The English Armada, also called the Counter Armada or the Drake-Norris Expedition, was an English fleet sent against Spain in retribution for the dispatch of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Following the destruction of the Spanish Navy off the British Isles, Queen Elizabeth I of England decided to capitalize upon Spain's temporary weakness and compel King Philip II of Spain to negotiate for peace. William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley determined that there were three objectives for the armada: to destroy the battered Spanish Atlantic fleet, make a landing at Lisbon and raise a revolt there in support of the Prior of Crato (who, in turn, would make Portugal and its overseas dominions protectorates of England), and continue west and establish a permanent base in the Azores. The English fleet was also to seize the Spanish treasure fleet as it returned from the Americas to Cadiz, an objective only possible with the capture of the Azores. The attack would also break the trade embargo imposed across the Portuguese Empire and free up trade routes to those possessions.
While the English admirals Francis Drake and John Norris were ordered to attack the surviving Spanish galleons at Santander, Drake opted to attack the less-fortified port of Coruna instead. However, 25 ships with 3,000 men deserted as the Dutch contingent in the English Armada found reasons to desert to England or put into La Rochelle. The English proceeded with their attack on Coruna, defended by Juan Pacheco de Toledo and Alvaro Troncoso and a garrison of 1,200 militia, hidalgos, and soldiers. On 4 May 1589, the English disembarked and captured the lower town, inflicting 500 casualties and destroying 2 warships and 13 merchant ships in the harbor. The English proceeded to besiege the fortified upper town, but the women of Coruna built a solid embankment behind their fortification, and the woman Maria Pita used a pike to slay an Englishman who had killed her husband. A Spanish attempt to reinforce the garrison was repelled with heavy losses. However, the Spanish warships Princesa and Diana were able to escape, and the approach of a fresh Spanish relief force persuaded Norris and Drake to leave Coruna and head for Lisbon. The English left behind 1,500 casualties at Coruna.
Drake arrived at Peniche on 26 May, and Norris stationed 500 men and 6 ships at Peniche before the English began their long march to Lisbon on 28 May. The English soldiers defied orders to not disturb the inhabitants, engaging in housebreaking and pillaging once they were clear of their landing zone. While the Prior of Crato was crowned King of Portugal at Peniche, he failed to rouse popular support due to his foreign backing. The English dug trenches around Lisbon, but they denied the Spanish battle until Spanish soldiers posing as Portuguese defectors launched a surprise attack on John Sampson's camp, ultimately being forced to retreat. However, the English besiegers starved as they rested, as they found the weather too hot and exhausting, many men were weak from hunger, sick, and injured, and many soldiers needed to be carried on baggage mules and stretchers made from pikes. The English attacked the western side of Lisbon's city wall on 3 June, but they were forced to withdraw to their trenches after the locals refused to rise up; they suffered heavy losses from marksmen and Alonso de Bazan's galleries. The Spanish proceeded to counterattack, with Archduke Alberto leading 1,100 troops to break through six English trenches. As the Iberians encroached on the besieged besiegers, however, the Spanish cavalry had no room to maneuver in the narrow streets of Saldana, and many horsemen fell to English fire. The cavalry withdrew hastily, trampling several of their own soldiers, and the Spanish were forced to withdraw into Lisbon. Having lost 200 men to the Spaniards' 25, Norris withdrew to Cascais on 5 June. The Spanish galleons bombarded the retreating Spaniards as Spanish soldiers pursued the English, inflicting 500 losses during their retreat. On 7 June, the Spanish came up against the English trenches at Cascais, ignoring the Duke of Essex's challenge to open combat. On 11 June 1588, the English received the surrender of Cascais' castle, as Captain Francisco de Cardenas believed that Lisbon had fallen. He was later beheaded by his superiors for this mistake.
On 15 June 1588, the English decided to renew the siege of Lisbon, but King Philip's Secretary of War Martin de Padilla y Manrique reinforced the city. Queen Elizabeth sent a letter of rebuke to Drake for not attacking Santander and allowing Essex to tag along, and Drake decided to withdraw. On the night of 20 June, the Spanish galleys rowed into the midst of English straggling vessels, surprising them and sinking 5-7 English vessels. The English garrison at Peniche was attacked by the Spanish cavalry on 22 June before they could leave by boat, inflicting 300 losses. The Spanish recapture of Peniche's artillery enabled the Iberians to repel Drake's fleet as it neared the coast. Adverse weather pushed the English fleet away from the Azores and back towards the Portuguese coast, and, when they attempted an attack on Vigo on 30 June, they found the city abandoned. The English refilled their water casks before attempting to return to their ships, only for the Spanish to ambush them on 1 July and kill hundreds.
Drake reached Plymouth on 10 July, followed by Norris and Essex on 13 July. The English commanders covered up the extent of the disaster and attempted to spin it into a triumph, and Queen Elizabeth celebrated the "happy success" of the expedition. However, an anonymous soldier published an account of the expedition that revealed the utter failure of the campaign. The returning English sailors also spread disease among the port town populations in England, killing 400 people in Plymouth within the first few weeks; the English were forced to ban access to London by expedition participants. Only 17 English ships returned from the expedition, meaning that 40 English ships had been sunk, scuttled, captured, or lost at Coruna, Lisbon, and during the English retreat.