Battle of Saint-Mathieu

Battle of Saint-Mathieu
Part of the War of the League of Cambrai
Le Combat de la Cordelière contre une flotte anglaise, en 1512, au large de Saint-Mathieu, an 1838 painting of the battle by Pierre-Julien Gilbert showing later 16th century ships
Date 10 August 1512 Location Off Pointe Saint-Mathieu, Iroise Sea 48°20′N 4°46′W / 48.33°N 4.77°W / 48.33; -4.77 Result English victory
Belligerents
France Brittany	England
Commanders and leaders
René de Clermont	Edward Howard
Strength
22 warships 3 engaged	25 warships 3 engaged
Casualties and losses
1,230 killed 1 warship destroyed (exploded) 1 warship damaged	400 killed 1 warship destroyed (destroyed in the explosion) 2 warships damaged

The naval Battle of Saint-Mathieu took place on 10 August 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai, near Brest, France, between an English fleet of 25 ships commanded by Sir Edward Howard and a Franco-Breton fleet of 22 ships commanded by René de Clermont. It is possibly the first battle between ships using cannon through ports, although this played a minor role in the fighting.^{[citation needed]} This was one of only two full-fledged naval battles fought by King Henry VIII's Tudor navy, along with the later Battle of the Solent.^[1] During the battle, each navy's largest and most powerful ship — the Regent and the Marie-la-Cordelière (or simply Cordelière) – were destroyed in a large explosion aboard the latter.