Battle of the Saltes Island
Encyclopedia
The naval Battle of the Saltes Island or Battle of Saltes (Spanish
: Batalla de la Isla Saltés) took place on 17 July 1381, off Saltes Island
, between the Kingdom of Castile
and the Kingdom of Portugal
during the Third Ferdinand War
. The Castilian fleet commanded by Don Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
defeated decisively the Portuguese fleet led by João Afonso Teles de Menezes, Count of Barcelos
. The result of the battle was the destruction of the naval offensive capability of Portugal, achieving the Castilian naval supremacy in the Atlantic Ocean
.
, following the death of Peter I of Castile, declared war on Kingdom of Castile
for the possession of the Castilian throne. This series of conflicts were known as Ferdinand Wars
. In 1381, breaking the Treaty of Santarem (1373)
, which brought peace to the second war, Ferdinand I decided to attack back to Castile, thus initiating the Third Ferdinand War
. For this, he signed an alliance with the young Richard II of England
. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
, also had, since 1371, claims to the Castilian throne, and saw in this deal a means of enforcement of this cause, and sent about 2,000 English soldiers under the command of the Earl of Cambridge
to Lisbon
, to support a Portuguese incursion into the Castilian territory.
To prevent the English contingent being intercepted at sea by the navy of Castile, the Portuguese monarch planned a naval blockade. In mid-July 1381, from Lisbon, a Portuguese fleet under the command of João Afonso Teles de Menezes, Count of Barcelos
, sailed towards the mouth of the Guadalquivir
river to prevent the passage of the Castilian fleet, which was anchored in Seville
. At the same time, Admiral Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
sailed from its base in Seville, heading out to the Portuguese coasts. On 17 July, sailing in opposite directions, the two fleets were sighted each other off the Algarve.
considered very unlikely to obtain a victory under such circumstances, and ordered to tack and return to port. His Portuguese counterpart then saw a unique opportunity to beat the rival, and began the chase of the Castilian fleet. From that moment it became clear the tactical intelligence of the Admiral De Tovar
as sailor, and ordered to his men rowing at a fast pace, forcing his Portuguese pursuers maximize the effort to try to overcome the speed of the opponent, and the different speeds at which they advanced, would increase the distance between the Portuguese ships, breaking their formation.
After about two hours, the exhaustion, the thirst and the heat of summer took their toll on the Portuguese rowers, and many of their ships were left behind. Eight of them, the vanguard of the Portuguese fleet, attacked the small island of Saltés
and destroyed the property of the fishermen in the vicinity. Then, De Tovar, seeing that the Portuguese had fallen into his trap, launched their ships against the enemy in a compact formation, and captured easily the Portuguese galleys. The rest of the Portuguese fleet, approached in disarray one by one, and were captured by the Castilians without difficulty. Eventually, only one of the 23 Portuguese galleys, avoided being captured by the men of Fernando Sánchez de Tovar. The Castilian fleet obtained a brilliant victory.
Admiral Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
entered triumphantly with his 22 galleys captured in the port of Seville
, with great joy of its inhabitants. This fact allowed the English to dock in Lisbon without problems. Later, the English men of the Duke of Lancaster
, arranged their boats to face off against the fleet of Sánchez de Tovar, but knowing that he had returned to Seville, the English ships returned to England
, leaving in Lisbon to the English land forces.
The resounding victory of Don Fernando Sánchez de Tovar had obvious implications for the Third Ferdinand War
. Annulled the naval offensive capability of Portugal, achieving the Castilian naval supremacy in the Atlantic Ocean
. That year, the Portuguese could not build more fleets against Castile, who, in turn, did not need to do the same, and the Castilians exercised a effective control of the sea. Therefore, the battle ended the naval Portuguese campaign of 1381.
The effects of the Portuguese defeat also felt in the following year, when the Kingdom of Portugal
had to face, militarily weaker than usual, a vigorous attack by sea and land from the Crown of Castile
. The Castilians came to the gates of Lisbon, forcing the King of Portugal to sign peace in August with John I of Castile
, by the Treaty of Elvas
.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Batalla de la Isla Saltés) took place on 17 July 1381, off Saltes Island
Huelva
Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
, between the Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
and the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
during the Third Ferdinand War
Ferdinand Wars
The Ferdinand Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal, supported by the Kingdom of England, and the Crown of Castile. Ferdinand I of Portugal, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the Castilian Kings of the House of Trastámara, faced for the throne of Castile,...
. The Castilian fleet commanded by Don Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar or Fernán Sánchez de Tovar was a significant Castilian soldier and Admiral of the Middle Ages.-Soldier of Castile:...
defeated decisively the Portuguese fleet led by João Afonso Teles de Menezes, Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the Teles de Menezes family...
. The result of the battle was the destruction of the naval offensive capability of Portugal, achieving the Castilian naval supremacy in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Background
Ferdinand I of PortugalFerdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand I , sometimes referred to as the Handsome or rarely as the Inconstant , was the ninth King of Portugal and the Algarve, the second son of Peter I and his wife, Constance of Castile...
, following the death of Peter I of Castile, declared war on Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
for the possession of the Castilian throne. This series of conflicts were known as Ferdinand Wars
Ferdinand Wars
The Ferdinand Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal, supported by the Kingdom of England, and the Crown of Castile. Ferdinand I of Portugal, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the Castilian Kings of the House of Trastámara, faced for the throne of Castile,...
. In 1381, breaking the Treaty of Santarem (1373)
Ferdinand Wars
The Ferdinand Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal, supported by the Kingdom of England, and the Crown of Castile. Ferdinand I of Portugal, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the Castilian Kings of the House of Trastámara, faced for the throne of Castile,...
, which brought peace to the second war, Ferdinand I decided to attack back to Castile, thus initiating the Third Ferdinand War
Ferdinand Wars
The Ferdinand Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal, supported by the Kingdom of England, and the Crown of Castile. Ferdinand I of Portugal, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the Castilian Kings of the House of Trastámara, faced for the throne of Castile,...
. For this, he signed an alliance with the young Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, also had, since 1371, claims to the Castilian throne, and saw in this deal a means of enforcement of this cause, and sent about 2,000 English soldiers under the command of the Earl of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, to support a Portuguese incursion into the Castilian territory.
To prevent the English contingent being intercepted at sea by the navy of Castile, the Portuguese monarch planned a naval blockade. In mid-July 1381, from Lisbon, a Portuguese fleet under the command of João Afonso Teles de Menezes, Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the Teles de Menezes family...
, sailed towards the mouth of the Guadalquivir
Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir is the fifth longest river in the Iberian peninsula and the second longest river to be its whole length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is 657 kilometers long and drains an area of about 58,000 square kilometers...
river to prevent the passage of the Castilian fleet, which was anchored in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. At the same time, Admiral Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar or Fernán Sánchez de Tovar was a significant Castilian soldier and Admiral of the Middle Ages.-Soldier of Castile:...
sailed from its base in Seville, heading out to the Portuguese coasts. On 17 July, sailing in opposite directions, the two fleets were sighted each other off the Algarve.
Battle of the Saltes Island
At that time, after assessing the situation, the Castilian AdmiralFernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar or Fernán Sánchez de Tovar was a significant Castilian soldier and Admiral of the Middle Ages.-Soldier of Castile:...
considered very unlikely to obtain a victory under such circumstances, and ordered to tack and return to port. His Portuguese counterpart then saw a unique opportunity to beat the rival, and began the chase of the Castilian fleet. From that moment it became clear the tactical intelligence of the Admiral De Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar or Fernán Sánchez de Tovar was a significant Castilian soldier and Admiral of the Middle Ages.-Soldier of Castile:...
as sailor, and ordered to his men rowing at a fast pace, forcing his Portuguese pursuers maximize the effort to try to overcome the speed of the opponent, and the different speeds at which they advanced, would increase the distance between the Portuguese ships, breaking their formation.
After about two hours, the exhaustion, the thirst and the heat of summer took their toll on the Portuguese rowers, and many of their ships were left behind. Eight of them, the vanguard of the Portuguese fleet, attacked the small island of Saltés
Huelva
Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
and destroyed the property of the fishermen in the vicinity. Then, De Tovar, seeing that the Portuguese had fallen into his trap, launched their ships against the enemy in a compact formation, and captured easily the Portuguese galleys. The rest of the Portuguese fleet, approached in disarray one by one, and were captured by the Castilians without difficulty. Eventually, only one of the 23 Portuguese galleys, avoided being captured by the men of Fernando Sánchez de Tovar. The Castilian fleet obtained a brilliant victory.
Consequences
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar or Fernán Sánchez de Tovar was a significant Castilian soldier and Admiral of the Middle Ages.-Soldier of Castile:...
entered triumphantly with his 22 galleys captured in the port of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, with great joy of its inhabitants. This fact allowed the English to dock in Lisbon without problems. Later, the English men of the Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, arranged their boats to face off against the fleet of Sánchez de Tovar, but knowing that he had returned to Seville, the English ships returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, leaving in Lisbon to the English land forces.
The resounding victory of Don Fernando Sánchez de Tovar had obvious implications for the Third Ferdinand War
Third Ferdinand War
The Third Ferdinand War was the last conflict of the Ferdinand Wars, and took place between 1381–1382, between the Crown of Castile and the Kingdoms of Portugal and England...
. Annulled the naval offensive capability of Portugal, achieving the Castilian naval supremacy in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. That year, the Portuguese could not build more fleets against Castile, who, in turn, did not need to do the same, and the Castilians exercised a effective control of the sea. Therefore, the battle ended the naval Portuguese campaign of 1381.
The effects of the Portuguese defeat also felt in the following year, when the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
had to face, militarily weaker than usual, a vigorous attack by sea and land from the Crown of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
. The Castilians came to the gates of Lisbon, forcing the King of Portugal to sign peace in August with John I of Castile
John I of Castile
John I was the king of Crown of Castile, was the son of Henry II and of his wife Juana Manuel of Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile...
, by the Treaty of Elvas
Ferdinand Wars
The Ferdinand Wars were a series of three conflicts between the Kingdom of Portugal, supported by the Kingdom of England, and the Crown of Castile. Ferdinand I of Portugal, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the Castilian Kings of the House of Trastámara, faced for the throne of Castile,...
.
See also
- List of Castilian monarchs
- List of Portuguese monarchs
- List of English monarchs