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Battle of Blaye

Coordinates:45°07′48″N0°40′12″W/ 45.1300°N 0.6700°W/45.1300; -0.6700
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Battle of Blaye (1593)
Part of theAnglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)and theFrench Wars of Religion

View of theGironde Estuaryfrom the ruins of theCitadel of Blaye(2010)
Date18 April 1593
Location
OffBlaye,Gironde Estuary,France
Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
England
Supported by:
Kingdom of FranceFrance of Henry IV		 Spain
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Wilkenson†
Vice-Admiral Brailford†
Captain Limaille		 Pedro de Zubiaur
Joanes de Villaviciosa
Strength
First battle:6galleons[1]
Supported by:
11–19 to 40–60 French and English ships[2]
(Including 6galleasses)[3]		 First battle:4pinnaces[4]
Spanish fleet:16flyboatsand pinnaces[2]
Casualties and losses
2 galleons sunk (Flagshipdestroyed)[4][1]
Several ships damaged and 6 Englishmerchant vesselscaptured[2][1]		 2 ships burned[2]

TheBattle of Blaye of 1593,also known as theBattle of Bec d'Ambès(inFrench) orBattle of the Gironde Estuary,was a naval Spanish victory that took place on 18 April 1593 offBlayeandBec d'Ambès,Gironde Estuary,France,during the seven-monthsiege of Blayebetween the French-Protestantforces ofHenry of Navarreand the French-Catholicgarrison of the city led by GovernorJean-Paul d'Esparbès de Lussan d'Aubeterre,in the context of theBrittany Campaignduring theFrench Wars of Religionand theAnglo-Spanish War (1585–1604).[5][4][6][7]

Background

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In 1592, some ships were acquired by farmer Peter Houghton and a group of London merchants, to help Marshal Matignon attack Leaguer Blaye and defend the Gironde against a Spanish squadron from Pasajes.[8]Of these, six were English warships commanded by Admiral Wilkinson, Vice-Admiral Brailford and captains Johnson, Meriall, Bower and Courtney.

Battle

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In April 1593, a Spanish naval force of 16 warships (flyboatsandpinnaces) commanded by AdmiralPedro de Zubiaurand GeneralJoanes de Villaviciosa Lizarzaset out to relieveBlaye.The city was controlled by theCatholic League of France,but under heavy siege by French Royal troops, supported by English andHuguenotforces, commanded byMarshal Matignon,and blocked by sea by six Englishwarship-squadron under Admiral Wilkenson.[9][4][10]On 18 April the English naval force was defeated and dispersed by Zubiaur's fleet, and the Spanish troops disembarked at Blaye, relieving theCatholicforces.[4][6][10]In the naval engagement, the English warships of admiral Wilkenson and Vice-Admiral were boarded by the Spaniards, burnt and destroyed, whilst two Spanish flyboats namedFortunaandGrifowere also sunk.[11][10]

Soon after, another Anglo-French fleet of 11 to 19 warships fromBordeaux,supported by about 40 small vessels (including sixgalleassesfrom the port ofLa Rochelle), arrived at Blaye, trying to block the Spanish fleet.[10]After a fierce and unequal battle, amid an intense storm, the Spaniards were victorious,[12]with significant loss of life on both sides due to heavy musket fire. In the end, many ships of both fleets were dispersed by the storm, and the Spanish fleet managed to return safely to the port ofPasajes.[10][13]

For his part in the fighting, Pedro de Zubiaur was decorated byKing Philip II of Spain,receiving the title of"de general como a lo demás de escuadra para que antes que muera deje esto a los míos".[14]

On 14 July the same year another Spanish force, composed of sixpinnaces,under the command of Joanes de Villaviciosa Lizarza,[10]and 120 soldiers led by Captain Antonio Manrique de Vargas, sailed from theBasqueport ofCastro Urdiales,to reinforce the Catholic forces of Blaye.[13][15]After the Spanish troops under Villaviciosa launched a successful assault against the Protestant positions, which resulted in over 800 Protestants killed or wounded,[15]the siege finally ended with the withdrawal of the French-Protestant troops.[6][13][16]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^abcHistoria General de España.Vol. VII.Ortiz y Sanz p.43
  2. ^abcdFernández Duro p.85
  3. ^Al ruido de la artillería bajaron de Burdeos 19 navíos con otros menores de Broage, que llegaban en suma 60 velas, tratando de cerrar el paso y envolver a los españoles, para lo que mucho hicieron seis galeazas de la Rochela apoyando al capitán Lallmiraille, jefe superior.Fernández Durop.85(in Spanish)
  4. ^abcdeEn el IV Centenario del fallecimiento de Pedro Zubiaur, un marino vasco del siglo XVI.Gracia Rivas p.163
  5. ^Armada española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón.Vol III.Fernández Durop.85
  6. ^abcGustav Ungerer p.53
  7. ^Ortega y Medina p.200
  8. ^Richards, p. 8
  9. ^Richards, p. 279
  10. ^abcdefDuro p.85
  11. ^Richards, p. 279
  12. ^Rivas p.163
  13. ^abcOrtiz y Sanz p.43
  14. ^Fernández Duro p.86
  15. ^abFernández Duro pp.86–87
  16. ^Con esta brillantísima acción se levantó el sitio, que duraba ya siete meses, quedando las pinazas al abrigo de los cañones del fuerte hasta el 4 de Agosto en la noche, aprovechada por Villaviciosa para dar otro golpe audaz.Fernández Durop.86(in Spanish)

References

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  • Bruce Wernham, Richard.List and Analysis of State Papers, Foreign Series: May 1592-June 1593.H.M. Stationery Office, 1964.
  • Fernández Duro, Cesáreo (1898).Armada Española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón.Vol. III. Madrid.(in Spanish)
  • José Ortiz y Sanz.Historia General de España.Vol. VII.Third Edition, Madrid (1846).(in Spanish)
  • Gustav Ungerer.A Spaniard in Elizabethan England: The Correspondence of Antonio Pérez's Exile.Vol. I. London 1974.ISBN0-900411-84-8
  • Mac Caffrey, Wallace T. (1994).Elizabeth I: War and Politics, 1588–1603.Princeton. Princeton University Press. USA.ISBN978-0-691-03651-9
  • Ortega y Medina, Juan Antonio.El conflicto anglo-español por el dominio oceánico.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 1994.ISBN968-58-0150-9(in Spanish)
  • 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.(in Spanish)
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45°07′48″N0°40′12″W/ 45.1300°N 0.6700°W/45.1300; -0.6700

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