Battle of Cape Passaro

E63520

The Battle of Cape Passaro was a 1718 naval engagement off the coast of Sicily in which the British fleet decisively defeated the Spanish, helping to trigger and shape the War of the Quadruple Alliance.


Statements (45)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
naval battle
aftermath capture or destruction of many Spanish ships
significant Spanish naval losses in ships and men
belligerent Great Britain
Spain
cause Spanish attempt to assert claims in Italy
Spanish expedition to Sicily
combatantFleet British Mediterranean Fleet
Spanish fleet
commander Antonio de Gaztañeta
Fernando Chacón
George Byng
conflict War of the Quadruple Alliance
countryInvolved Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Spain
date 11 August 1718
era early 18th century
geographicalFeature Cape Passaro
influenced diplomatic alignment of Britain, France, Austria, and the Dutch Republic
location off Cape Passaro
off the coast of Sicily
militaryBranch Royal Navy
Spanish Navy
modernCountryLocation Italy
navalTactics aggressive pursuit and engagement of scattered Spanish ships
notableCommanderRole Antonio de Gaztañeta commanded the main Spanish squadron
George Byng commanded the British fleet
numberOfShipsInvolved British fleet larger than Spanish fleet
opponentObjective Spanish support for territorial ambitions in Sicily and Sardinia
outcome decisive British victory
partOf War of the Quadruple Alliance
preceded formal declaration of the War of the Quadruple Alliance
region Sicily
relatedTo Quadruple Alliance of Britain, France, Austria, and the Dutch Republic
War of the Spanish Succession settlement
result British victory
significance helped to trigger the War of the Quadruple Alliance
shaped the course of the War of the Quadruple Alliance
strategicSignificance secured British control of Mediterranean sea lanes
weakened Spanish naval power in the Mediterranean
theatre Mediterranean Sea
treatyContext post-War of the Spanish Succession settlement
triggered War of the Quadruple Alliance
year 1718

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
War of the Quadruple Alliance
significantEvent

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