Battle of Cape Coast (1562)

The Battle of Cape Coast was a naval engagement between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Kingdom of England.

Battle of Cape Coast (1562)
Date February 1562 Location Cape Coast and Mori, Gold Coast (present day Ghana) Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Portugal	Kingdom of England
Units involved
Unknown	Minion Primrose
Strength
2 galleys 1 ship 1 caravel	2 ships
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Minion severely damaged Barrel of gunpowder exploded Many gunners wounded

Background

In the mid-16th century, England and Portugal were vying for control of trade routes along the Gold Coast. In February 1562, two English ships, the Minion and the Primrose, sailed from Dartmouth. Their mission was to establish trade along the Gold Coast, but tensions with both the Portuguese and local populations made their voyage perilous.

At Cape Coast and Mori, the Portuguese, operating from their fort at Elmina, had dispatched forces to intercept any foreign ships seeking to trade in the region, which so happened when the English encountered a fleet of Portuguese vessels near Cape Coast.

Background

The engagement began when two Portuguese galleys, sent from Elmina, attacked the English ships at Cape Coast. The Minion and the Primrose were soon caught in an exchange of fire. The Portuguese were then reinforced by a larger ship and a caravel. The Minion was particularly hard-hit, with her foremast shot away and a barrel of gunpowder exploding on board, wounding many of her gunners. Severely damaged, the Minion was on the verge of being captured.

However, despite the damage, the Portuguese forces unexpectedly withdrew after inflicting heavy losses on the English. The Primrose was less damaged, but both ships were forced to retreat from the coast, barely escaping further assault.

Aftermath

In the following years, more English and French expeditions to the western African coast took place, however with little success.