Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1706)

Battle

By 1706, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Philip V had lost Gibraltar to an Anglo-Dutch fleet commanded by George Rooke, the Spanish galleons in the port of Vigo had been burnt or captured, and the Allied army was entering Castile after overrunning Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia. At this time, Admiral Jennings sailed into Santa Cruz bay with 12 ships of the line and several minor warships in order to capture the town. The English ships were subjected to a heavy gunfire from hidden shore batteries, suffering many casualties.

After an initial landing attempt was repulsed by the Spanish artillery of Castle of San Cristóbal, Jennings sent an emissary to the authorities of Santa Cruz who apologized for the attack saying that it was an error. In addition, the emissary urged the authorities of the island to join the Hapsburg side under the menace of take the city by force. The mayor José de Ayala y Rojas, head of the defense of Santa Cruz in the absence of Governor Agustín de Robles, refused, confirming the loyalty of the islands to King Philip V. «If Philip, our king, had lost his all in the Peninsula, these islands would still remain faithful to him.» He said. After this, the English fleet withdrew.