Spanish Road
In December 1638, the French ally Bernard of Saxe-Weimar captured Breisach in Alsace, severing the Spanish Road (see Map). However, the Spanish defeated Dutch attacks on Dunkirk and Ostend in the Spanish Netherlands, and despite a French naval victory at Getaria in August, forced them to retreat from Fuenterrabía. Encouraged by this, chief minister Olivares decided to reassert Spanish prestige by sending a large convoy to reinforce Flanders.