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Gravelines is a small historic town on the northern coast of France on the Aa River 15 miles South West of Dunkirk, in the Nord département.In the early 12th century, Saint-Omer was an important port in western Flanders. However receding sea gradually cut it off from the English Channel, resulting in the construction of a canal to the new coast at what is now Gravelines. The name is derived from the Flemish grave linghe, meaning Count's Canal. The new town became heavily fortified as it guarded the western borders of Spanish territory in Flanders.
There were two battles fought nearby, the first was a land battle in 1558 resulting in a victory by Spanish forces of Lamoral, Count of Egmont over the French under Marshal Paul des Thermes . The second was a naval attack using fire ships in 1588Events May 12 Day of the Barricades in Paris. Duke Henry of Guise seizes the city, forcing King Henry III to flee. May 28 The Spanish Armada, with 130 ships and 30,000 men, begins to set sail from Lisbon heading for the English Channel (it will take until launched by the Royal NavyThe Royal Navy is the navy of the United Kingdom. It operates a number of aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, fifteen nuclear submarines, and various other ships, as well as aircraft and Britain's amphibious forces, the Royal Marines. The Royal Navy under Lord Howard against the Spanish ArmadaThe Spanish Armada ( Old Spanish: La felicissima armada "most fortunate fleet"; modernly la Armada Invencible "the Invincible Fleet") was a fleet which the Habsburg King Philip II of Spain used as part of an attempt to invade England in 1588. It was the l at anchorAn anchor is also the name of the host of a television news program: see news anchor''. the source and destination of a hyperlink. in psychology, sticking to a given reference point: see anchoring''. a brand name of milk Anchor Milk''. The purpose of a sh.
The town was captured and recaptured several times by the French and Spanish between 1639Events January 14 Connecticut's first constitution, the " Fundamental Orders," is adopted. March 13 Harvard University is named for a clergyman named John Harvard. November 24 Jeremiah Horrocks observes the transit of Venus. Charles I starts the first of and 1658Events January 13 Edward Sexby, who has plotted against Oliver Cromwell, dies in Tower of London February 6 Swedish troops of Charles X Gustav of Sweden cross from Sweden to Denmark over frozen sea May 1 Publication of Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial and The Gar, and finally annexed to France in the Treaty of the Pyrenees of 1659Events May 25 Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England following the restoration of the Long Parliament, beginning a second brief period of the republican government called the Commonwealth. 24-year war between France and Spain ends with Fren.
Now the city is mainly known for its nuclear energy plant .
