A Brief History
On October 23, 1739, the War of Jenkins’ Ear began when British Prime Minister Robert Walpole declared war on Spain following the exhibition in Parliament of the severed ear of a British captain allegedly maimed by Spaniards.
Digging Deeper
In 1731, a British captain named Robert Jenkins captained a British brig sailing off of Florida’s coast. When a Spanish patrol boat boarded Jenkins’s brig, the Spanish commander cut off Jenkins’s left ear, accusing the British captain of smuggling. The ear-severing Spaniard then taunted Jenkins, daring him to “tell your King that I will do the same, if he dares to do the same.”
A full seven years later, Jenkins testified before Parliament, possibly even producing his severed ear (not sure why he would hold on to it for seven years…) during his testimony.
Britons considered the Spanish savagery against Jenkins as an insult to their whole nation.
The next year, King George II authorized Britain’s admiralty to launch maritime reprisals against Spanish ships. The first such attack occurred on October 22, 1739, although war would be officially declared the next day on Saturday, October 23, 1739. From there, the war would drag on until 1748, lasting nearly a decade and being fought throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The combined number of dead and wounded reached as high as 29,500, in addition to perhaps over 500 ships lost on both sides. Making matters worse, the war ultimately merged with the even larger War of the Austrian Succession, a world war that lasted from 1740 to 1748. This wider conflict brought in practically all of the great powers of Europe and their colonies.
Sometimes, seemingly little things, such as one man losing an ear, can start some of the biggest events in world history!
Question for students (and subscribers): Was what happened to Jenkins a justifiable reason for starting a war? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
To learn more about this incident and other weird events in British history, you could check out The War of Jenkins’ Ear, and Other Odd Bits of History.
For a more thorough examination of this particular incident and its role in the wider war, see this book.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="415 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=415">95 Comments
I have never heard of this war, but it was very interesting to find out that it started because of an ear! I wonder how true this story is, or if maybe something got lost in translation over time…
It is rather ridiculous that it was a full seven years after Robert Jenkins’s ear was cut off that he gave a testimony to the Parliament and that it took another year for the King to decided to fight back. I’m curious to know if Spain realized cutting of Jenkins’s ear was the cause of the war because of how much time passed after it happened.
I agree with Amanda. The time frame for these events to happen is just absurd. While a delay is foreseen, 14 years later they started a war? That is very unbelievable in my opinion. Also, After looking at the cartoon, why did Jenkins and his crew just fight back and kill the Spaniards there and in turn get revenge right away? In my opinion this war was basically started on other causes that were probably too “dark” for Britain to give at the time since a nation’s reputation is everything. Playing a self-defense card would make them look better in public opinion.
I agree with both Amanda and BB that the reason given for the war seems quite absurd. The Spaniards may of had something that the British wanted to obtain but they needed a legitimate reason in order to have the support of the people. If Jenkins’ ear was cutoff for smuggling, maybe the war started because the British wanted to trade freely in that area and this confrontation gave the British leverage to fight for what they really wanted.
I have never heard of this war before either until today and waiting eight years to launch an attack seemed absurd at first but it does make sense. It must have taken a very long time back in the 1700’s for messages to get delivered and decisions to be made. Also, coordinating an attack that large on another European nation must have taken years to coordinate. It is silly to think that an event as small as an ear being cut off could lead to all out war.
I agree with DM with the fact that it seems wild that something like cutting off an ear lead to an entire war! It is also very strange that they used this as leverage to start a war so many years later! They were probably waiting for the right time to go to war and used that incident as an excuse to ultimately launch attacks
It is scary and unfortunate to think that someone would want to cut off someone’s ear which would in turn start a war. What did Spaniards have against the Britons and Jenkins?
Dear Megan, For more of the causes for why Spain and Britain came into conflict at this time, please see http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswars16011800/p/jenkinsear.htm Sincerely, Dr. Zarzeczny
Either the cutting of someones year was the tipping point for the war, or the action that started it all. It is unfortunate that a long drawn out war happened because of a minimal recorded action. I do agree with the people below and the article that why would he hold on to the ear for 7 years, or care about it seven years later, i think that there has to be some deep personal or even emotional history that happened before the cutting of the ear!
I find it interesting that one mans ear coming off of his head started so much havoc. I think it is weird that he keeps his ear but yet I understand why he would.
Although the removal of an ear causing an all-out war seems rather ridiculous, based on the ear being kept for years, it seems to have been a symbol of the historical conflict.
HD
I hope Jenkins didn’t need glasses.
N.W.
That’s disgusting that Jenkins held onto his for seven years. And its ridiculous that seven years passed between the cutting off of Jenkins’ ear and the beginning of the war.
I can’t believe his ear was cut off, yet he still lived. I feel like it would have become infected and he would have died as a result. That is crazy to me!
Interesting that it was a full seven years after the fact before he testified and anything was done about it.. GW
It is fascinating that severing somebody’s ear was the threat the Spaniard chose to use against Jenkins. It is also gross that Jenkins would keep his ear. Even if he was keeping it as proof, wouldn’t the fact that he was missing an ear be proof enough?
….And I thought it was just my mom who got so mad over the smallest things. It’s crazy that this could start a war. Also, I don’t blame him for keeping his ear.
I find it hilarious that this huge historical event was initiated by a man losing an ear.
I find it very inetersting that such a small event like cutting off someone’s ear can cause such an uproar. Then again, the smallest things in life sometimes can spark an outragoues fire. The amount of deaths, is frigetening.
The different economic, social, and political factors must have weighed heavily on the scales of war at the time. Its crazy to think that these scales were allegedly tipped towards war by one man losing an ear and somehow storing it for 7yrs.
Seems there was not much reason for the war to even begin, but it did, and it took many lives surprisingly. A war over an ear, did not think I would ever hear that. Other than Mike Tyson biting off Holyfields ear.
I always knew that the little things caused big conflicts but the lose of an ear causing a war that lost over 500 ships now that is just a little overboard.
This is why I love learning about history. There are funny tales behind how some of the greatest wars begin.
This is something you don’t hear about everyday. I would have never guessed that a loss of an ear could cause a war.
I’ve thought that there were some silly reasons that caused a war to break on, but I’d have to say this wins for the silliest reason. I’d understand war over some money, or land, or even the death of an important individual, but over an hear? Seems little extreme.
It’s crazy that he kept his ear for 7 years after the incident!
I like how at the end they talk about losing an ear. That symbolizes Christ putting the ear back on one of his disciples as well.
A severed ear caused a decade long war. Who would’ve thought!
It is quite disappointing that humans can attempt to justify war over their own personal issues.
It is a pretty interesting way to start a war but I guess if you wanna make a point that did the job pretty well
I think that it is interesting that this guy kept his ear for seven years, but also they this was the cause of a war.
I have always thought this was a “funny” way for a war to start. It lasted 10 years which is so-to-say funny as well.
If a war was to start over something like an ear today, I don’t think many people would believe it. That would be awful to have your ear cut off.
It seems like it didn’t take much to ignite conflict back then.
its interesting that a whole war started over an ear
I don’t get why he would wait a whole seven years before
telling parliament that a Spanish officer cut his ear off.
It’s weird that he held onto his ear for seven years. It’s also strange that the war started over an ear being cut off.
Pretty entertaining I would have to say. I mean the war all started over an ear being cut off and held onto for years.
While it makes for an entertaining narative, its obvious that there were other factors in the choice to go to war.
Jenkins obviously had to be pretty crazy to keep his own severed ear for several years. Did the original guy who cut it off give it to him as a keepsake or did he have to ask for it?
That’s a lot of people dead and wounded. All because of an ear being cut off. Who in there right mind would just cut a persons ear off. That is kind of crazy.
All of this because of an ear? I think now a days a war would start over someone bumping into someone else at a store.
I never would’ve guessed that a conflict this big came about because of a severed ear.
It is definitely weird that he kept the ear for that long. It almost seems like he just knew it would come in handy one day.
Who would have thought that an ear could cause this much dead and wounded?
If it were true why would anyone keep their severed ear for so long? That’s pretty gross, whether it helped him or not.
Once again arrogance is at the root of war. It seems to either be religion or arrogance or both.
I don’t know if this is dumber than going to war for territory or not. Definitely one of the weirder reasons though.
fighting over the most arrogant of things in our society. yet holding an ear for so long? gross
This is absurd why would you fight over this
I’m not sure why anyone would fight over this and the fact that someone would keep an ear is disgusting.
Fighting over a ear cut off seven years ago is ridiculous.
When reading about all these battles and wars the more I realize how many huge fights break out over the smallest things.
It is funny how the smallest, and weirdest, things can cause an entire war! It is also upsetting, since lives are lost because of it.
Never thought that a war could be sparked by something so little as a severed ear. I think people back in the 1600 and 1700’s valued respect and revenge much more than we do in present times. Everyone had to defend their honor, which brought two nations into almost 10 year war.
I am sorry, but I laughed when I first read the headline for this. War isn’t funny, but it starting over someone sending an ear to Parliament? It is just seems petty that entire countries like Spain and England have gone to war over. I think that while the ear was symbolic of a declaration of war, I think that its a lesson in communication and people should try that before going to war.
I can not believe that almost 30,000 people died due to an ear.
This history event is mind blowing because losing 30,000 lives all due to one ear. The lives of 30,000 are gone as well with their 60,000 ears.. 1 ear for 60,000.. Not a good trade off. Should of let it be and not go straight to war.
I find it strange that a war featuring the future of a central European country was fought on the American coast! It is amazing all that one ear can do
I cannot believe that a war starting over one man cutting off another man’s ear. The two countries involved, Spain and England, did not even start the war until seven years after the incident. I also find it interesting that the war between England and Spain took place in the Caribbean instead of in Europe.
The last sentence of the article suggests that little things can cause some of the biggest events in world history. I completely agree with this statement. However, I believe that there was a deeper reason behind this war and the ear was just the motive that started everything .
It may sound crazy to say that a war started over a man’s ear but to the British it wasn’t just a man’s ear that they were fighting over, it was the respect of their leaders that they were defending.
It is hard to believe that a war started over the severing of an ear. Like those who commented before me, I believe there is always a greater reason for war. The severing may have been what sparked the war, but war is always an ultimate fight for power.
This has to be one of the strangest reason to start a war. I believe there might have been something else to cause this war and the severed ear was the tipping of the iceberg. What makes this really sad is the 29,500 that lost their lives and the 500 ships lost over a war that started because of a severed ear.
Nations seem to go to war over the weirdest reasons. On top of that, it was seven years after it happened. But Britain and Spain have always been at each other’s throats, so I feel like this severed ear was just an excuse to go to war with them again. This petty act doesn’t seem justified enough to risk human lives, ships, and other sources of economic wealth.
Going to a war for an ear seems like the weirdest reason for a war ever. Something else had to of happened for that to be like the last straw to go to war.
The British really went to war with the Spanish over one severed ear?! It seems like everyone was so touchy during this era. Maybe that spaniard shouldn’t have severed the English guys war and taunted him with it but I think war was a little drastic of a retaliation. I would be embarrassed if our country tried to go to was over one incident such as that.
It’s hard to believe that a severed ear caused a decade war. This cost both sides up to 29,500 deaths and both sides lost up to 500 ships in the battle. I feel war was a little drastic of a step for a severed ear, but countries seem to have gotten in fights over the littlest things beck then. No one wanted their country to look weak.
I will have to agree with the Britons on this one. The Spaniards cutting off Jenkin’s ear was pure disrespect. Starting a war over it was a statement that the Britons were not to be interfered with. That is hilarious that he had his severed ear seven years later to show as evidence of the atrocity.
I am going to have to disagree with Mark on this one. It is ridiculous that a war was started because of Jenkin’s ear being cut off. More than 29,000 people died because of this war. I think that this could have been settled in a better way. Also, I am curious to what his ear looked like after sitting for 7 years.
I am in shock that a war this big with that many casualties all started because Jenkins’s ear was cut off. There could have been a way better way to handle this. I think it is quite funny that Jenkins was believed to have brought his ear seven years later to his testimony to show Parliament.
War over an ear is obviously not the only reason for this dispute, probably just serves as the symbol for this war.
i hope
People must have had thin skin to start these wars over such insignificant altercations.
I find it extremely interesting that someone would dispute over the loss of an ear lobe.. Does that not sound ridiculous!
Half the time I feel like the countries just try to find excuses to go to war and this came at the right time when tensions were mounting and this was there way to start the war with the country behind them.
The things we fight over, a mans ear… this tops the list haha!! And why did it take seven years for him to reach parliament?
I cannot get over the fact that he held on to his ear for 7 years; how disturbing!
cut off a ear over smuggiling, gesh!!!! Sounds its deeper than just a ear and smuggling.
There were probably more significant reasons behind why this war really happened. But why cut his ear off?? Why is there so much violence throughout history?
One war following another for over ten years because a sailors left ear was cut off, and almost 30,000 people lost their lives. Also I’m almost sure after an ear has been removed from ones body for seven years it would already be decomposing.
over an ear really though wow. there are more important things to be going to war over
Crazy what can trigger a war
Was there really a need to cut his ear off, Seriously??
It’s crazy to think that cutting an ear off would start a war and end up costing thousands of lives.
The lives lost in old wars is astounding. Like every war that was fought had a larger death toll than any wars in modern times combined.
It is weird that Captain Robert Jenkins kept his ear for seven years after it got cut off, that is just disgusting.
That’s crazy to think that the littlest things can start such a huge conflict..
I can not believe that an entire war started off from an ear.
What an odd reason to start a war.
I find it ridiculous that this war started over an ear…. and lasted for almost 10 years!
Quite funny to think about the circumstances of why this war started.
Why start a war over a severed ear? And why in the world would Robert Jenkins keep his severed ear for that long? That’s so disgusting!
war can be declared over anything it seems
It is shocking that a entire war can start because of the most little thing.