Battle of Bayona Islands (1590)

Battle of Bayona Islands (1590)
Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)

Photography of the Cies Islands by Alberto Pérez.
DateEarly 1590
Location
Off Bayona Islands, Atlantic Ocean
Result Spanish victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Dutch Republic United Provinces
 England		  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Unknown Pedro de Zubiaur
Strength
14 ships[2] 3 flyboats[2]
Casualties and losses
14 ships captured (7 ships boarded)[3][4]
(Flagship boarded and captured)[2]		 Unknown

The Battle of Bayona Islands, also known as the Battle of Bayona Bay, was a naval engagement that took place in early 1590, off Bayona Islands (present-day Cíes Islands), near Bayona (or Baiona) and Vigo, Spain, between a small Spanish naval force commanded by Captain Don Pedro de Zubiaur, and an Anglo-Dutch flotilla of 14 ships, during the Eighty Years' War, and in the context of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and the French Wars of Religion.[2][4] After several hours of hard combat, the Spanish naval force composed of three flyboats achieved a great success, and the Anglo-Dutch fleet was totally defeated.[4] The flagship of the Dutch was boarded and captured, including another six ships more.[4] Finally, the rest of the Dutch fleet was forced to surrender.[2][5] Shortly after, Pedro de Zubiaur arriving at Ferrol, along with the captured ships, with great surprise for the Spanish authorities of the port.[2][4]

  1. ^ Rincones De Historia Española. Arsenal/Prado p.166
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Extractos de las juntas celebradas por la Real Sociedad Bascongada p.79
  3. ^ Arsenal/Prado p.166
  4. ^ a b c d e Gracia Rivas, Manuel. En el IV Centenario del fallecimiento de Pedro Zubiaur, un marino vasco del siglo XVI[permanent dead link‍]. Itsas Memoria. Untzi Museo Naval. San Sebastián 2006. p.161
  5. ^ Rincones De Historia Española. Arsenal/Prado p. 166