Battle of Rovná

The Battle of Rovná was a naval engagement that took place on Laevatio the 30th 1454 between the Imperial Fleet and the Rafian Royal Navy during the Gunpowder War.

Background

During the First Revolt of Jagla Polje, a fleet of Rafian Navy warships was tasked with escorting a convoy laden with powder and weapons bound for Jagla Polje to help support the rebellion there, which had departed from Allensburg on Laevatio the 5th. The convoy was split by a storm on the 7th, with seven of nineteen cargo ships making it to Eastell by the 11th, escorted by Rafian pinnace Constance, which had also escaped the storm relatively unscathed. Of the other twelve (composed chiefly of the nimbler ships in the convoy), four were said to have been sunk by the storm while five others were blown significantly off course, resulting in a two day delay.
In this, Captain Hendrijk Goedeman, then commander of the Sint Frederijk en Glorie, flagship of the five-ship taskforce, ordered the four remaining Royal Navy ships tasked with protecting the convoy back to port at Allensburg to assess and repair damages. After learning of Constance's accomplishment of the escort and station at Jagla Polje, Goedeman sent orders for her return to Allensburg aboard one of the transport ships that remained with the warships

Battle of Rovná

Part of the Gunpowder War

Painting depicting the battle by Theophilus Vormelker (1457).

Date: 30 Laevatio 1454

Location: Off Rovná, Galania

Result: Imperial victory

Belligerents

Kingdom of Rafia | August Empire

Commanders and leaders

Maurits van Ruyter | Odoberto d'Anofre

Strength

18 galleons | 29 galleons

9 full-rigged pinnaces | 11 war schooners

7 pinnaces | 8 full-rigged pinnaces

4 schooners | 2 galiots

~3,300 men | ~4,500 men

Casualties and losses

~880 killed or wounded | 189 killed, ~304 wounded

13 galleons sunk, 3 captured | 7 galleons sunk

7 full-rigged pinnaces sunk | 4 war schooners sunk

6 pinnaces sunk or destroyed | 6 full-rigged pinnaces sunk

4 schooners sunk or destroyed | 2 galiots captured and destroyed