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The Explosion of the Spanish Flagship during the Battle of Gibraltar  1621

by Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen

On 25 April 1607, thirty Dutch ships took the Spanish fleet by surprise in the Bay of Gibraltar. The Spanish vessels, which posed a threat to Dutch trade, were destroyed. It was the first major Dutch victory at sea. The painter represented this victory in triumphant
style, with the Spanish flagship exploding and dozens of crewmembers flying up into the air.
Credit: 
Courtesy of Rijksmuseum