Battle of Pantelleria (1586)

Battle of Pantelleria (1586)
Part of the Anglo–Spanish War
Island of Pantelleria coast: The English ships came close to shore for their protection.
Date 13 July 1586 Location Off Pantelleria, Mediterranean Result English victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Spain Order of Saint John	England Levant Company
Commanders and leaders
Pedro de Leyva	Edward Wilkinson
Strength
11 galleys 2 frigates	5 armed merchant galleons & vessels
Casualties and losses
Many galleys severely damaged, Heavy casualties[3]	2 killed and 15 wounded[3]

The Battle of Pantelleria (1586), also known as the Fight at Pantalarea^[4] was a naval engagement that took place during the Anglo–Spanish War off the island of Pantelleria on 13 July 1586. The encounter was between an English armed merchant fleet of five ships of the Levant Company in convoy under Edward Wilkinson and a fleet of eleven Spanish and Maltese galleys under Don Pedro de Leyva. The English managed to repel all the attacks and returned home unmolested.^[5][6] Although minor the battle had significant consequences in testing English firepower of which was to be used against the Spanish armada two years later when England was under threat of invasion.^[7][8]