拍品专文
Holland's long and heroic struggle to gain her freedom from Spanish rule began under William of Orange's leadership in 1572. In 1609, after thirty-seven years of appalling bloodshed, the independence of the United Provinces was grudgingly recognised and an uneasy truce lasting twelve years came into force. Smarting under the loss of such valuable territory in the Low Countries however, Spain renewed the conflict in 1622 and fighting continued throughout that decade and into the 1630's.
In the late summer of 1639, an armada of Spanish and Portuguese ships was assembled under the command of Admiral Oquendo and left Spain with substantial reinforcements for the army fighting in the Netherlands. Aware of what was afoot, the Dutch sent out a scouting force under Maarten Tromp to patrol the English Channel and, on 6 September, Oquendo's huge fleet was sighted off Selsey Bill. Although he had only seventeen ships with him, Tromp did not hesitate to attack and a brisk engagement took place in the Dover Strait during which the Spanish flagship Santiago was damaged. Despite his immense numerical superiority, Oquendo was shaken by Tromp's daring and withdrew to safety off Dover where a neutral English squadron under Sir John Pennington was based. Oquendo sent ashore for water and supplies under the nominal protection of Pennington's warships whilst Tromp kept a vigilant watch to seaward, and this impasse continued for many weeks. All the while however, the Dutch were being steadily reinforced until their fleet numbered over one hundred sail. On 11 October Tromp decided he had waited long enough and seized the initiative to attack. Detaching a squadron under de Witt to watch Pennington, Tromp himself bore down upon the Spanish fleet as it lay at anchor in the Downs. Even then Oquendo refused to fight and the result was annihilation as the greater part of his armada was burned at its moorings and 7,000 men perished. Oquendo escaped with his life aboard Santiago and a mere thirteen other ships. At a stroke, Tromp had shattered Spanish naval power in northern waters and spelt the end of any hope of a Spanish reconquest of the Netherlands.
In the late summer of 1639, an armada of Spanish and Portuguese ships was assembled under the command of Admiral Oquendo and left Spain with substantial reinforcements for the army fighting in the Netherlands. Aware of what was afoot, the Dutch sent out a scouting force under Maarten Tromp to patrol the English Channel and, on 6 September, Oquendo's huge fleet was sighted off Selsey Bill. Although he had only seventeen ships with him, Tromp did not hesitate to attack and a brisk engagement took place in the Dover Strait during which the Spanish flagship Santiago was damaged. Despite his immense numerical superiority, Oquendo was shaken by Tromp's daring and withdrew to safety off Dover where a neutral English squadron under Sir John Pennington was based. Oquendo sent ashore for water and supplies under the nominal protection of Pennington's warships whilst Tromp kept a vigilant watch to seaward, and this impasse continued for many weeks. All the while however, the Dutch were being steadily reinforced until their fleet numbered over one hundred sail. On 11 October Tromp decided he had waited long enough and seized the initiative to attack. Detaching a squadron under de Witt to watch Pennington, Tromp himself bore down upon the Spanish fleet as it lay at anchor in the Downs. Even then Oquendo refused to fight and the result was annihilation as the greater part of his armada was burned at its moorings and 7,000 men perished. Oquendo escaped with his life aboard Santiago and a mere thirteen other ships. At a stroke, Tromp had shattered Spanish naval power in northern waters and spelt the end of any hope of a Spanish reconquest of the Netherlands.