Atlas of Battles

battle, early modern

Capture of Portobello

Capture of Portobello was a battle fought in 1601 at Portobelo, in what is now Panama. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Portobelo. It was part of the Anglo-Spanish War, which ran from 1585 to 1604. The recorded result: English victory. Recorded strength: 100 soldiers; 3 ships against 5 ships; 200 soldiers & sailors.

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Fought1601
WherePortobelo, Panama9.554N, 79.655W, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeEnglish victory
BelligerentsSpainagainstEngland
Casualties and losses50 casualties; 3 ships capturedandLight
Part ofAnglo-Spanish War1585 to 1604

Where it sits in the Anglo-Spanish War

Battle of São Vicente, 1583Action off Bermuda, 1585Capture of Santiago, 1585Battle of Santo Domingo, 1586Battle of Cartagena de Indias, 1586Battle of Pantelleria, 1586Battle of Gravelines, 1588Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar (1590), 1590Battle of Blaye, 1591Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar, 1591Battle of Flores, 1591Siege of Rouen, 1591Siege of Caudebec, 1592Battle of Flores, 1592Battle of Craon, 1592Battle of the Barbary Coast, 1592Battle of the Bay of Biscay, 1592Battle of Blaye, 1593Action of Faial, 1594Action of San Mateo Bay, 1594Battle of Atacames, 1594Siege of Fort Crozon, 1594Battle of Las Palmas, 1595Battle of the Guadalupe Island, 1595Battle of San Juan, 1595Battle of Pinos, 1596Siege of Amiens, 1597Battle of San Juan, 1598Capture of Portobello, 1601Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1602), 1602Battle of Sesimbra Bay, 1602Battle of Puerto Caballos, 1603Battle of the Gulf of Cadiz, 160415831604Capture of Portobello, 1601
33 placed engagements of the Anglo-Spanish War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1601 (year precision)
PlacePortobelo, Panama
9.554N, 79.655W
KindBattle, early modern
Strength100 soldiers; 3 ships5 ships; 200 soldiers & sailors
Casualties and losses50 casualties; 3 ships capturedLight
Commanders
  • William Parker (privateer)
  • Plymouth, England
Capture of PortobelloCapture of PortobelloBlockade of Porto BelloBattle of Mata AsnillosBlockade of Porto BelloBattle of Mata AsnillosBalboaLa PalmaPenonome100 km9.554N, 79.655W
Placed at Portobelo; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1601

Capture of Portobello is one of 1,470 engagements of the 17th century in the atlas and one of 8 in present-day Panama.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q16253717, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Capture of Portobello (1601), revision 1370609425, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.