The War of Jenkins' Ear (1739-1748) was a colonial conflict fought between Great Britain and Spain, primarily in the Caribbean and off the coast of South America. Looking to protect its interests in the West Indies, Britain provoked a war with Spain, one of its biggest colonial rivals, citing the mistreatment of one Captain Robert Jenkins, who was detained – and allegedly mutilated – by Spanish coast guards as they searched his ship for smuggled goods. In 1739, British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon sailed a fleet into the Caribbean, where he won some victories before his eventual defeat at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741. After that climactic battle, the war fizzled out as the British soon had their hands full with other conflicts, such as the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) in Europe and King George's War (1744-1748) in North America.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at https://www.worldhistory.org/War_of_Jenkins'_Ear/.