The war of Jenkin’s ear – the oddest name for a conflict in British history?

I am currently reading “War: What Is It Good For”? by Ian Morris and he mentions the war of Jenkin’s ear which prompted me to remind myself what this oddly-named conflict was all about.

It was a war between Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748, with major operations largely ended by 1742. The body part in question was an ear severed from Robert Jenkins, captain of a British merchant ship. The severed ear was subsequently exhibited before the British Parliament.

However, this incident happened  in 1731, years before the actual war which gave the conflict its name, and the colourful name was not coined by Thomas Carlyle until 1858, almost a century later.

You can read more about the war of Jenkin’s ear here.


 




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