Battle of Gibraltar (1607)

Eighty Years' war naval battle

Battle of Gibraltar
Part of the Eighty Years' War

Battle of Gibraltar by Cornelis van Wieringen
Date25 April 1607 (1607-04-25)
Location
Bay of Gibraltar
Result

Dutch victory

  • Twelve Years' Truce
Belligerents
 Dutch Republic  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Jacob van Heemskerk † Juan Álvarez de Avilés †
Strength
26 warships
  • 10 galleons
    ± 12 smaller vessels
Casualties and losses
  • 100 killed
    60 wounded
  • 350–4,000 killed
    5–10 galleons
    9–12 smaller vessels
  • v
  • t
  • e
Eighty Years' War
Origins – List of battles
1566–1572

Western Europe

  • Beeldenstorm
  • Valenciennes
  • Wattrelos
  • Lannoy
  • Oosterweel
  • Dahlen
  • Heiligerlee
  • Jemmingen
  • Jodoigne
  • Le Quesnoy
1572–1576

Western Europe

European waters
1576–1579

Western Europe

1579–1588

Western Europe

European waters
Ten Years, 1588–1598

Western Europe

  • 1st Bergen op Zoom
  • 2nd Geertruidenberg
  • 2nd Breda
  • 2nd Zutphen
  • 2nd Deventer
  • Delfzijl
  • Knodsenburg
  • 1st Hulst
  • Nijmegen
  • Rouen
  • Caudebec
  • 2nd Steenwijk
  • 1st Coevorden
  • 1st Luxemburg
  • 3rd Geertruidenberg
  • 2nd Coevorden
  • Groningen
  • 2nd Luxemburg
  • Huy
  • 1st Groenlo
  • Lippe
  • 2nd Lier
  • Calais
  • 2nd Hulst
  • Turnhout
  • 2nd Rheinberg
  • 1st Meurs
  • 2nd Groenlo
  • Bredevoort
  • Enschede
  • Ootmarsum
  • 1st Oldenzaal
  • 1st Lingen
European waters
  • 1st English Channel · Flanders
  • Bayona Islands
  • Gulf of Almería
  • 1st Cádiz
  • Azores
1599–1609

Western Europe

European waters
Twelve Years' Truce, 1609–1621

Western Europe

  • Aachen

East Indies

1621–1648

Western Europe

European waters

Americas

East Indies

Peace – Aftermath – Historiography

The naval Battle of Gibraltar took place on 25 April 1607, during the Eighty Years' War, when a Dutch fleet surprised and engaged a Spanish fleet anchored at the Bay of Gibraltar. During the four hours of action, most of the Spanish ships were destroyed.

Forces

A Dutch fleet of 26 warships was led by Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk. The Dutch flagship was Æolus (of the Zeeland Admiralty). Other Dutch ships were De Roode Leeuw (also of the Zeeland Admiralty, and flagship of Vice-Admiral Laurens Jacobszoon Alteras), De Tijger (of the Maas Admiralty, and flagship of Rear-Admiral Lambert Hendrikszoon), De Zeehond, De Griffioen, De Gouden Leeuw, De Zwarte Beer, De Witte Beer, and De Ochtendster.

A Spanish fleet of 21 ships, including 10 galleons, was led by Don Juan Álvarez de Avilés. The Spanish flagship San Augustin was commanded by Don Juan's son. Other ships were Nuestra Señora de la Vega and Madre de Dios. The Spanish fleet was covered by a fortress, although the Dutch fleet was out of range of its guns at all times and the fortress guns were not able to affect the battle.[1]

Battle

The battle

Van Heemskerk left some of his ships at the bay entrance to prevent the escape of any Spanish ships. Twenty from the Dutch fleet were ordered to focus on the Spanish galleons while the rest attacked the smaller vessels.[2] Van Heemskerk was killed during the first approach on the Spanish flagship as a cannonball severed his leg. The Dutch then doubled up on the galleons and a few of the galleons caught fire. One exploded due to a shot that penetrated its powder magazine. The Dutch captured the Spanish flagship but let it go adrift.

Following the destruction of the Spanish ships, the Dutch deployed boats and killed hundreds of swimming Spanish sailors. The Dutch lost 100 men including Admiral Van Heemskerk. Sixty Dutch were wounded. Depending on the sources, most or all of the Spanish ships were lost and between 350 and 4,000 Spaniards were killed or captured. Álvarez de Avilés was amongst the dead.

Consequences

The battle was a leading driver of the Twelve Years' Truce, under which the Dutch Republic achieved de facto recognition by the Spanish Crown.

The battle had an important indirect effect on the History of Ireland, specifically the key event known as "Flight of the Earls". Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, left Ulster in Ireland with the intention of getting a Spanish army to invade Ireland on their behalf. The destruction of the Spanish fleet ruled out any such option, and the Earls found themselves in irrevocable exile – with major consequences for the later history of Ireland, and especially of Ulster.

Gallery

Footnotes

  1. ^ (in Spanish) Fernández Duro, p. 234.
  2. ^ Vier eeuwen varen, p. 64.

Sources

  • Fernández, C. (1898). Armada Española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón (in Spanish). Madrid: Rivedeneyra.
  • Vere, F. (1955). Salt in their Blood: the lives of the famous Dutch admirals.
  • De Jonge, J. C. Geschiedenis van het Nederlandse zeewezen (in Dutch).
  • Akveld, L. M.; et al. (1973). Vier Eeuwen Varen (in Dutch).
  • Warnsinck, J. C. M. (1941). Twaalf Doorluchtige Zeehelden (in Dutch).

External links

  • Media related to Battle of Gibraltar (1607) at Wikimedia Commons

36°08′20″N 5°23′55″W / 36.138887°N 5.398607°W / 36.138887; -5.398607