1739

1739 was a year in the 18th century marked by the early stages of the War of Jenkins’ Ear, a conflict between Britain and Spain that reflected ongoing rivalries over trade and colonial possessions in the Americas. The war began amid tensions over mercantile rights and protective duties, and it quickly involved naval actions and scattered fighting in the Caribbean and adjacent waters.

A notable early development occurred in November 1739 when a British expedition under Admiral Edward Vernon captured Portobelo, a key Spanish port on the Caribbean coast. The seizure represented one of the war’s significant British successes and highlighted the importance of sea power and logistics in colonial warfare.

Across different theaters, the year’s hostilities in the Atlantic region were part of broader imperial competition that would shape colonial policy and military planning in the years that followed. The conflict would persist for several years, influencing naval strategy, colonial administration, and economic policy within both Britain and Spain.

Beyond the Caribbean, 1739 occurred during a period of ongoing European power dynamics, with various states managing evolving alliances and territorial claims that would contribute to subsequent conflicts in the mid-18th century. While no single event dominated globally, the year is remembered for marking the escalation of a regional conflict into a wider contest over empire, trade, and naval dominance.