Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, early modern

Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar

Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar was a naval engagement fought in 1591 at Strait of Gibraltar, in what is now Spain. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Strait of Gibraltar. It was part of the Anglo-Spanish War, which ran from 1585 to 1604. The recorded result: English victory. Recorded strength: 5 galleys against 4 armed merchant vessels.

See it on the globe Read the article

Spanish Galley (cropped from a 1617 painting by Hendrik Cornelisz. Vroom)
Spanish Galley (cropped from a 1617 painting by Hendrik Cornelisz. Vroom). Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom / Cornelis Vroom, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought1591
WhereStrait of Gibraltar, Spain35.974N, 5.516W, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeEnglish victory
BelligerentsSpainagainstEngland; Levant Company
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, 160415831604Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar, 1591
33 placed engagements of the Anglo-Spanish War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1591 (year precision)
PlaceStrait of Gibraltar, Spain
35.974N, 5.516W
KindNaval engagement, early modern
Strength5 galleys4 armed merchant vessels
Casualties and losses5 galleys severely damaged; 200 killed or drowned1 ship sunk; 1 ship damaged; Approximately 44 killed & 10 wounded
Commanders
  • Robert Bradshaw (sailor)
Battle of the Strait of GibraltarBattle of the Strait of GibraltarAction of 1678Second Battle of AlgecirasSiege of TarifaAction of 24 June 1618Battle of Río SaladoSiege of TarifaBattle of Río SaladoCádizCeutaMálagaKsar El KebirLaracheOuezzaneMarbella100 km35.974N, 5.516W
Placed at Strait of Gibraltar; 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 1591

Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar is one of 1,390 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 1,070 in present-day Spain.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4873017, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Strait of Gibraltar (1591), revision 1382095544, 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.