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| Battle of Palermo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theFranco-Dutch War | |||||||
 A painting of the battle byPierre Puget | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |  Dutch Republic Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Duke of Mortemart | Jan den Haen †Diego de Ibarra † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 24 ships of the line 5 frigates 25 galleys 9 fireships | 14 ships of the line 13 frigates 19 galleys 4 fireships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| ~200 killed and wounded 9 fireships destroyed | ~1,960 killed and wounded 3 ships of the line destroyed 4 frigates destroyed 2 galleys destroyed | ||||||
TheBattle of Palermo took place on 2 June 1676 during theFranco-Dutch War, between aFrench force sent to support a revolt in the city ofMessina against the Spanish rule inSicily, and a Spanish force supported by a Dutch maritime expedition force.
The Dutch and Spanish ships were at bay making repairs from an earlierBattle of Augusta where Dutch Lt. Admiral Generalde Ruyter suffered lethal injuries. His death caused a severe impact on morale of the Dutch. The command of their fleet was transferred to Vice Admiralden Haen while the general command was assumed by Spanish admiral DonDiego de Ibarra. The French fleet under nominal command ofDuke of Mortemart arrived from Messina. The actual planning of the battle belonged to Vice AdmiralDuquesne, Rear Admiralde Tourville and Rear AdmiralGabaret. The Dutch were inclined to meet the French at sea, but they were disappointed greatly by the Spanish conduct in the previousbattle. The Dutch and Spanish ships of the line and frigates were springed in a battle line order across the bay with the Spanish galleys in front of them to protect from enemyfireships. The French fleet was larger and more powerful. Many Spanish ships were of older designs equipped with low calibre cannons and incomplete untrained crews. The Dutch crews were very well trained, though also incomplete due to irrecoverable losses in the previous battles and a dysentery epidemic. The French plan was to engage in combat with the Spanish ships first, continue with the Dutch ships and coastal batteries until the bay got covered with gunpowder smoke under which the fireships should attack.
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The Spanish ships couldn't maintain the battle order for a long time. Many of them cut spring ropes and left the line without order. Three Spanish frigates were burnt due to a French fireship attack. Two Spanish galleys were destroyed by artillery fire with Admiralde Villaroel killed. When Spanish resistance on the right side of the line collapsed, the French attacked the left side and centre consisting of the Dutch ships mostly with all their force. The Spanish flagship, 70-gunNuestra Señora del Pilar, was attacked by four French fireships, caught fire and exploded with 200 sailors and both Spanish admirals, de Ibarra andde La Cerda, killed. The majority of Dutch losses could be attributed to another successful French fireship attack on the 68-gunSteenbergen which collided with two other Dutch ships, 50-gunVrijheid and 36-gunLeiden, in a failed evasive manoeuvre. All three Dutch ships caught fire and exploded, though most of their crews escaped successfully. Rear Admiralvan Middelandt was killed on boardSteenbergen. The Dutch continued to resist though. Vice Admiral den Haen was killed by a cannonball while commanding his flagship, 76-gunGouda. With all Dutch and Spanish admirals killed, a flag officer of late de Ruyter, CaptainCallenburgh of 76-gunEendracht, assumed general command. One of Spanish coastal batteries exploded and the town caught fire. The Dutch and Spanish were in a dire position, though the French lost all their fireships by this time and Vivonne ordered a return to Messina.
It could be argued the French would have been able to achieve a complete destruction of the allied Dutch and Spanish fleet at the cost of higher French losses. However, Vivonne decided the battle had been won already and it was better to return without losing a single warship. The French victory achieved little, and the French forces in Sicily were recalled on 1 January 1678.[1] As in theFranco-Spanish War of 1635–1659, in the Franco-Dutch War Spain retained its position in Italy and proved able to thwart French hopes of major gains.[2]
