Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1706) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
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| Part of the War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Bourbon Spain |
 Kingdom of England |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| José de Ayala y Rojas |
 John Jennings |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 soldiers 70 guns |
13 ships 800 guns |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Light | Heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was a small but important fight during the War of the Spanish Succession. In this battle, an English fleet of 13 ships, led by Admiral John Jennings, tried to take over the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. However, they were not successful. Before the attack, Jennings had tried to use England's recent wins in Spain and Portugal to demand that Charles II of England be recognized as the ruler of the Canary Islands. But the people of Tenerife said no to his demands.
The Battle of 1706
By the year 1706, the War of the Spanish Succession was well underway. Spain's King Philip V had already lost Gibraltar to a combined English and Dutch fleet. Spanish ships in the port of Vigo had been destroyed or captured. Plus, the Allied army was moving into Castile, after taking over Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia.
At this time, Admiral John Jennings sailed into Santa Cruz bay. He had 12 large warships and several smaller ones. His goal was to capture the town. But as the English ships approached, they were met with heavy gunfire. Hidden shore batteries (cannons placed along the coast) fired at them. The English ships suffered many injuries and damage.
Landing Attempt and Spanish Refusal
The English tried to land their soldiers, but the Spanish cannons from the Castle of San Cristóbal pushed them back. After this failed attempt, Admiral Jennings sent a messenger to the leaders of Santa Cruz. The messenger apologized for the attack, saying it was a mistake.
However, the messenger then tried to convince the island's leaders to join the Austrian side in the war. He even threatened to take the city by force if they refused. The mayor, José de Ayala y Rojas, was in charge of Santa Cruz's defense because the governor was away. He bravely refused the English demands. He confirmed that the islands were loyal to King Philip V. He famously said, "If Philip, our king, had lost everything in Spain, these islands would still remain loyal to him." After hearing this strong refusal, the English fleet left.
What Happened After
Even though the British fleet quickly left during the night, the Spanish armed groups kept watching Santa Cruz for two more days. They also patrolled La Palma for a few months to make sure the British wouldn't return.
This victory against the English was very important for Santa Cruz. Because of it, a second lion head was added to the Coat of arms of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. (A third lion head was added later, in 1797, after another famous victory against Horatio Nelson). The British tried to attack the Canary Islands again in 1743, but they were defeated once more.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1706) para niños
