Jump to content

Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1641): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 37°01′30″N 8°59′40″W / 37.0250°N 8.9944°W / 37.0250; -8.9944
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Fix deprecated image syntax in infobox or other minor fixes using AWB
 
(29 intermediate revisions by 20 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|1641 naval battle of the Eighty Years' War}}
{{For|other battles in the same place|Battle of Cape St. Vincent (disambiguation){{!}}Battle of Cape St. Vincent}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict =Battle of Cape St. Vincent
| conflict = Battle of Cape St. Vincent
|partof =the [[Eighty Years' War]]
| partof = the [[Eighty Years' War]]
| image = Slag bij St Vincent 4 november 1641.jpg
| image = Slag bij St Vincent 4 november 1641.jpg
| image_size = 300
| image_size = 300
|caption =''Battle of Cape St. Vincent'', by Carel Christiaan Antony Last
| caption = ''Battle of Cape St. Vincent'',<br /> by {{ill|Carel Christiaan Antony Last|nl}}
|date =4 November 1641
| date = 4 November 1641
|place =Near [[Cape St. Vincent]], [[Portugal]]
| place = Near [[Cape St. Vincent]], [[Portugal]]
|coordinates =
| coordinates =
|map_type =
| map_type =
|latitude =
| latitude =
|longitude =
| longitude =
|map_size =
| map_size =
|map_marksize =
| map_marksize =
|map_caption =
| map_caption =
|map_label =
| map_label =
|territory =
| territory =
|result = Strategic Spanish victory
| result = Inconclusive
|status =
| status =
|combatant1 ={{flag|United Provinces|23px}}
| combatant1 = {{flag|United Provinces|23px}}
|combatant2 ={{flagicon|Spain|1506|23px}} [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Spain|1506}} [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]
|commander1 ={{flagicon|United Provinces|23px}} [[Artus Gijsels]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United Provinces}} [[Artus Gijsels]]
|commander2 ={{flagicon|Spain|1506|23px}} [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles|Juan Alonso Idiáquez]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Spain|1506}} [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles|Juan Alonso Idiáquez]]
|units1 =
| units1 =
|units2 =
| units2 =
|units3 =
| units3 =
|strength1 =20 warships
| strength1 = 20 warships
| strength2 = '''Total''': 24 warships <br /> 9 [[Galleon]]s <br /> 10 [[Dunkirkers|Dunkirk]] [[Man-of-war]]s <br /> 4 [[frigate]]s <br /> 1 [[Caravel]]
|strength2 =23 warships
|casualties1 =100-200 killed, 2 ships sunk<ref name="Prud’homme1">{{nl icon}}''R. Prud’homme van Reine, ''Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter'', p.49</ref>
| casualties1 = 100–200 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk<ref name="Prud’homme1">{{in lang|nl}}R. Prud’homme van Reine, ''Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter'', p.49</ref>
|casualties2 =1,100 killed, 2 ships sunk<ref name="Prud’homme1"/>
| casualties2 = 1,100 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk<ref name="Prud’homme1"/>
|notes =
| notes =
|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox Eighty Years' War}}
| campaignbox =
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Eighty Years' War}}
⚫
The '''Battle of Cape St Vincent of 1641''' took place on 4 November 1641 when a Spanish fleet commanded by Don [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles]] intercepted a Dutch fleet led by Artus Gijsels during the [[Eighty Years' War]]. After a fierce battle two Dutch ships were lost but the Dutch claimed only a hundred of their men were killed; the Spanish fleet also lost 2 ships but over a thousand dead. The damaged Dutch fleet was forced to abandon its planned attack on the [[Spanish treasure fleet]].
{{Campaignbox Thirty Years' War}}

⚫
The '''Battle of Cape St Vincent of 1641''' took place on 4 November 1641 when a Spanish fleet commanded by Don [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles]] intercepted a Dutch fleet led by Artus Gijsels during the [[Eighty Years' War]]. After a fierce battle two Dutch ships were lost but the Dutch claimed only a hundred of their men were killed; the Spanish fleet also lost two ships but over a thousand dead. The damaged Dutch fleet was forced to abandon its planned attack on the [[Spanish treasure fleet]].


== Background ==
== Background ==
In 1641, after the outbreak of the [[Portuguese Restoration War]], the Portuguese government, with Dutch and French help, prepared to start the offensive against Spain at sea.<ref name="Duro270">Fernández Duro p. 270</ref> Dom [[António Telles da Silva]], who had fought the Dutch in [[Portuguese India|India]], was designated commander of squadron of 16 ships, which along of another 30 of the [[Dutch Republic]] under Artus Gijsels, was entrusted the mission of capture and hold the Spanish towns of Cádiz and [[Sanlúcar de Barrameda|Sanlúcar]].<ref name="Duro270"/> The attempts failed thanks to the fortuitous encounter that they had with 5 [[Dunkirkers]] under Judocus Peeters, who was chasing a flotilla of [[Barbary Corsairs|Algerian privateers]], off Cape St. Vincent.<ref name="Duro270"/> Peeters managed to reach Cádiz without losing a single vessel and put on alert the Marquis of Ayamonte and Don [[Gaspar Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 9th Duke of Medina Sidonia]].<ref name="Duro271">Fernández Duro p. 271</ref>
In 1641, after the outbreak of the [[Portuguese Restoration War]], the Portuguese government, with Dutch and French help, prepared to start the offensive against Spain at sea.<ref name="Duro270">Fernández Duro p. 270</ref> Dom [[António Telles da Silva]], who had fought the Dutch in [[Portuguese India|India]], was designated commander of a squadron of 16 ships, which along with another 30 of the [[Dutch Republic]] under Artus Gijsels, was entrusted with the mission to capture and hold the Spanish towns of Cádiz and [[Sanlúcar de Barrameda|Sanlúcar]].<ref name="Duro270"/> The attempts failed thanks to the fortuitous encounter that they had with 5 [[Dunkirkers]] under Judocus Peeters, who was chasing a flotilla of [[Barbary Corsairs|Algerian privateers]], off Cape St. Vincent.<ref name="Duro270"/> Peeters managed to reach Cádiz without losing a single vessel and put on alert the Marquis of Ayamonte and Don [[Gaspar Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 9th Duke of Medina Sidonia]].<ref name="Duro271">Fernández Duro p. 271</ref>


Gijsels and Telles returned to [[Lisbon]], where Telles was replaced by Tristão de Mendonça, former Ambassador to the Dutch Republic.<ref name="Duro271"/> The Portuguese fleet then sailed with the French fleet of the [[Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé|Marquis de Brézé]],<ref>Saturnino Monteiro, ''Batalhas e combates da Marinha Portuguesa, Volumes 5-6'', p.225. (1997) {{ISBN|9789725623237}}</ref> while the Dutch fleet set sail in order to intercept and capture the [[Spanish treasure fleet|Spanish West Indies Fleet]] between the [[Azores]] and [[Cape St. Vincent]].<ref name="Duro271"/> It was a hasty maneuver, since the Dutch ships had orders to return to their country if the West Indies Fleet didn't appear before November.<ref name="Duro271"/>
Gijsels and Telles returned to [[Lisbon]], where Telles was replaced by Tristão de Mendonça, former Ambassador to the Dutch Republic.<ref name="Duro271"/> The Portuguese fleet then sailed with the French fleet of the [[Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé|Marquis de Brézé]],<ref>Saturnino Monteiro, ''Batalhas e combates da Marinha Portuguesa, Volumes 5-6'', p.225. (1997) {{ISBN|9789725623237}}</ref> while the Dutch fleet set sail in order to intercept and capture the [[Spanish treasure fleet|Spanish West Indies Fleet]] between the [[Azores]] and [[Cape St. Vincent]].<ref name="Duro271"/> It was a hasty maneuver, since the Dutch ships had orders to return to their country if the West Indies Fleet didn't appear before November.<ref name="Duro271"/>


== Battle ==
== Battle ==
The Spanish squadron of Galicia, under Don Andrés de Castro, the squadron of Naples, under Don Martín Carlos de Meneos, and the [[galleon]]s of Don Pedro de Ursúa, were urgently gathered in Cádiz to intercept the Dutch fleet.<ref name="Duro271"/> The military governor of Cádiz, Don [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles]], Duke of Ciudad Real, was appointed commander of the fleet in substitution of the Captain General, the [[Jorge de Cárdenas y Manrique de Lara|Duke of Maqueda]], who was ill.<ref name="Duro272">Fernández Duro p. 272</ref> He was a veteran soldier, having seen action in the Siege of Leucata against the French, but was unexperienced in sea battles.<ref name="Duro272"/>
The Spanish squadron of Galicia, under Don Andrés de Castro, the squadron of Naples, under Don Martín Carlos de Mencos, and the [[galleon]]s of Don Pedro de Ursúa, were urgently gathered in Cádiz to intercept the Dutch fleet.<ref name="Duro271"/> The military governor of Cádiz, Don [[Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles]], Duke of Ciudad Real, was appointed commander of the fleet in substitution of the Captain General, the [[Jorge de Cárdenas y Manrique de Lara|Duke of Maqueda]], who was ill.<ref name="Duro272">Fernández Duro p. 272</ref> He was a veteran soldier, having seen action in the Siege of Leucata against the French, but was inexperienced in sea battles.<ref name="Duro272"/>


Gijsels fleet was sighted off Cape St. Vincent on 4 November. The Duke of Ciudad Real immediately ordered to attack the major Dutch vessels. After suffering severe casualties he stopped the attack and the ships to fall back to Cádiz.<ref name="Duro273">Fernández Duro p. 273</ref> This conduct dissatisfied King [[Philip IV of Spain|Philip IV]], who severely reprimanded, among other officers, Don Martín Carlos de Mencos, Admiral Don Pedro de Ursúa, and Captains Pedro Girón, Gaspar de Campos and Adrián Pulido.<ref name="Duro272"/>
Gijsels fleet was sighted off Cape St. Vincent on 4 November. The Duke of Ciudad Real immediately ordered to attack the major Dutch vessels. After suffering severe casualties he stopped the attack and the ships to fall back to Cádiz.<ref name="Duro273">Fernández Duro p. 273</ref> This conduct dissatisfied King [[Philip IV of Spain|Philip IV]], who severely reprimanded, among other officers, Don Martín Carlos de Mencos, Admiral Don Pedro de Ursúa, and Captains Pedro Girón, Gaspar de Campos, and Adrián Pulido.<ref name="Duro272"/>


[[Michiel de Ruyter]] was present at this battle as Rear Admiral of the Dutch fleet.
[[Michiel de Ruyter]] was present at this battle as Rear Admiral of the Dutch fleet.
Line 48: Line 53:
== Aftermath ==
== Aftermath ==
Some of the Dutch ships under Artus Gijsels, abandoned by their Portuguese and French allies, had to sail back to [[Kingdom of England|England]] to make repairs.<ref name="Duro272"/>
Some of the Dutch ships under Artus Gijsels, abandoned by their Portuguese and French allies, had to sail back to [[Kingdom of England|England]] to make repairs.<ref name="Duro272"/>

==See also==
* [[Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1606)]]


== References ==
== References ==
Line 57: Line 65:
*Agustín Ramón Rodríguez González: ''Victorias por mar de los Españoles'', Biblioteca de Historia, Madrid 2006.
*Agustín Ramón Rodríguez González: ''Victorias por mar de los Españoles'', Biblioteca de Historia, Madrid 2006.
*R. Prud’homme van Reine, ''Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter'', (Amsterdam 1996)
*R. Prud’homme van Reine, ''Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter'', (Amsterdam 1996)
* {{cite book |last=Blok |first=P.J. |title=Michiel de Ruyter |publisher=Martinus Nijhof |year=1928 |language=nl|url=https://www.dbnl.org/arch/blok013mich01_01/pag/blok013mich01_01.pdf#page=7}}


{{coord|37.0250|N|8.9944|W|source:wikidata|display=title}}
{{coord|37.0250|N|8.9944|W|source:wikidata|display=title}}
Line 62: Line 71:


[[Category:1641 in Europe]]
[[Category:1641 in Europe]]
⚫
[[Category:Naval battles of the Eighty Years' War|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
⚫
[[Category:Naval battles of the Thirty Years' War|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
[[Category:Naval battles involving Spain|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
[[Category:Naval battles involving the Dutch Republic|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1641|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1641|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
⚫
[[Category:Naval battles of the Eighty Years' War|Cape St. Vincent (1641)]]
[[Category:1641 events]]
⚫
[[Category:Naval battles of the Thirty Years' War involving Spain]]
[[Category:Naval battles of the Thirty Years' War involving the Dutch Republic]]

Latest revision as of 10:06, 29 October 2024

For other battles in the same place, see Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
Battle of Cape St. Vincent
Part of the Eighty Years' War

Battle of Cape St. Vincent,
by Carel Christiaan Antony Last [nl]
Date4 November 1641
Location
Near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 United Provinces Spain Spain
Commanders and leaders
Dutch Republic Artus Gijsels Spain Juan Alonso Idiáquez
Strength
20 warships Total: 24 warships
9 Galleons
10 Dunkirk Man-of-wars
4 frigates
1 Caravel
Casualties and losses
100–200 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk[1] 1,100 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk[1]

The Battle of Cape St Vincent of 1641 took place on 4 November 1641 when a Spanish fleet commanded by Don Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles intercepted a Dutch fleet led by Artus Gijsels during the Eighty Years' War. After a fierce battle two Dutch ships were lost but the Dutch claimed only a hundred of their men were killed; the Spanish fleet also lost two ships but over a thousand dead. The damaged Dutch fleet was forced to abandon its planned attack on the Spanish treasure fleet.

Background

[edit]

In 1641, after the outbreak of the Portuguese Restoration War, the Portuguese government, with Dutch and French help, prepared to start the offensive against Spain at sea.[2] Dom António Telles da Silva, who had fought the Dutch in India, was designated commander of a squadron of 16 ships, which along with another 30 of the Dutch Republic under Artus Gijsels, was entrusted with the mission to capture and hold the Spanish towns of Cádiz and Sanlúcar.[2] The attempts failed thanks to the fortuitous encounter that they had with 5 Dunkirkers under Judocus Peeters, who was chasing a flotilla of Algerian privateers, off Cape St. Vincent.[2] Peeters managed to reach Cádiz without losing a single vessel and put on alert the Marquis of Ayamonte and Don Gaspar Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 9th Duke of Medina Sidonia.[3]

Gijsels and Telles returned to Lisbon, where Telles was replaced by Tristão de Mendonça, former Ambassador to the Dutch Republic.[3] The Portuguese fleet then sailed with the French fleet of the Marquis de Brézé,[4] while the Dutch fleet set sail in order to intercept and capture the Spanish West Indies Fleet between the Azores and Cape St. Vincent.[3] It was a hasty maneuver, since the Dutch ships had orders to return to their country if the West Indies Fleet didn't appear before November.[3]

Battle

[edit]

The Spanish squadron of Galicia, under Don Andrés de Castro, the squadron of Naples, under Don Martín Carlos de Mencos, and the galleons of Don Pedro de Ursúa, were urgently gathered in Cádiz to intercept the Dutch fleet.[3] The military governor of Cádiz, Don Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles, Duke of Ciudad Real, was appointed commander of the fleet in substitution of the Captain General, the Duke of Maqueda, who was ill.[5] He was a veteran soldier, having seen action in the Siege of Leucata against the French, but was inexperienced in sea battles.[5]

Gijsels fleet was sighted off Cape St. Vincent on 4 November. The Duke of Ciudad Real immediately ordered to attack the major Dutch vessels. After suffering severe casualties he stopped the attack and the ships to fall back to Cádiz.[6] This conduct dissatisfied King Philip IV, who severely reprimanded, among other officers, Don Martín Carlos de Mencos, Admiral Don Pedro de Ursúa, and Captains Pedro Girón, Gaspar de Campos, and Adrián Pulido.[5]

Michiel de Ruyter was present at this battle as Rear Admiral of the Dutch fleet.

Aftermath

[edit]

Some of the Dutch ships under Artus Gijsels, abandoned by their Portuguese and French allies, had to sail back to England to make repairs.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b (in Dutch)R. Prud’homme van Reine, Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, p.49
  2. ^ a b c Fernández Duro p. 270
  3. ^ a b c d e Fernández Duro p. 271
  4. ^ Saturnino Monteiro, Batalhas e combates da Marinha Portuguesa, Volumes 5-6, p.225. (1997) ISBN 9789725623237
  5. ^ a b c d Fernández Duro p. 272
  6. ^ Fernández Duro p. 273

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cesáreo Fernández Duro: Armada española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y de León, Vol. IV. Est. tipográfico Sucesores de Rivadeneyra, Madrid, 1898.
  • Antonio Espinosa: Semanario erudito: que comprehende varias obras ineditas de nuestros mejores autores antiguos y modernos. Don Antonio Espinosa, 1790.
  • Agustín Ramón Rodríguez González: Victorias por mar de los Españoles, Biblioteca de Historia, Madrid 2006.
  • R. Prud’homme van Reine, Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, (Amsterdam 1996)
  • Blok, P.J. (1928). Michiel de Ruyter (PDF) (in Dutch). Martinus Nijhof.

37°01′30″N 8°59′40″W / 37.0250°N 8.9944°W / 37.0250; -8.9944

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Cape_St._Vincent_(1641)&oldid=1254081748"