Action of Faial

Action of Faial
Part of the Anglo–Spanish War

Faial Island, off which the action was fought
Date22–23 June 1594
Location
Off Faial Island, Azores, Atlantic Ocean
38°18′N 28°36′W / 38.300°N 28.600°W / 38.300; -28.600
Result English victory[1][2]
Belligerents

Spain Iberian Union

England England
Commanders and leaders
Francisco de Melo Canaveado Earl of Cumberland
Strength
1 carrack of 2,000 tons
700 men		 3 galleons of 250–300 tons
420 sailors
Casualties and losses
1 carrack destroyed
600 killed or wounded[3]
13 survived/captured		 60 killed or wounded (35 killed in explosion)[4]

The Action of Faial or the Battle of Faial Island was a naval engagement that took place on 22–23 June 1594 during the Anglo-Spanish War in which the large and richly laden 2,000-ton Portuguese carrack Cinco Chagas was destroyed by an English privateer fleet after a long and bitter battle off Faial Island in the Azores. The carrack, which was reputedly one of the richest ever to set sail from the Indies, was lost in an explosion which denied the English, as well as the Portuguese and Spanish, the treasure.[1][5]

  1. ^ a b Andrews p. 219
  2. ^ Lediard & de Puisieux pp. 644–647
  3. ^ Hakluyt, Richard (2002) [1598]. The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. p. 571. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  4. ^ Southey pp. 28–33
  5. ^ Horner p. 229