Battle of Blaye (1593) | |||||||
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Part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and the French Wars of Religion | |||||||
View of the Gironde Estuary from the ruins of the Citadel of Blaye (2010) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
England Supported by: France of Henry IV | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Admiral Wilkenson † Vice-Admiral Brailford † Captain Limaille |
Pedro de Zubiaur Joanes de Villaviciosa | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
First battle: 6 galleons[1] Supported by: 11–19 to 40–60 French and English ships[2] (Including 6 galleasses)[3] |
First battle: 4 pinnaces[4] Spanish fleet: 16 flyboats and pinnaces[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2 galleons sunk (Flagship destroyed)[4][1] Several ships damaged and 6 English merchant vessels captured[2][1] | 2 ships burned[2] |
The Battle of Blaye of 1593, also known as the Battle of Bec d'Ambès (in French) or Battle of the Gironde Estuary, was a naval Spanish victory that took place on 18 April 1593 off Blaye and Bec d'Ambès, Gironde Estuary, France, during the seven-month siege of Blaye between the French-Protestant forces of Henry of Navarre and the French-Catholic garrison of the city led by Governor Jean-Paul d'Esparbès de Lussan d'Aubeterre, in the context of the Brittany Campaign during the French Wars of Religion and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604).[5][4][6][7]