Córdova José de — Spanish Admiral

Generated portrait. Not a historical photograph.

Overview

Don José de Córdova commanded the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797 — Overview on 14 February 1797. The battle overview already names him as commander of 27 ships of the line, including Santísima Trinidad — Spanish First Rate.¹

Career and Key Roles

This note covers that day only. Birth, later years, and a court-martial stay on RESEARCH_QUEUE.

Spain had joined France under the Treaty of San Ildefonso 1796. Córdova sailed from Cartagena on 1 February 1797 to escort a mercury convoy to Cadiz — Spanish Naval Port, then rendezvous with the French Brest fleet. The Spanish force included Santísima Trinidad (130 guns), six 112s, and eighteen 74s, plus 12 frigates. Crews were short of trained seamen.²

Jervis John Earl St Vincent — Biography had 15 ships. Four Spanish ships were taken as the Four Spanish Prizes of Cape St Vincent 1797. The rest fled to Cadiz.

Sources

• @knight2005pursuit — pp. 211–230
• @white2005nelson
• @adkin2005trafalgar
• Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797 — Overview

Related

Navigation

• MOC_Persons
• Military_Commanders_Index

Same Battle

• Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797 — Overview
• Jervis John Earl St Vincent — Biography
• Santísima Trinidad — Spanish First Rate
• HMS Captain — 74-gun Third Rate
• HMS Excellent — 74-gun Third Rate
• Troubridge Thomas — British Captain
• Four Spanish Prizes of Cape St Vincent 1797
• Treaty of San Ildefonso 1796

Cross-Domain

• Cadiz — Spanish Naval Port
• Age of Sail — Era Overview

Footnotes

1. 27 ships of the line; Córdova in command; Santísima Trinidad in the fleet: Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797 — Overview. ↩

2. Cartagena 1 February 1797; mercury convoy; Brest junction; six 112s; short crews: same battle note. Do not add life dates or a later court-martial until a page is licensed. ↩