2nd Spanish Armada religion, Spanish intervention and not to make peace with Elizabeth. For the Spanish the strategy was simple – the war in Ireland would create a new front, hoping to draw English troops away from the fighting in the United Provinces, and from which the English would have to fight. In Spain's eyes, the English fighting on this new front was one they could not afford to do. Philip II placed great hope in the new Grand Armada that was being organised in Lisbon. There were fifteen galleons from Castile and nine from Portugal, 53 Flemish and German boats which had
Spanish Armada the anchored Armada to create panic) prevailed.". The expedition was the largest engagement of the undeclared Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604). The following year, England organised a similar large-scale campaign against Spain, the English Armada or "counter-Armada of 1589", which was also unsuccessful. The word "armada" is from the Spanish "armada", which is a cognate with English "army". Originally from the Latin "armāta", the past participle of "armāre" (to arm), used in Romance languages as a noun, for "armed force", "army", "navy", "fleet". "Armada Española" is still the Spanish term for the modern Spanish Navy. "Armada" (originally from its armadas) was also