Battle of San Juan de Ulúa
1568 CE.
Shown on the map at 19.207°, -96.132°.
The Battle of San Juan de Ulúa was fought between English privateers and Spanish forces at San Juan de Ulúa (in modern Veracruz, Mexico). The English flotilla of six armed merchant ships under John Hawkins had been trading along the Spanish Main with the cooperation of local Spanish officials. However, the central Spanish authorities considered this to be illegal smuggling that violated the Treaty of Tordesillas (which England did not recognise). Hawkins' fleet anchored at San Juan de Ulúa to resupply and repair following a storm. They were found there by two Spanish galleons carrying Martín Enríquez de Almanza, the newly appointed viceroy of New Spain. The two commanders agreed a truce that would allow both fleets to use the anchorage. The Spanish never intended to follow its terms and secretly prepared to attack the English ships. When the English became suspicious of the preparations, Spanish forces began their attack by capturing English cannons on the shore and attempted to board the English ships.
Text from the Wikipedia article Battle of San Juan de Ulúa (1568), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.