Heemskerk’s Defeat of the Spaniards at Gibraltar, 25 April 1607, Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen
This painting (BHC0265) depicts the Battle of Gibraltar, 25 April 1607 in which some thirty Dutch vessels, under the command of Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk, defeated the Spanish fleet. The battle was the first major naval victory for the Dutch in the Eighty Years War, 1568-1648 and it was the first time during the conflict that the Dutch had effectively trounced the Spanish in Spanish waters. The battle began when thirty Dutch ships took the Spanish fleet by surprise in the Bay of Gibraltar in an action which lasted four hours. The entire Spanish fleet, which had threatened Dutch trade with Asia, was destroyed and 4000 Spaniards as well as 100 Dutchmen lost their lives. Both Dutch and Spanish admirals were amongst the dead including the Dutch Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk and the Spanish Admiral Don Juan Alvares d’Avila. Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk (1567-1607) was killed at the beginning of the action whilst standing on deck. He was hit by a Spanish cannon ball which severed his leg.
