As Rooke’s vessels slipped past the Portuguese coastline in early October 1702, disappointment and low morale must have gripped the commanders and their men. The failed expedition to Cadiz, which lasted from August to September, had brought nothing but shame and squandered time. However, an opportunity for redemption arose when the English admiral caught wind of the arrival of the Spanish treasure fleet. The Spanish galleons, laden with silver, were escorted by a formidable force of 18 French and Spanish ships of the line, commanded by the Marquis de Châteaurenault. Spurred on by his eager Dutch colleague, Philips van Almonde, Rooke ordered his Anglo-Dutch force to intercept the enemy. At last, England had a chance to open its account of naval victories during the War of the Spanish Succession with a resounding triumph. This is the story of the Battle of Vigo Bay.

His legacy lived on as an admiral who helped shape Britain’s future as a superpower, playing a crucial role in securing Gibraltar. In recognition of his significance in the history of Gibraltar, Peter Caruana, Chief Minister of Gibraltar, unveiled a statue in his honor in November 2004 during the festivities celebrating 300 years of British rule over the exclave.

One way to win the war was to knock Spain out of the contest, leaving France isolated and surrounded. One strategy for doing so was to cut the Iberian Peninsula off from its precious American trade and silver. With the loss of Portugal as an ally, the Anglo-Dutch naval forces lacked a suitable port in the region from which they could disrupt Spanish colonial commerce. A plan was therefore agreed upon to seize the Spanish harbor of Cádiz, a major gateway for trade with the Americas. The Grand Alliance could concurrently launch an offensive against Madrid from this quarter in order to place Archduke Charles on the throne.