Azores Voyage of 1589

By virtue of the Iberian Union, the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373 was in abeyance, and as the Anglo–Spanish War was still ongoing, Portuguese shipping was a fair target for the Royal Navy. As a result, the Azores and the Cape Verde islands were also subject to attack – this was partly due to the influx of Spanish traders to the islands as a result of the Union but also a place for the Spanish treasure galleons to replenish for victuals before the final leg of their journey to Spain. With the English Armada being organised at the same time, a breakaway expedition to the Azores was also authorised by Queen Elizabeth I. George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, was put in command of a private venture of which he set up a number of ships which included the Victory, Meg, Margaret, a caravel and two other support vessels. William Monson, a 20 year old at the time, was second in command as captain of the Margaret. Cumberland set off on 18 June 1589 from Plymouth and headed to the coast of Spain. ==Expedition==

On his approach to the Spanish coast Cumberland's ships seized a number of French Catholic League and Flemish vessels with Newfoundland fish stock to the value of £4,500 which were bound to a rich merchant in Lisbon. Cumberland sailed on and reached the Azores islands on 1 August and then positioned themselves where they awaited the passage of the galleons from Spanish America. Within a few days Cumberland then decided to attack the group of islands for supplies and any ships that were there. He was assisted by another English ship, the Barke of Lyme, which was one of Sir Walter Raleigh's vessels commanded by Captain Marksburie which happened to be in those parts. An attempt on a large heavily armed Portuguese carrack failed which then managed to escape. Another, a Portuguese carrack, however, which had come from Malacca and India, was captured when the English sailors boarded her. Overall seven ships were captured and these included the Spanish ships Nuestra Señora del Loreto, San Juan, El Espiritu Sanctu, and the San Cristobal coming from Spanish America. From two Portuguese ships Cumberland took cargoes of elephants teeth, grain, coconuts, and Guinean goat skins. Faial On 6 September 1589 the English fleet arrived off Horta harbour in Faial. After gathering booty the fleet sailed to the nearby island of Graciosa whereby an attack was then made. Throwing rocks from the cliffs, the Portuguese inflicted casualties, disorder, and confusion, eventually causing the English to desist, retreating and leaving behind small boats, muskets, and cutlasses. Cumberland's men left to lick their wounds but not to be disheartened by this failure they then waited off Santa Maria in their ships. Within a few days they sighted an approaching vessel which was set upon and quickly captured – a Portuguese vessel of 110 tons bringing from Brazil 410 chests of sugar and a large quantity of Brazil wood. Two days later Victory caught sight of her, overhauled the ship battered her and then boarded her supported by the Meg. After a short bitter fight the galleon surrendered. The Captain was an Italian who had adventured 25,000 ducats in the expedition. The English explored their loot. Cumberland was surprised by what he saw: the vessel was loaded with hides, cochineal, and some chests of sugar, also with china dishes, plate, and silver. The remaining vessels now made for the coast of Spain. The fleet started for home, in expectation of being back before Christmas with their rich prizes. ==Cartographic voyage==

The expedition's route was the subject of the first map to be prepared by Edward Wright, a prominent English mathematician and cartographer. In 1599, ten years after the expedition, Wright created and published the first world map produced in England and the first to use the Mercator projection since Gerardus Mercator's original 1569 map. Together this was published in Certaine Errors in 1599. ==Aftermath==

With the general success of the expedition they returned to England, but on the way the fleet was struck by severe storms. Hunger and disease also took its toll on the fleet as well. On the Azores the fortresses were repaired and were reinforced, but they had insufficient artillery, so the military regiment could do little to prevent ships from off-loading their forces. This was the case in August 1597 when Walter Raleigh and his men attacked, sacked and set the village of Horta aflame, during the campaigns of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex during the Islands Voyage. The explorer John Davis joined and took part in the expedition. == References ==