Battle of Cartagena (1643)
Battle of Cartagena | |||||||
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Part of Franco-Spanish War (1635) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé |
Martín Carlos de Mencos Joos Petersen | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
20 galleons 2 frigates 12 fire ships |
29 galleons 14 galleys | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown |
3,000 men 10 ships sunk 2 ships captured |
The Battle of Cartagena was a naval battle fought on September 3, 1643 during the Thirty Years' War off Cape de Gate near Cartagena, Spain.
In 1643 the French admiral Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé sailed south, to search and destroy the Spanish fleet to extend the dominance of the French Navy in the Mediterranean.
He found a fleet of Dunkirkers under Joos Petersen, ships from Naples and a squadron from the Mar Oceano fleet under Martín Carlos de Mencos.
On September 3 at 7:00 AM Maillé-Brézé attacked with favorable winds and dispersed the enemy fleet. He sank 2 ships and captured 2 others, while the rest of the Spanish fleet fled into the port of Cartagena. Here 8 more ships were beyond repair and sank.
The port was closed and no Spanish ship left the harbour for more than a year.
All commerce between Spain and Italy was thus made impossible.