Spain Destroys Hawkins's Fleet: Drake Vows Revenge
Spanish warships trapped John Hawkins's English fleet at San Juan de Ulua near Veracruz and opened fire, sinking most of his ships and killing hundreds of his crew. Hawkins and his young cousin Francis Drake barely escaped on separate vessels. The treachery at San Juan de Ulua transformed Drake into Spain's most feared enemy and fueled English hostility that exploded into open war two decades later.
September 23, 1568
458 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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