Battle of Leghorn

Dover - Plymouth - Elba - Kentish Knock - Dungeness - Portland - Livorno - Gabbard - Scheveningen

In the Battle of Livorno in the First English- Dutch War met on March 14, 1653 (March 4, according to the then common in England Julian calendar) ships of the United Provinces of the Netherlands against Livorno ( Italy) on ships of the Commonwealth of England. In England it is called Battle of Leghorn, after the English name of Livorno.

Course

The Dutch under Johann van Galen blocked with 16 ships, a British squadron of six ships under Henry Appleton in Livorno, while a second British squadron of six ships under Richard Badiley lay before Elba. The only hope of the English was to unite their forces. But Appleton set sail early so that Badiley could not come to his aid. Three of his ships were captured, two sunk and only the Mary who sailed faster than the Dutchman was able to escape and reach Badileys squadron.

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The Dutch now controlled the Mediterranean. Van Galen was mortally wounded and died on March 23. One of the Dutch captains was the son of the famous Maarten Tromp, Cornelis Tromp, who was to become a successful admiral himself later.