Battle of the Berlengas (1666)

The Battle of Berlengas was fought in 1666 during the Portuguese Restoration War, between the Portuguese defenders of the Fort São João Baptista and a Spanish fleet commanded by Diego de Ibarra. The fleet, which had destroyed Portuguese fisheries, bombarded towns and cut off supplies in one month as part of its onslaught, proceeded to storm the fort on the Berlengas.[6] The fort was destroyed and the entire garrison were captured.[7]

Battle of the Berlengas
Part of the Portuguese Restoration War
Fort of São João Baptista
Date 28 June to 1 July 1666 Location Berlengas, Portugal Result Spanish victory[1]
Belligerents
Spain	Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Diego Ibarra	António Pessoa
Strength
1,500 15 warships[2][3]	28[4]
Casualties and losses
41 killed and wounded[5]	5 killed and wounded 23 captured

After the attack the repair of the fort was initiated, being concluded in 1678 by João de Mascarenhas, 1st Marquess of Fronteira.

Notes

1. Porter&Prince p.168
2. Porter, Prince, p.12
3. Porter, Prince, p.12
4. Porter, Prince, "In 1666, 28 Portuguese tried to withstand 1,500 Spaniards who bombarded the site from 15 ships." p.12
5. Duro. p.91
6. Brown & Cavendish p.149
7. Duro p.91

References

• Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince, Frommer's Portugal (2010) ISBN 978-0-470-54120-3
• Abigail Hole, Charlotte Beech, Portugal (2005) ISBN 978-1-74059-682-4
• Fernández Duro, Cesáreo: Armada española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y de León, Vol.5. Est. tipográfico "Sucesores de Rivadeneyra", (1899)
• Brown, Rawdon & Cavendish, George: Calendar of state papers and manuscripts relating, to English affairs, existing in the archives and collections of Venice: and in other libraries of northern Italy, Vol.35. H.M. Stationery office, 1935