It was fought on 31 May – 1 June 1916, in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. The German fleet's intention was to lure out, trap and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, as the German numbers were insufficient to engage the entire British fleet at one time. The resulting battle was tactically inconclusive; although the Germans could claim a victory by losing fewer ships than the British, British dominance of the North Sea was still maintained.