The War of Jenkins Ear
The War of Jenkins Ear
The War of Jenkins Ear broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1739, the war was named after Robert Jenkins who had exhibited his severed ear to parliament in 1738 following his vessel being boarded by the Spanish in 1731. However this act alone was not soley responsible for a declaration of war, a number of contributing incidents and tensions led to the eventual outbreak of hostilities between Great Britain and Spain. Tensions were high surrounding the expansion of British colonial interests and the steady decline of the Spanish Empire and its wealth. In particular the West Indies had become a rich trading ground and Britain wanted access to the lucrative trade network the the Spanish operated in the area. Britain had only a small legal right stemming from the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) to legally trade in the vicinity, the Spanish in turn feared the British threat to their monopoly on trade. The Spanish attempts to enforce the asiento provision of the treaty led to the boarding of Robert Jenkins ship, the loss of his ear and the eventual conflict that became the War of Jenkins Ear. This war eventually fell under the larger umbrella conflict known as the War of Austrian Succession which broke out in 1740.
The War of Jenkins Ear broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1739, the war was named after Robert Jenkins who had exhibited his severed ear to parliament in 1738 following his vessel being boarded by the Spanish in 1731. However this act alone was not soley responsible for a declaration of war, a number of contributing incidents and tensions led to the eventual outbreak of hostilities between Great Britain and Spain. Tensions were high surrounding the expansion of British colonial interests and the steady decline of the Spanish Empire and its wealth. In particular the West Indies had become a rich trading ground and Britain wanted access to the lucrative trade network the the Spanish operated in the area. Britain had only a small legal right stemming from the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) to legally trade in the vicinity, the Spanish in turn feared the British threat to their monopoly on trade. The Spanish attempts to enforce the asiento provision of the treaty led to the boarding of Robert Jenkins ship, the loss of his ear and the eventual conflict that became the War of Jenkins Ear. This war eventually fell under the larger umbrella conflict known as the War of Austrian Succession which broke out in 1740.
