Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1641)

For other battles in the same place, see Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
Battle of Cape St. Vincent
Part of the Eighty Years' War

Battle of Cape St. Vincent,
by Carel Christiaan Antony Last [nl]
Date4 November 1641
Location
Near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 United Provinces Spain Spain
Commanders and leaders
Dutch Republic Artus Gijsels Spain Juan Alonso Idiáquez
Strength
20 warships Total: 24 warships
9 Galleons
10 Dunkirk Man-of-wars
4 frigates
1 Caravel
Casualties and losses
100-200 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk[1] 1,100 killed or wounded, 2 ships sunk[1]

The Battle of Cape St Vincent of 1641 took place on 4 November 1641 when a Spanish fleet commanded by Don Juan Alonso de Idiáquez y Robles intercepted a Dutch fleet led by Artus Gijsels during the Eighty Years' War. After a fierce battle two Dutch ships were lost but the Dutch claimed only a hundred of their men were killed; the Spanish fleet also lost two ships but over a thousand dead. The damaged Dutch fleet was forced to abandon its planned attack on the Spanish treasure fleet.

  1. ^ a b (in Dutch)R. Prud’homme van Reine, Rechterhand van Nederland. Biografie van Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, p.49