Battle of Gibraltar (1621)

Battle of Gibraltar
Part of the Eighty Years' War
The Battle of Gibraltar, by Enrique Jácome y Brocas, c. 1630
Date 21 August 1621 (1621-08-21) Location Bay of Gibraltar Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain	United Provinces  Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Fadrique de Toledo	Willem Haultain de Zoete
Strength
6 galleons 3 warships[1]	20 warships[2] 30 merchant ships[1][3]
Casualties and losses
None	5 ships sunk 2 ship captured[1][4]

The Battle of Gibraltar took place on 10 August 1621, during the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and the Dutch Republic. A Dutch East India Company fleet, escorted by a squadron under Willem Haultain de Zoete, was intercepted and defeated by nine ships of Spain's Atlantic fleet under Fadrique de Toledo while passing the Strait of Gibraltar.^[3][5]

When the Twelve Years' Truce between Spain and the Dutch Republic ended, the Spanish wished to deal a decisive blow against the Dutch trading ships in the Mediterranean. The Spanish attempted to concentrate a fleet in the Bay of Gibraltar, but admirals Martín de Vallecilla, Juan Fajardo, and Don Francisco de Acevedo, with their respective squadrons, failed to join Toledo's squadron, which left Cádiz on 6 August 1621. Toledo thus faced the Dutch with only nine ships. Four days later, the Dutch trading fleet of more than 50 ships was sighted; 20 were warships and the rest were merchantmen.^[3]

While Toledo engaged a succession of Dutch ships with his powerful flagship, setting two on fire, the smaller Spanish galleons captured two ships and torched another.^[6] The Spanish flagship Santa Teresa was eventually dismasted and had to be taken in tow. The Dutch retreated with most of their valuable merchantmen, having lost seven ships. The Spanish returned to Cádiz having suffered damage, but lost no ships.^[3]