Battle of Gibraltar (1621)

Battle of Gibraltar
Part of the Eighty Years' War
The Battle of Gibraltar circa 1630, by Enrique Jácome y Brocas. Oil on canvas
Date 10 August 1621 Location Bay of Gibraltar, Spain (Near present-day Gibraltar) Coordinates: 36°08′20″N 5°23′55″W / 36.138887°N 5.398607°W / 36.138887; -5.398607 Result Spanish victory, but Dutch VOC merchant ships got through.
Belligerents
Spain	United Provinces Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Fadrique de Toledo	Willem Haultain de Zoete
Strength
6 Galleons 3 Warships	20 VOC Warships 30 Merchant VOC ships
Casualties and losses
No ships lost	5 Warships sunk 2 Warships captured

The Battle of Gibraltar (Spanish: Combate naval de Gibraltar, Dutch: Zeeslag bij Gibraltar 1621) took place on 10 August 1621 during the Eighty Years' War. A Dutch VOC fleet, escorted by Haultain's squadron was intercepted and defeated by nine ships of Spain's Atlantic fleet Armada del Mar Océano, under Fadrique de Toledo, while crossing the Strait of Gibraltar.

Upon expiration of the Twelve Years' Truce between Spain and the United Provinces, the Spanish wanted to give a decisive blow intercepting the Dutch trading ships that were in the Mediterranean. To this, the Spanish had arranged for a fleet concentration squadron in the Bay of Gibraltar, but admirals Martín de Vallecilla, Juan Fajardo and don Francisco de Acevedo, with their respective squadrons, failed to join Fadrique's fleet which left Cádiz on August 6, 1621;thus having the later only 9 ships to face the Dutch enemy. Four days later the Dutch fleet was sighted with more than 50 ships, of which 20 were armed Warships and the rest were merchant. Stubborn after don Fadrique addressed to a Dutch ship and surrendered, then took another and made a third strand. Commander Hoyos and Basque admirals Carlos de Ibarra and Don Alonso de Mujica managed to capture two ships and torch another one. The Spanish flagship Santa Teresa ended dismasted and had to be taken in tow, but greater damage was done to the Dutch as more than five vessels were lost in the Barbary Coast and in Gibraltar. The journey ended in Dutch defeat, passing the strait decreased in six or seven of his best ships, but having saved most of the merchant convoy.

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