Battle of Bordeaux (1653)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Bordeaux was a naval engagement of the Franco-Spanish War of 1635 fought on 20 October of 1653 in the Gironde estuary. A Spanish fleet under Álvaro de Bazán, 3rd Marquis of Santa Cruz, sent to relieve Bordeaux
, at that time held by the nobles rose up against Louis XIV
during the Fronde
, encountered a great concentration of French warships belonging to Duke of Vendome's army in the channel of Blaye and captured or destroyed most of it. Shortly after a landing was made by some 1,600 soldiers of the Spanish Tercios
which sacked the village of Montagne-sur-Gironde
. A similar attempt in the Island of Ré was rejected, so Santa Cruz, having accomplished his orders, returned to Spain
.
allied with the Duchess of Longueville and Vicomte de Turenne
, offering them warships, soldiers and money to fight his enemy Louis XIV of France
. Most of the Spanish fleet, however, was occupied in the blockade of Barcelona, and only 3 frigates commanded by José de Osorio could be destined to Girdonde estuary (although they were later reinforced by at least 8 galleons under Baron of Vatteville). Archduke Leopold Wilhem
succeeded in attrack the French fleet to Dunkirk and defeat it with great loss, while the Grand Admiral Duke of Vendôme captured the fortress of Bourg-sur-Gironde to the Spanish on 4 July of 1653, investing Bordeaux shortly after.
King Philip IV ordered then a fleet composed of 8 galleons, 8 fireships and all the frigates and pinnaces available to sail with urgency to relieve Bordeaux from the port of Pasaia. In addition, Marquis of Santa Cruz and Admiral Manuel de Buñuelos were urged to sail from Cádiz
in command of the Armada del Mar Océano with the same purpose. Despite all the efforts, when the Spanish fleet arrived, Bordeaux, lack of supplies, had capitulated to the French Royal Army. Santa Cruz was, however, ordered then attack the French fleet of the Grand Admiral Duke of Vendôme.
As the position of the French warships remained unknown to the Spanish, Santa Cruz spent some time searching them along the estuary. I was not until 14 October when a French squadron of 3 galleys and 8 brigantines was sighted entering the Blaye's channel. Santa Cruz immediately dispatched 4 frigates and 2 fireships to block the mouth of the channel and sent Lieutenant General Luis de Guzmán to explore the area. It proved to be a gut inaccessible for the biggest ships, as during the low tide
the water level was extremely low, so it was planned attack the French squadron by land.
By 20 October the preparations were ready. At 3:00 AM. of that day Melchor de la Cueva's, Duke of Veragua's and Francisco de Meneses' tercios landed on both shores of the channel and moved towards the French vessel's concentration, located in front of a castle garrisoned by a French and a Scottish regiments. These troops, along with a cavalry corps coming from a nearby village, skirmished with the Spanish tercios until 5:00 PM., when the high tide allowed the Spanish seamen to sail 3 galleys and 7 brigantines out of the channel. 2 frigates, 2 brigantines and 15 barges were set on fire due the impossibility of refloat them, as well as the houses of the bourg after being sacked. The whole operation was carried out with no casualty.
and several other nearby places were also plundered. Few days later, a surprise attack on the Island of Ré failed due to the errors of Santa Cruz and Buñuelos. After that Santa Cruz returned to Spain. His fleet anchored in the port Pasaia
, near Donostia, despite he had no orders to do it. For this reason or for his failure against Ré, he was imprisoned in the Castle of San Torcaz. Admiral Manuel de Buñuelos was also punished, being recluded in the Castle of Vélez.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, at that time held by the nobles rose up against Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
during the Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
, encountered a great concentration of French warships belonging to Duke of Vendome's army in the channel of Blaye and captured or destroyed most of it. Shortly after a landing was made by some 1,600 soldiers of the Spanish Tercios
Tercio
The tercio was a Renaissance era military formation made up of a mixed infantry formation of about 3,000 pikemen, swordsmen and arquebusiers or musketeers in a mutually supportive formation. It was also sometimes referred to as the Spanish Square...
which sacked the village of Montagne-sur-Gironde
Montagne, Gironde
Montagne is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-See also:*Communes of the Gironde department*Montagne-Saint-Émilion, a wine appellation situated in Montagne...
. A similar attempt in the Island of Ré was rejected, so Santa Cruz, having accomplished his orders, returned to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Background
In 1650, during the Fronde, King Philip IV of SpainPhilip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
allied with the Duchess of Longueville and Vicomte de Turenne
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne,often called simply Turenne was the most illustrious member of the La Tour d'Auvergne family. He achieved military fame and became a Marshal of France...
, offering them warships, soldiers and money to fight his enemy Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. Most of the Spanish fleet, however, was occupied in the blockade of Barcelona, and only 3 frigates commanded by José de Osorio could be destined to Girdonde estuary (although they were later reinforced by at least 8 galleons under Baron of Vatteville). Archduke Leopold Wilhem
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria was an Austrian military commander, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1647 to 1656, and a patron of the arts.-Biography:...
succeeded in attrack the French fleet to Dunkirk and defeat it with great loss, while the Grand Admiral Duke of Vendôme captured the fortress of Bourg-sur-Gironde to the Spanish on 4 July of 1653, investing Bordeaux shortly after.
King Philip IV ordered then a fleet composed of 8 galleons, 8 fireships and all the frigates and pinnaces available to sail with urgency to relieve Bordeaux from the port of Pasaia. In addition, Marquis of Santa Cruz and Admiral Manuel de Buñuelos were urged to sail from Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
in command of the Armada del Mar Océano with the same purpose. Despite all the efforts, when the Spanish fleet arrived, Bordeaux, lack of supplies, had capitulated to the French Royal Army. Santa Cruz was, however, ordered then attack the French fleet of the Grand Admiral Duke of Vendôme.
Battle
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
the water level was extremely low, so it was planned attack the French squadron by land.
By 20 October the preparations were ready. At 3:00 AM. of that day Melchor de la Cueva's, Duke of Veragua's and Francisco de Meneses' tercios landed on both shores of the channel and moved towards the French vessel's concentration, located in front of a castle garrisoned by a French and a Scottish regiments. These troops, along with a cavalry corps coming from a nearby village, skirmished with the Spanish tercios until 5:00 PM., when the high tide allowed the Spanish seamen to sail 3 galleys and 7 brigantines out of the channel. 2 frigates, 2 brigantines and 15 barges were set on fire due the impossibility of refloat them, as well as the houses of the bourg after being sacked. The whole operation was carried out with no casualty.
Aftermath
The day following the battle, the Spanish ships shelled the village of Montagne, after which 1,600 soldiers were landed and looted it, capturing large amounts of cattle, wine, wheat and other provisions. RoyanRoyan
Royan is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department, along the Atlantic Ocean, in southwestern France.A seaside resort, Royan is in the heart of an urban area estimated at 38,638 inhabitants, which makes it the fourth-largest conurbation in the department, after La Rochelle, Rochefort and Saintes...
and several other nearby places were also plundered. Few days later, a surprise attack on the Island of Ré failed due to the errors of Santa Cruz and Buñuelos. After that Santa Cruz returned to Spain. His fleet anchored in the port Pasaia
Pasaia
Pasaia is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community of northern Spain. It is a fishing community, commercial port and the birth place of the fighting admiral Blas de Lezo. Pasaia lies approximately 5 km east of Donostia's centre, lying at the...
, near Donostia, despite he had no orders to do it. For this reason or for his failure against Ré, he was imprisoned in the Castle of San Torcaz. Admiral Manuel de Buñuelos was also punished, being recluded in the Castle of Vélez.