Description

Battle of Winchelsea 1350 - Les Espagnols sur Mer

A Spanish fleet commanded by Don Carlos de la Cerda has swept down upon the English fleet anchored at Winchelsea. The English fleet, commanded by the King, the Black Prince and Sir John Chandos, sets sail to intercept the Spanish.

The Battle of Winchelsea or the Battle of Les Espagnols sur Mer ("the Spaniards on the Sea"), was a naval battle that took place on 29 August 1350 and was a victory for an English fleet of 50 ships commanded by King Edward III over a Castilian fleet of 47 larger vessels commanded by Charles de La Cerda. Between 14 and 26 Castilian ships were captured, and several were sunk. Only two English vessels were sunk but there was significant loss of life. The battle was part of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

English trade, war finance and ability to bring force to bear against France was heavily reliant on seaborne transportation, especially to its territory in Gascony. With its own ability to raise and support a fleet much reduced by English activities, the French hired Castilian ships to blockade English ports. Frustrated by their effectiveness, Edward III himself led the fleet which intercepted them and inflicted heavy losses. In spite of this success English trade and ports had little respite from French, and French-sponsored, naval activity.

—description from the publisher and wikipedia