Battle of Bayona Islands (1590) | |||||||
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Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) | |||||||
Photography of the Cies Islands by Alberto Pérez. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United Provinces England | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Unknown | Pedro de Zubiaur | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
14 ships[2] | 3 flyboats[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
14 ships captured (7 ships boarded)[3][4] (Flagship boarded and captured)[2] | Unknown |
The Battle of Bayona Islands, also known as the Battle of Bayona Bay, was a naval engagement that took place in early 1590, off Bayona Islands (present-day Cíes Islands), near Bayona (or Baiona) and Vigo, Spain, between a small Spanish naval force commanded by Captain Don Pedro de Zubiaur, and an Anglo-Dutch flotilla of 14 ships, during the Eighty Years' War, and in the context of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and the French Wars of Religion.[2][4] After several hours of hard combat, the Spanish naval force composed of three flyboats achieved a great success, and the Anglo-Dutch fleet was totally defeated.[4] The flagship of the Dutch was boarded and captured, including another six ships more.[4] Finally, the rest of the Dutch fleet was forced to surrender.[2][5] Shortly after, Pedro de Zubiaur arriving at Ferrol, along with the captured ships, with great surprise for the Spanish authorities of the port.[2][4]