Conflict: War of the Quadruple Alliance
Combatants: British vs. Spanish
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Outcome: British victory
On this day in 1718, 21 British ships under the command of Admiral George Byng all but destroyed a smaller Spanish fleet, commanded by Admiral Antonio de Gaztañeta, off the coast of Syracuse. The British sank or captured 20 of the Spanish vessels with only 2 or 3 escaping destruction.
Points of Interest:
After the death of French King Louis XIV, England, France and the Netherlands allied to oppose the machinations of Spain in France and Italy.
In 1718, Austria joined the allies to form the Quadruple Alliance.
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Sources:
Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).
Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.
Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
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