Battle of Vila Franca do Campo

Battle of Ponta Delgada
Part of the War of the Portuguese Succession
Fresco by Niccolò Granello showing the Battle of Ponta Delgada in the Hall of Battles at El Escorial
Date 26 July 1582 Location Off São Miguel Island, Azores Islands Result Spanish victory[3][4][5]
Belligerents
Spanish Empire Portugal	France  England[1]  United Provinces[2] Portuguese loyal to Prior of Crato
Commanders and leaders
Álvaro de Bazán	Piero Strozzi †
Strength
28 warships[6]	60 warships[6]
Casualties and losses
224 dead, 550 wounded	1,500 dead, 1,500 wounded, missing or captured, 7 ships missing, 4 ships sunk, 2 ships burned, 4 ships captured[6]

The naval Battle of Vila Franca do Campo, also known as Battle of Ponta Delgada and Naval Battle of Terceira Island, took place on 26 July 1582, off the coast of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, during the War of the Portuguese Succession. A combined corsair expedition, mainly French (a French, English and Dutch fleet with Portuguese forces included),^[2] sailed against a Spanish naval force made up of Portuguese and Castilian ships, to preserve control of the Azores under the pretender António, Prior of Crato and to defend the islands from incorporation into the Iberian Union, the largest French force sent overseas before the age of Louis XIV.^[6]

In the first engagement between large fleets of carracks and galleons operating at great distances from the mainland,^[7] the mercenary fleet under Filippo di Piero Strozzi was severely defeated by a squadron under Álvaro de Bazán.^[8] The Spanish victory resulted in the rapid Spanish conquest of the Azores and completed the incorporation of Portugal into the Spanish Empire.^[9]