The Battle of the Downs ended on October 31, 1639, during the Eighty Years' War. Determined to resupply their forces in Flanders despite the French cutting off their normal land route, a Spanish fleet of over 75 ships made its way north through the English channel. The Spanish ships were soon spotted by Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp, who was commanding a small squadron of Dutch ships. After sending back for reinforcements, Tromp initiated battle on September 27 with the large Spanish opposition, and damaged some of the most powerful Spanish ships, hurting Spanish morale. Over the next month, the Dutch fleet succeeded in defeating the Spanish, thereby shifting the balance of naval power. This panoramic view shows the Dutch fleet skirmishing with a few Spanish ships off the coast of Dunkirk in the aftermath of the battle.

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Condition: A

Watermarked paper with a few faint stains in blank margins.