Battle of Augusta

Overview

The Battle of Augusta took place near Augusta, Sicily on 22 April 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War. It featured a French fleet under Abraham Duquesne, and a combined Dutch-Spanish fleet, under the overall command of Francisco de la Cerda.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Augusta, fought on 22 April 1676 near Augusta, Sicily, was a naval engagement between a French fleet under Abraham Duquesne and a combined Dutch-Spanish fleet under the overall command of Francisco de la Cerda, with Michiel de Ruyter commanding the Dutch component. It formed part of the Franco-Dutch War's Mediterranean theater, in which France and its ally Sicily contested control of the sea against the Dutch Republic and Spain. The engagement produced roughly equal casualties on both sides — approximately 2,000 per fleet — and involved French forces numerically superior to the Dutch-Spanish contingent, with French strength estimated at 1,760–2,200 against a Dutch force of 1,300–1,450. The battle was one of several naval clashes off Sicily during this period that determined the balance of maritime power between France and the allied Dutch-Spanish forces in the western Mediterranean during the broader conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)