Battle of Lagos
Part of the Nine Years' War
Date 1693-06-27 (1693-06-17 Old Style) Location near Lagos , Portugal Result French victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	England United Provinces
Commanders
Anne Hilarion de Tourville	George Rooke
Strength
appox 100 sail, of which 70 ships of the line	16 sail, of which 8 English, 5 Dutch ships of the line upwards of 200 merchantmen
Casualties and losses
no ships lost	90 merchantmen, of which 40 captured

The Battle of Lagos was a sea battle during the Nine Years' War on 1693-06-27 (1693-06-17 Old Style (O. The Nine Years' War (1688–97 – often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Lagos ( pron 'laguʃ literally "Lakes" is a city and a municipality at the mouth of the river Bensafrim in the southern region of Algarve Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally "United Netherlands" redirects here For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands" see United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Anne Hilarion de Costentin comte de Tourville (1642&ndash1701 was a French Naval Commander who served under King Louis XIV. Admiral Sir George Rooke (1650 &ndash January 24 1709) English naval commander was born at St Lawrence near Canterbury in 1650 The Nine Years' War (1688–97 – often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year S)), when a French fleet under Tourville defeated an Anglo-Dutch fleet under George Rooke. Anne Hilarion de Costentin comte de Tourville (1642&ndash1701 was a French Naval Commander who served under King Louis XIV. Admiral Sir George Rooke (1650 &ndash January 24 1709) English naval commander was born at St Lawrence near Canterbury in 1650 Rookes squadron was protecting the Smyrna convoy, and it is by this name the action is sometimes known.

The Prelude

In the spring of 1693 a large convoy was organized to transport English and Dutch merchant ships bound for Spain and the Mediterranean, which had been held back by the threat of attack by the French fleet, or by commerce raiders. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

The convoy, consisting of upwards of 200 sail, was to be escorted by a strong squadron of 8 English, and 5 Dutch ships of the line, with fireships, scouts and other auxiliaries, under the command of Admiral George Rooke. This squadron was bound for the Mediterranean, to take up station there. The convoy was to be covered by the combined allied fleet for its passage across the Channel, until it was past the port of Brest, to guard against attack by the French stationed there. The fleet, which was also charged with protecting England from the threat of invasion, would then double back to cover the Channel. The French, however, whilst they had made good their losses of the previous year, had abandoned the intent to invade, in favour of a guerre de course, a war against the allies' trade and commercial interests. Commerce raiding is to destroy the logistics (supplies of an enemy on the open sea rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a Blockade against them ^[1]

To this end, Louis XIV had dispatched the French fleet under Tourville, his most able commander,to set an ambush for the convoy before it entered the Straits of Gibraltar. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic By the end of May Tourville had assembled a fleet of 70 ships of the line, plus fireships, store ships and other auxiliaries, about 100 sail altogether, and taken up station near Lagos Bay in Portugal. Lagos ( pron 'laguʃ literally "Lakes" is a city and a municipality at the mouth of the river Bensafrim in the southern region of Algarve

The convoy sailed at the end of May, with the allied fleet of 24 Dutch warships under Almonde, and 45 English under a leadership committee of Killigrew, Delaval and Shovell. Philips van Almonde ( Dec 29 1644, Den Briel – Jan 6 1711, Oegstgeest) was a Dutch Lieutenant Admiral, who Dr Henry Killigrew (1613-1700 was the fifth and youngest son of Robert Killigrew and his wife Mary There have been two Baronetcies created for people with the surname Delaval. Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c November 1650 &ndash 22 October or 23 October 1707) English Admiral, was baptised at Cockthorpe By 7th June (O. S) the convoy was about 150 miles southwest of Ushant, and the main allied fleet turned back, leaving Rooke and the convoy to proceed south. Ushant (Enez Eusa Ouessant is an Island in the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of European France. The allies had made no move to check where the French fleet was, and received no news of its whereabouts until 17th June (O. S). By this time Rooke and the convoy were in action off Lagos, having been sighted by the French in the morning of the 17th June(O. S).

The Battle

Rooke couldn't avoid battle, but held the advantage of being to windward. Ordering the merchant ships to disperse, his squadron took battle positions. The battle started around 8 pm. when the rear of his squadron was overtaken by the French van (Gabaret).
Two Dutch ships , Zeeland (64, Philip Schrijver) and Wapen van Medemblik (64, Jan van der Poel) , engaged the French thus sacrificing themselves. They fought valiantly, giving the rest of the allied ships time enough to escape. When the two Dutch ships finally surrendered, Tourville was very impressed and congratulated the two captains asking them if they "were men or devils".
Rooke declared it "one of the best judged things I ever saw in action". ^[2]]

The next day Rooke, with 54 merchant ships in company was standing west. In pursuit were just 4 French warships, but as they closed Royal Oak (100 guns), Rookes flagship, turned on them, and after a short exchange they abandoned the chase and drew off. Rooke and his group were able to reach Madeira without further incident, where he found Monk (60) with one of the Dutch warships, and 40 or 50 merchant ships in company. History See also History of Madeira Pre-Portuguese times Pliny mentions certain Purple Islands the position of which with reference to the With this party, and stragglers collected en route, Rooke was able to reach Ireland on 30th July.

The Aftermath

About three-quarters of the convoy was saved, but at least 90 ships were lost, the majority Dutch, 40 being captured by the French. The aim of the convoy, to deliver the traders to their destinations in the Mediterranean, and to establish a naval presence there, both failed, while for the French there was a huge gain, with prizes valued at 30 million livres; the City of London judged it the worst financial disaster since the Great Fire, 27 years previously. For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically This article is about the Great Fire of 1666 For other great fires in London see Early fires of London or Second Great Fire of London. ^[3]

For Tourville a worthy revenge for his defeat in the Battle of La Hogue one year earlier. The related naval battles of Barfleur and La Hougue took place between 29 May and 4 June New Style(NS, 1692 (19th-24 May in the Old Style(OS

External links

• Zeegevecht bij Lagos (Dutch)

References

1. ^ *A.T. Mahan : The Influence of Sea-Power upon History 1660-1805. Alfred Thayer Mahan (September 27 1840–December 1 1914 was a United States Navy Flag officer, geostrategist, and educator ISBN 0 60034162 3 .
2. ^ *N. A. M. Rodger: The Command of The Ocean. Professor Nicholas Andrew Martin Rodger (born 12 November 1949) is professor of Naval history at the University of Exeter, England. (2004) ISBN 0-7139-9411-8 .
3. ^ *Aubrey P: The Defeat of James Stuart's Armada 1692(1979). ISBN 0-7185-1168-9 .