The voyage of the Glorioso involves four naval engagements fought in 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession between the Spanish seventy-gun ship of the line Glorioso and several British squadrons of ships of the line and frigates which tried to capture it.
The Glorioso, carrying four million silver dollars from the Americas, is able to repel two British attacks off the Azores and Cape Finisterre, successfully landing her cargo at the port of Corcubión, Spain.
Several days after unloading the cargo, while sailing to Cadiz for repairs, Glorioso is attacked successively near Cape St Vincent by four British privateer frigates and the ships of the line HMSDartmouth and HMS Russell from Admiral John Byng's fleet.
The Dartmouth blows up, killing most of her crew, but the ninety-two-gun Russell eventually forces the Glorioso to strike her colors.
The British take her to Lisbon, where she has to be broken up because of the extensive damage suffered during the last battle.
The commander of the ship, Pedro Messia de la Cerda, and his men, are taken to Great Britain as prisoners, but are considered heroes in Spain and gain the admiration of their enemies.
Several British officers will be court-martialed and expelled from the Navy for their poor performance against the enemy.
