Battle of Orbetello facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Orbetello |
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| Part of the Thirty Years' War and the Franco-Spanish War (1635) |
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 The blockade of Orbetello, engraving by Matthäus Merian. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Marquis of Brézé † | Count of Linhares | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 24 sailing ships 20 galleys 8 fireships 4 fluyts |
22 sailing ships 30 galleys 5 fireships |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 fireship exploded | 1 frigate scuttled | ||||||
The Battle of Orbetello, also known as the Battle of Isola del Giglio, was a big sea battle during the Franco-Spanish War in 1646. It happened on June 14, 1646, near the Spanish town of Orbetello in Tuscany, Italy. The battle was between a French fleet led by Admiral Armand de Maillé and a Spanish fleet commanded by Miguel de Noronha, 4th Count of Linhares. The Spanish fleet was sent to help Orbetello, which had been under attack by a French army since May 12. This battle was unusual because the large sailing ships had to be pulled by smaller galleys due to very light winds.
After a tough fight where Admiral Brézé was killed, the French fleet went back to Toulon. The Spanish fleet did not chase them. A few days later, Spanish soldiers landed to try and break the French siege on land, but they failed. The siege continued until July 24. Then, another Spanish army arrived and defeated the French troops, forcing them to retreat with many losses.
Why the Battle Happened
In 1646, France wanted to gain more control in the Mediterranean Sea. Cardinal Mazarin, a powerful French leader, planned a sea trip to take over the Spanish-held State of Presidi. These were important coastal areas in Italy. France hoped this would cut off Spain's supply routes to its lands in Italy, especially the Kingdom of Naples. It was also meant to pressure Pope Innocent X, who was friendly with Spain.
A large French fleet was put together in Toulon. It was led by the young Admiral Marquis of Brézé. The fleet had 36 large warships, 20 galleys, and many smaller boats. It also carried an army of about 8,000 foot soldiers and 800 horsemen. This army was commanded by Prince Thomas of Savoy.
Orbetello was a strong defensive town built on a narrow strip of land between two bays. It had several forts nearby, like Porto Ercole and San Stefano. The French army landed at Talamone first. Admiral Brézé left some ships there to attack the forts. He then went to Porto San Stefano and attacked its fort until it surrendered. After these losses, the Spanish commander of Orbetello, Don Carlo de la Gatta, had only 200 Spanish and Italian soldiers left. He needed help quickly. An early attempt to send supplies to Orbetello by sea failed, so a bigger naval battle was expected.
When Spain heard about the siege, King Philip IV ordered a relief fleet to be gathered. The command was given to Miguel de Noronha, 4th Count of Linhares. He was the top commander of Spain's galleys in the Mediterranean. His fleet included 22 large warships and 8 frigates. About 3,300 soldiers were put on these ships to help Orbetello. Later, 18 more galleys from Naples, Sardinia, Genoa, and Sicily joined the Spanish fleet. This brought their total strength to 22 large warships and 30 galleys. Meanwhile, Admiral Brézé's French fleet had 24 sailing ships and 20 galleys.
The Battle
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On the morning of June 14, the Spanish fleet approached Giglio Island. They were in a line, with their largest ships and galleys at the front. Admiral Brézé formed his French fleet in a line too, mixing his large ships and galleys. He sailed towards the Spanish ships. By 9:00 PM, Brézé was about four miles from the Spanish. The wind was very light, so the large sailing ships on both sides had to be towed by galleys.
Admiral Brézé was on his main ship, the Grand Saint-Louis. It was being towed by a galley. Fifteen other French ships were also in line, each towed by a galley. The two fleets sailed past each other. The Spanish had more galleys, which helped them get into a better position. They tried to surround the French line. The Spanish flagship Santiago was being towed by Count of Linhares's galley.
Brézé's ship attacked the Spanish flagship Santiago with its cannons. The Santiago was badly damaged and lost its main mast. Other Spanish ships came to help it. The battle continued until evening. The Spanish lost a frigate called Santa Catalina. Its crew burned it to stop the French from capturing it. Some Spanish ships were heavily damaged. A French fireship exploded. Two French large ships were also damaged. About 40 French sailors were killed or wounded. Admiral Brézé himself was killed when a cannonball hit his ship.
The next morning, the fleets were 12 miles apart. The new French commander decided to sail to Porto Ercole for repairs instead of chasing the Spanish. The Spanish fleet had taken shelter behind Giglio Island. Linhares chased the French for two days. During the first night, four French supply ships accidentally sailed into the Spanish fleet but managed to escape. The Spanish admiral finally gave up the chase to help Orbetello. However, a storm scattered most of his ships. Some went to Sardinia, others to Giglio and Montecristo. A Spanish galley sank, and 46 rowers died. The French also suffered from the storm. One of their galleys sank, but its crew was rescued by the Spanish. Another French ship was captured by the Spanish.
What Happened Next
On June 23, the Spanish fleet reached Porto Longone. They decided to try and help Orbetello after making essential repairs. Two days later, some Spanish ships attacked Talamone and destroyed or captured about 70 French supply boats. The French commander, meanwhile, returned to Toulon. Even though the French lost the naval battle, they still managed to get some reinforcements to Talamone.
The Spanish tried to break the French siege lines on land, but they failed. Linhares landed 3,300 soldiers. They managed to take a hill, but another group of Spanish soldiers was forced to retreat after a 6-hour battle. About 400 wounded Spanish soldiers were taken away, but the dead were left behind. The siege of Orbetello was not lifted until a month later. An army led by the Duke of Arcos and the Marquis of Torrecuso attacked the French camp. They killed or captured over 7,000 French soldiers and took all their cannons and supplies. This made the whole French campaign a failure.
King Philip IV of Spain was not happy with the naval battle's outcome. He had expected the French fleet to be destroyed. He removed and imprisoned Count of Linhares and Admiral Pimienta, accusing them of poor leadership. Philip IV also appointed his 17-year-old son, John of Austria, as the commander of all Spanish naval forces. The French failure at Orbetello reduced their military pressure in Italy. This allowed Spain to send 6,000 soldiers from Naples to fight the French in Catalonia. Later in September, a French expedition, with help from Portugal, did manage to capture the Spanish strongholds of Piombino and Porto Longone. This encouraged the Duke of Modena to switch his support from Spain to France.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Orbetello para niños
