Battle of Saint-Mathieu
| Battle of Saint-Mathieu | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the League of Cambrai | |||||||
16th-century illustration made to accompany a Germain de Brie poem, showing Marie-la-Cordelière and Regent on fire | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| England |
France Brittany | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Edward Howard | René de Clermont | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 25 warships | 22 warships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
400 killed 1 warship destroyed |
1,230 killed 1 warship destroyed | ||||||
The 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. 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. During the battle, each navy's largest and most powerful ship — Regentand the Marie-la-Cordelière (or simply Cordelière) – were destroyed in a large explosion aboard the latter.