War of Jenkins' Ear
The War of Jenkins' Ear was a postcursor of the War of Spanish Succession, War of the Quadruple Alliance, and Anglo-Spanish War. It quickly merged into the larger War of Austrian Succession.
Contents
Antecedents
The Treaty of Utrecht afforded English traders access to Spanish markets in the New World. However, they increasingly were subjected to search and seizure by the Spanish Navy; this is in the context of rampant smuggling and black market trade throughout the Spanish colonies due to their economic policies.
Captain Robert Jenkins reportedly lost his ear after being attacked by the Spanish Navy in 1731. This case was eventually publicized by Tories in the Commons, forcing Walpole to press for reparations through war.
History
The war opened with the seizure of Porto Bello. This was followed with assaults on Cartagena de Indias and St. Augustine that both ultimately failed.
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At this point, the American theater was largely ceded to the Spanish, while England shifted focus towards the escalating crisis in WorldHistory/WarOfAustrianSuccession Austria.