During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, English seafarers were often involved in attacks on Spanish treasure ships and on trading settlements in the Americas. These were carried out with Queen Elizabeth I’s encouragement, in an attempt to weaken the power of Spain rather than capture the empire. England’s main concern was the threat of invasion by Spain, and after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, England could feel secure. Gradually England started to look to expand her own empire in North America, leaving South America to Spain and Portugal.