Editing Walter Raleigh (section)

==1596–1603==
[[File:WalterRaleighandson.jpg|thumb|Raleigh and his son Walter in 1602]]
In 1596, Raleigh took part in the [[capture of Cádiz]], where he was wounded. He also served as the rear admiral (a principal command) of the [[Islands Voyage]] to the [[Azores]] in 1597.{{sfn|May|1989|p=16}} On his return from the Azores, Raleigh helped England defend itself against the major threat of the [[3rd Spanish Armada]] during the autumn of 1597. The Armada was dispersed in the Channel and later was devastated by a storm off Ireland. [[Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham|Lord Howard of Effingham]] and Raleigh were able to organise a fleet that resulted in the capture of a Spanish ship in retreat carrying vital information regarding the Spanish plans.

In 1597 Raleigh was chosen as member of parliament for [[Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)|Dorset]] and in 1601 for [[Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)|Cornwall]].{{sfn|Laughton|Lee|1896}} He was unique in the Elizabethan period in sitting for three counties.{{sfn|Nicholls|Williams|2004}}

From 1600 to 1603, as governor of the [[Channel Island]] of [[Jersey]], Raleigh modernised its defences. This included the construction of a new fort protecting the approaches to [[Saint Helier]], Fort Isabella Bellissima, or [[Elizabeth Castle]].<ref>Stevens, Joan. Elizabeth Castle and the Defences of Jersey. Jersey: Société Jersiaise, 1977, pp. 15–18.</ref>