The 3rd Spanish Armada also known as the Spanish Armada of 1597 was a major naval event that took place between October and November 1597 as part of the Anglo–Spanish War. The armada, which was the third attempt by Spain to invade or raid the British Isles during the war, was ordered by King Philip II of Spain in revenge for the English attack on Cadiz following the failure of the 2nd Spanish Armada months before due to a storm. The Armada was executed by the Adelantado; Martín de Padilla who was hoping to intercept and destroy the returning English fleet under Robert Devereux the 2nd Earl of Essex from the failed Azores expedition. When this was achieved the armada would go on to capture either the important port of Falmouth or Milford Haven and use those places as a base for invasion.