Winchelsea: English Fleet Crushes Castilian Navy
King Edward III personally commanded the English fleet at the Battle of Winchelsea on August 29, 1350, intercepting a Castilian squadron returning from Flanders with captured goods. The engagement was fought in the medieval style: ships grappled alongside each other while armored knights boarded and fought hand-to-hand on pitching decks. Edward's own ship was so badly damaged it had to be abandoned for a captured Castilian vessel. The Prince of Wales (the Black Prince) was in serious danger before the Earl of Lancaster rescued him. Despite the chaotic fighting, the English sank or captured fourteen Castilian ships. The battle demonstrated that England could project naval power in the English Channel, complementing its land victories at Crecy and Poitiers.
August 29, 1350
676 years ago
Key Figures & Places
England
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Edward III of England
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Kingdom of England
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Naval fleet
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Battle of Winchelsea
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Les Espagnols sur Mer
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Crown of Castile
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Battle of Winchelsea
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England
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Naval fleet
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Edward III of England
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Crown of Castile
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