 254Fernández Duro, Cesáreo (1972). Armada Española desde la Unión de los Reinos de Castilla y Aragón. (in Spanish) Museo Naval de Madrid, Instituto de Historia y Cultura Naval, Tomo III, Capítulo III. Madrid. p. 51 The attempt to restore the Portuguese Crown from Spain was unsuccessful, and the opportunity to strike a decisive blow against the weakened Spanish Navy was lost. The expedition resulted in very heavy losses in English lives and ships, and depleted the financial resources of England's treasury, which had been carefully restored during the long reign of Elizabeth I, Its failure was so embarrassing that, even today, England barely acknowledges it ever happened. Through this lost opportunity, Philip was able revive his navy the very next year, sending 37 ships with 6,420 men to Brittany where they established a base of operations on the Blavet river. The English and Dutch ultimately failed to disrupt the various fleets of the Indies despite the great number of military personnel mobilized every year. Thus, Spain remained the predominant power in Europe for several decades.J. H. Elliott. La Europa dividida (1559–1598) (in Spanish), Editorial Critica, 2002. p. 333
List of Squadron Commanders Sir Francis Drake, commander of the Squadron of the Revenge and admiral of the fleet Sir John Norris, commander of the Squadron of the Nonpareil and general of the army Thomas Fenner, vice-admiral and commander of the Squadron of the Dreadnought Edward Norris, John's brother, commander of the Squadron of the Foresight Roger Williams, commander of the Squadron of the Swiftsure
Composition of the fleet As recorded on the list of April 8 1589 o.s., there were Royal galleons, English armed merchantmen, Dutch flyboats, pinnaces and other ships for a total of 180 vessels broken down thusly: AssignmentShips Troops and mariners 115 Baggage 33 Horses 10 Victuals 10 Munitions 2 Support 3 Pioneers 7 The list of April 9 o.s. names 84 ships divided amongst five squadrons each with "near about 15 flyboats", which would give a total of about 160. However, in the payment list of September 5, 1589 o.s. naming 102 ships that returned, there are 33 ships named that were not on the April 9 o.s. list. Those 33 ships were not flyboats hence they should be added to the 160 from the April 9 o.s. list. With expectations of sizable profit and this expedition being mostly commercial, and last minute additions being made up until the fleet sailed on April 28, one cannot really give a precise total number of ships but at least 193 can be documented. Nevertheless, what is rather telling is a February 15, 1591 o.s. notice to the Lord High Treasurer of England, Burghley, wherein the number of vessels was "180 and other ships". It's not outside the realm of possibility that the number "reached nearly two hundred sail." Furthermore, of the 84 ships on the April 9 o.s. list that set sail, only 69 appear on the September 5 o.s. list, thus, according to Wernham, 17 ships were lost. But the number of those not listed and failed to return is unknown. In addition to the 69 that are known to have sailed and returned, another 33 returned with them; most of them medium sized. Considering the number of boats that sailed, many of them small, it must be the case that the losses among these small boats was extremely high. So, without any more precise information, a figure of 70-90 ships lost does not seem exaggerated. ComplementMen Soldiers 17,390 Cavalrymen 95 English mariners 3,200 Dutch mariners 900 Pioneers 295 Ship captains, officers and servants 1,500 Total 23,375 In the April 8 o.s. list, there were two different figures recorded for the number of men participating in the expedition. The first, 23,375, is what most historians and authors have used however at the end of this document, the total number of men had increased to 27,667. A critical analysis of the document reveals the figure of 23,375 is illusory, especially when below the signatures of Drake and Norris, and the confirmation of the Lord High Treasurer Burghley, there is the postscript: Signed J. Norris, F. Drake. Endorsed by Burghley as 8 April 1589. The numbers of men for the army and of ships and of foot at end in his hand 27,667. The September 5 o.s. payment list goes on to state that 3,722 men survived of which 1,042 received some pay.
Ships of the Squadrons The fleet was divided into five squadrons as listed below. Each squadron included fifteen (15) flyboats which were not named in any of the known lists.
Squadron of The Revenge The "first" squadron consisting of seventeen named ships and fifteen flyboats led by admiral Francis Drake on the flagship Revenge. NameHome PortTonsCaptainSurvivorsFateNote Revenge Her Majesty's 500 Francis Drake 200 Ship returned home 56 men received their payThe Revenge served against the 1588 Armada. Tiger London 200 Captain John Young 60 Ship returned home 36 men received their payThe Tiger, formerly Sea Dragon, served against the 1588 Armada.John Young served against the 1588 Armada. Bark Reynolds London200 Reynold Goldingham60 Ship returned home 9 men received their pay Prudence Portsmouth 200 Captain Riddelsden 60 Ship returned home 44 men received their payThe Prudence served against the 1588 Armada. Veyntyard (Vynearde, Vineyard) London 180 Captain Dale 40 Ship returned home 28 men received their payThe Vineyard served against the 1588 Armada.Captain Dale served against the 1588 Armada. Gift of God Harwich 160 Captain Troughton 50 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay Daniel Yarmouth 190 Captain Christopher Piggot 24 Ship returned home None of the men received their payThe Daniel served against the 1588 Armada.Christopher Piggot served against the 1588 Armada. Centurion London 260 John Fisher 60 Ship returned home 39 men received their payThe Centurion served against the 1588 Armada.John Fisher served against the 1588 Armada. Thomas Plymouth 150 Captain MartinLost Gift Dover 72 Captain NealeLost Primrose Portsmouth 140 Captain Weynold 30 Ship returned home None of the men received their payCaptain Weynold served against the 1588 Armada. Manuel (Emmanuel) Dartmouth 120 Captain Wilson Lost Mayflower Bricklersea 100 Captain Bringborne 16 Ship returned home 1 man received his pay The Mayflower served against the 1588 Armada. Diana Hampton 90 Captain Webbe Lost Greyhound Plymouth 40 Captain Crockeham 16 Ship returned home 17 men received their pay Advice Her Majesty's 50 Samuel Foxcroft 20 Ship returned home 17 men received their pay The Advice served against the 1588 Armada.Samuel Foxcroft served against the 1588 Armada. Susan Aldeburgh 140 Captain Clifford 30 Ship returned home 17 men received their pay 15 Flyboats NA NA NA MIA No record of their return
Squadron of the Nonpareil Seventeen ships and fifteen flyboats led by general of the army John Norris. NameHome PortTonsCaptainSurvivorsFateNote Nonpareil Her Majesty's 500 Captain Sackville 200 Ship returned home 68 men received their pay Formerly called the Philip & Mary, the Nonpareil served against the 1588 Armada. Samaritian London 200 Captain Lylley 40 Ship returned home 11 men received their pay Roger and Catherine Newcastle 100 Captain Fowler 20 Ship returned home 1 man received his pay James Ipswitch 180 Captain Bynder 20 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay William Ipswitch 160 Captain Boyer 16 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay The William of Ipswitch served against the 1588 Armada. Mayflower Yarmouth 190 Captain Bringborne 30 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay Golden Nobel London 240 Captain Adam Seager 60 Ship returned home 27 men received their pay The Golden Nobel served against the 1588 Armada.Adam Seager served against the 1588 Armada. Fortune Plymouth 150 Captain Williams Lost Mary Jarman Lynn 100 Captain Bailey 30 Ship returned home 5 men received their pay Godspeed Hampton 140 Captain Cotton Lost Gift of God Hampton 120 Captain Richeman Lost William Lynn 72 Captain Barthridge Lost Golden Hind London 50 Captain William Adams Lost This is not the same Golden Hind that Drake used to circumnavigate the world, it was on exhibition in Deptford at the time.The Golden Hind served against the 1588 Armada.William Adams served against the 1588 Armada. Phoenix Dartmouth 100 Captain Champernon Lost The Phoenix served against the 1588 Armada. Red Lion Ipswitch 160 Captain West 16 Ship returned home 1 man received his pay The Red Lion served against the 1588 Armada. Gregory London 180 Captain Ambrose Mannington 40 Ship returned home 17 men received their pay Ambrose Mannington served against the 1588 Armada. The Bark Taylor London 150 NA 30 Ship returned home 10 men received their pay 15 Flyboats NA NA NA MIA No record of their return
Squadron of the Dreadnought Seventeen ships and fifteen flyboats led by captain Thomas Fenner, vice-admiral. NameHome PortTonsCaptainSurvivorsFateNote Dreadnought Her Majesty's 400 Captain Thomas Fenner 160 Ship returned home 24 men received their pay The Dreadnought served against the 1588 Armada.Thomas Fenner served against the 1588 Armada. Edward Bonaventure London 300 Captain Thomas Baker 100 Ship returned home 46 men received their pay The Edward Bonaventure served against the 1588 Armada. Toby Harwich 200 Captain John Cordinall 40 Ship returned home 9 men received their pay John Cordinall served against the 1588 Armada. Tiger Plymouth 200 Captain William Hawkins 50 Ship returned home 9 men received their pay Sir William Hawkins served against the 1588 Armada. Pelican Aldeburgh 180 Captain Appleton 30 Ship returned home 6 men received their pay William Wells 160 Captain Madeley 16 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay Crescent Dartmouth 190 Captain Gifford Lost The Crescent served against the 1588 Armada. Salomon London 210 Captain James Lancaster 58 Ship returned home 47 men received their pay The Salomon, a.k.a. Salmon, served against the 1588 Armada.James Lancaster served against the 1588 Armada. Susanne Blackeney 130 Captain Whitehand 25 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay Bartholomew Exmouth 140 Captain Rainsford Lost The Bartholomew served against the 1588 Armada. William and Joan Lynn 130 Captain Kelly 30 Ship returned home 4 men received their pay Antelope Plymouth 120 Captain Haulse 24 Ship returned home 23 men received their pay Captain Haulse served against the 1588 Armada. Nightingale Plymouth 120 Captain Triggs Lost The Nightingale served against the 1588 Armada. White Lion Bristol 100 Captain Horwell 29 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay The White Lion served against the 1588 Armada. Relief Portsmouth 80 NA Lost Mary Katherine Ipswitch 150 NA 16 Ship returned home None of the men received their pay Tiger Lee 140 Captain Jobson 30 Ship returned home