Battle of the Dunes (1658)

Battle of the Dunes
Part of the Franco-Spanish War and Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660)

The Battle of the Dunes by Charles-Philippe Larivière, 1837
Galerie des Batailles, Versailles
Date14 June 1658
Location51°02′18″N 2°22′39″E / 51.0383°N 2.3775°E / 51.0383; 2.3775
Result Franco-Commonwealth victory
Belligerents
 France
English Commonwealth
Spain
English royalists
Commanders and leaders
Turenne
François de Créquy
William Lockhart
John of Austria
Louis II de Condé
Luis Carrillo
Duke of York
Strength
14,000–15,000 (3,000 English troops) 14,000–15,000 (2,000 English troops)
Casualties and losses
400 killed or wounded 1,000–1,200 killed
3,000 wounded
5,000 captured

The Battle of the Dunes (French: Bataille des Dunes, Spanish: Batalla de las Dunas), also known as the Battle of Dunkirk, took place on 14 June 1658, near the strategic port of Dunkirk in what was then the Spanish Netherlands. Part of the Franco-Spanish War and concurrent Anglo-Spanish War, a French army under Turenne, supported by troops from the Commonwealth of England, had besieged Dunkirk. Led by John of Austria the Younger and Louis, Grand Condé, a Spanish force supported by English Royalists and French Fronde rebels attempted to raise the siege but suffered a severe defeat.

Despite this victory, both the French and Spanish were financially exhausted by the long running war and negotiated the Treaty of the Pyrenees in November 1659. England retained possession of Dunkirk until 1662 when the port was sold to France by Charles II.