Anglo-Spanish War (1727–1729) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anglo-Spanish War |
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| Part of the Anglo-Spanish wars | |||||||
 Contemporary representation of the siege of Gibraltar in 1727 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George I Robert Walpole |
Philip V Juan Guillermo Ripperdá |
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The Anglo-Spanish War of 1727–1729 was a short war between Great Britain and Spain. It happened in the late 1720s. Spain tried to take back Gibraltar, but they failed. Great Britain also tried to block a Spanish port called Porto Bello, but this also failed. The war ended with a peace treaty called the Treaty of Seville. Both sides went back to how things were before the war started.
Contents
Why Did the War Start?
Gibraltar: A Long-Standing Issue
During an earlier conflict, the War of the Spanish Succession, Spain lost Gibraltar. A combined fleet from Britain and the Netherlands captured it. When that war ended in 1714, Spain had to accept this loss in the Treaty of Utrecht. However, Spain always wanted to get Gibraltar back. They also wanted to regain the island of Menorca from the British.
New Alliances and Tensions
In 1725, Spain signed the Treaty of Vienna with Austria. Spain felt strong with Austria's support. They believed it was the right time to try and recapture Gibraltar. In response, Britain formed its own alliance. They signed the Treaty of Hanover in 1725 with France and Prussia.
Some historians think the war actually began in 1726. This was because relations between Britain and Spain were already very tense. Britain sent its navy to the Spanish West Indies. The goal was to disrupt Spanish shipping, even though a full war had not officially started yet.
Key Events of the War
The Blockade of Porto Bello
Britain tried to use its powerful navy early in the conflict. They decided to blockade Porto Bello in Panama. A blockade means stopping ships from entering or leaving a port. The main goal was to prevent Spanish treasure ships, called galleons, from sailing to Spain.
However, this attempt was a disaster for the British. About 4,000 British soldiers died, mostly from disease. The blockade failed to stop the Spanish ships. Eventually, the British navy had to withdraw.
The Siege of Gibraltar
On February 11, 1727, Spain began a major attack on Gibraltar. This was known as the Thirteenth Siege of Gibraltar. The Spanish forces were led by the Marquis de las Torres. The Chief Engineer, the Marquis of Verboom, also supervised the attack.
The number of Spanish troops varied, but it was between 12,000 and 25,000. At the start, only 1,500 British soldiers defended Gibraltar. But more troops arrived from overseas, bringing the total to about 5,000. These reinforcements came with a fleet led by Charles Wager.
The siege lasted for four months. The Spanish tried many times to take Gibraltar, but they were unsuccessful. Their attacks were very costly. On June 12, the Spanish troops gave up and retreated. Spain lost over 1,400 men. The British suffered around 300 casualties.
Spain had expected help from Austria, as promised in the Treaty of Vienna. But they received very little support. British diplomats had secretly made a deal with the Austrians. This deal prevented Austria from helping Spain.
Ending the War
After the siege, no more fighting took place. A truce was announced in February 1728. A preliminary agreement was made in March at the Convention of El Pardo. Further discussions happened at the Congress of Soissons.
The final peace treaty was signed in 1729. This was the Treaty of Seville. It confirmed that things would go back to how they were before the war. However, many problems between Britain and Spain were not solved. Ten years later, another war, the War of Jenkins' Ear, broke out between them. Britain came out of this conflict with a very strong alliance with Austria. This alliance lasted until 1756.
See also
In Spanish: Guerra anglo-española (1727-1729) para niños
