Failure of the Second Spanish Expedition against England

Timeline

1. 1596–1597La Coruña · GaliciaAfter the sack of Cádiz, Philip II ordered the fleet rebuilt in Galicia, planning to land in southern England while simultaneously supporting Gaelic leaders such as O'Neill in western Ireland, forming a two-pronged pincer against Elizabeth I. However, financial constraints, slow shipbuilding, and shortages of supplies repeatedly delayed the departure until the autumn of 1597.
2. 1597Bay of Biscay · Atlantic OceanThe Spanish fleet, led by commanders including Martín de Padilla, sailed out of La Coruña but encountered violent storms in the Bay of Biscay. Ships were blown apart, many warships lost contact or were forced to return, the expedition command could not maintain a unified formation, and the invasion plan collapsed before ever meeting the enemy.
3. 1597–1598West coast of Ireland · IrelandSome Spanish ships were blown onto the west coast of Ireland and ran aground, where surviving sailors were captured or executed by local soldiers and civilians. Irish anti-English forces failed to receive the expected arms and reinforcements, and the Second Armada, like that of 1588, was defeated by sea conditions. Spain thereafter no longer organized large-scale cross-channel invasions, and the Anglo-Spanish War entered a phase of privateering and colonial rivalry.