Battle of Ponta Delgada

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Battle of Ponta Delgada
Part of the Portuguese succession crisis
The landing of the Spanish Tercios at Terceira.
Date 26 July 1582 Location Terceira, Azores Islands, Portugal Result Decisive Spanish victory
Belligerents
Portuguese renegades in exile French, English, Dutch, Italian adventurers	Portugal Spain
Commanders
Filippo di Piero Strozzi †	Marquis de Santa Cruz
Strength
60 warships	28 warships
Casualties and losses
1,500 dead 1.500 wounded, missing or captured 4 ships sunk 2 ships burned 4 ships captured	224 dead 550 wounded

The naval Battle of Ponta Delgada, also called the Battle of Terceira, took place on July 26, 1582, in the sea of the Azores, near Terceira Island, in the process of the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis that resulted in the defeat of fleet manned by Portuguese exiles and French, Dutch and English adventurers under António, Prior of Crato (Portuguese claimant to the Portuguese throne against Spanish Habsburg King Philip II) and Filippo di Piero Strozzi, a Florentine exile in the service of France, by a Portuguese and Spanish fleet under Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz.

The fleet of António was not only utterly defetaed on this day, but also on the following day, at the Battle of Vila Franca, off São Miguel Island on July 27, 1582.

These battles mark the end of Philip II's problems with António, Prior of Crato, and the full estableshiment of the Iberian Union, which would last for 60 years, until 1640.

Upon Philip's victory, he hung his opponents on yardarms, contributing to the Black Legend.

[edit] External links

• Batalla de Isla Terceira in Spanish