Trafalgar, << truh FAL guhr, >> Battle of, fought on Oct. 21, 1805, is one of the major naval battles in history. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s British fleet defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet. The victory gave England undisputed control of the sea. Nelson was wounded and died during the battle.
The battle was fought off Trafalgar, a low, sandy cape on Spain’s southern coast. The cape lies at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. The battle occurred during Britain’s war against Napoleon Bonaparte (see Napoleon I ). Napoleon hoped to draw the British fleet away to the West Indies so his armies could invade England. But Napoleon’s admiral, Villeneuve, failed in this, and decided to attack the British fleet with a French and Spanish fleet. His fleet outnumbered Nelson’s, 33 ships to 27. But Nelson surprised the enemy by having his ships cut through the French battle line. The British fleet did not lose a ship in the battle, but it destroyed or captured over half the French and Spanish ships. Trafalgar Square in London was named in memory of Nelson’s victory.
