The Battle of Cartagena was a naval battle fought on 3 September 1643, during the Thirty Years' War off Cabo de Gata near Cartagena, Spain.
After a series of victories in 1641 and 1642 the French Navy dominated the Western Mediterranean Sea. France was also in control of most of Catalonia after the Catalan Revolt.<br> At that time, the Spanish Navy did not dare to show itself off the Catalan coast.
In 1643 the French admiral Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé sailed south, to search for and destroy the Spanish fleet to extend the dominance of the French Navy in the Mediterranean.<br> He found a fleet of Dunkirkers under Joos Petersen, ships from Naples and a squadron from the Mar Oceano fleet under MartÃÂn Carlos de Mencos.
On 3 September at 7:00 AM Maillé-Brézé attacked with favorable winds and dispersed the enemy fleet. He sank 2 galleons and captured 2 others, while the rest of the Spanish fleet retreated into the port of Cartagena. Here 8 more ships were beyond repair and sank.
The port was closed by the Duke of Fernandina and no Spanish ship left the harbour for more than a year.
All commerce between Spain and Italy was thus made impossible. The victory was short-lived for the French, however, as Spanish dominance in the region returned when the French fleet declined after the death of Cardinal Richelieu.