Dutch Ships running down Spanish Galleys off the Flemish Coast, 3 October 1602
By Hendrik Cornelisz Vroom, 1617
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
One of the numerous naval encounters of the Eighty Years War can be seen on this picture. In 1602 the Spanish tried to reinforce their fleet in Flanders with eight galleys commanded by Ambrogio di Filippo Spinola, marquis de los Balbases. The Dutch Vice-Admiral Jacob van Duinenvoorde, Lord of Obham, sailed to intercept him with nine ships, but on reaching the Spanish coast found that galleys had already left. Van Duinenvoorde managed to catch up with the Spanish in the Channel. On October 3 a battle took place. Two galley were run down near Calais and a third ran aground. One reached Calais and the remaining vessel with Spinola onboard reached Dunkirk.
Hendrik Vroom (1566-1640) painted this battle fifteen years after the event. His son Cornelis assisted him and is responsible for many small figures.