Battles in
NB. See also Steven Thomas’s excellent site on Luso-Spanish warfare;
“Mediaeval Iberia”, “the battles of Portugal” , “battles of Castille and Leon”, “The Napoleon Guide”, La GUERRA DE LA
INDEPENDENCIA ESPAÑOLA
1808-1814, and other cited sites, which contain far more detail on
these subjects than I am able to record here.
Geographical note: LA ALCARRIA denotes a number of valleys to the
ESE of
Assistance gladly received with the battlesites I have been unable
so far to locate – presently listed as “unlocated”.
PROVINCE |
TOWN |
DATE YYYY |
EVENT |
DETAILS |
Biscay |
All |
|
a range of good articles here, in the Spanish language |
|
|
|
.019bc |
Cantabrian revolt |
many of the Cantabrians,
having been sold into slavery after their earlier defeat, murdered their
masters and returned home. Subdued by Agrippa, who killed almost all those of
military age and disarmed the others, the tribe was forced from its
strongholds and compelled to live in the plains. |
Aragon? |
|
.022bc |
Cantabrian revolt |
“Not many of the Cantabri were taken prisoner, for when they saw they had
lost all hope of freedom, they lost all desire to preserve their lives
either. Some set fire to their forts and cut their own throats, others
willingly remained with their companions and died in the flames, while others
took poison in the sight of all” |
Aragon? |
|
.026-25 BC, |
Cantabrian War |
fought in the mountains of
northern Spain, the first year of the campaign led by Augustus, himself. |
Catalonia |
|
.042bc? |
|
Caesar beats Pompeiian contingents in
Hispania, in the opening stages of the Roman Civil War. |
Catalonia |
Lerida |
.049 B.C |
Ilerda or Illerda |
Fought in the Terra Alta district west of the Ebro
River. |
La Rioja |
Soria |
.142-133 B.C |
Numantia was a strongly fortified settlement at the confluence of the Durius (now Douro) River and Merdancho River, in the Iberian Mountains Qnorth of Soria. Founded on the
site of earlier settlements by Iberians who penetrated the Celtic highlands
about 300 BC, it later formed the centre of Celtiberian
resistance to Rome, withstanding repeated attacks. Finally, Scipio Aemilianus (Numantinus)
blockaded it (133 BC) by establishing six miles of continuous ramparts around
it. After an eight-month siege, Numantia was
reduced by hunger, and the survivors capitulated, its destruction ending all
serious resistance to Rome in Celtiberia. |
|
Portugal |
|
.147 BC |
Lusitanian War |
A horseback guerilla resistance succeeded eventually in ambushing
10,000 Romans. |
La Rioja |
Soria |
.153 bc |
Romans brought elephants up against the city wall – they became frightened
and turned upon their masters. |
|
Aragon |
|
.153 BC |
Segeda |
Celtiberians ambushed 30,000 Romans and killed 6000 |
Andalusia |
Seville |
.206 B.C |
In spite of his numerical inferiority,
Scipio marched his army west to meet the Carthaginians and came upon them
near Ilipa (modern Alcalá
del Río). Victory was won by brilliant tactics made
possible by Scipio's recent reforms and training. |
|
Murcia |
Cartagena |
.209 B.C |
New Carthage |
|
Andalusia |
Cordoba |
.211 BC |
Masinissa arrived at the scene in the early morning to begin harrying the
Roman flanks. A short while thereafter the armies of Mago
and Gisgo showed up to seal the fate of the Romans.
Publius' men strove valiantly for a time, and Publius even led a desperate charge, seeking to break
through the cordon of Carthaginian troops. But when he was slain the Romans
lost heart and took to flight. Few of the fugitives escaped the notice of the
roving Numidians. Only the eventual fall of night
allowed a handful of survivors to escape. |
|
Andalusia |
Granada |
.211 BC |
ilorca or Illora |
Caught by surprise on a hill
WNW of present day Granada, Gnaeus had his men
erect a palisade of baggage, saddles and other gear. When the armies of Hasdrubal, Mago and Gisgo arrived they were bemused to see the improvised
fort. Once the attack began the unusual barricade was quickly pulled down and
a grim slaughter commenced. |
Murcia |
Cartagena? |
.219-218 B.C |
Saguntum |
|
All |
|
.264 – 19BC |
The Romans fought two wars against the Carthaginians from North
Africa to clear them from Iberia, their main colony being Cartago
Nova (Cartagena in Murcia) with its fine harbour. Rome then required 20 years to conquer Hispania
completely. |
|
All |
|
0711 |
The First Phase Of Islam Saw A
Very Rapid Arab Expansion Across North Africa And, By Way Of The Straits Of
Gibraltar, into Europe: the Moslems were stopped only in France. They left
pockets of Christianity in the north of Iberia. |
|
Andalusia |
Cadiz |
0711 |
In the spring of 711, Tariq marched
northward from Gibraltar with 12,000 Muslims. At the salt marshes of the Rio
Barbate, on the Cadiz road, the invaders crushed the hastily gathered forces
of Spain's Visigoth king, Roderic. Whole units
deserted, and the Christian army crumbled. King Roderic
was slain; his body was never recovered. |
|
Andalusia |
Cordova |
0711 |
Cordova |
“When Tarik
landed, soldiers from Cordova came to meet him; and seeing the small number
of his companions they despised him on that account. They then fought. The
battle with Tarik was severe. They were routed, and
he did not cease from the slaughter of them till they reached the town of
Cordova” |
Andalusia |
Cordova |
0711 |
Shedunia |
“When Roderic
heard of the fate of Cordova, he came to their rescue from Toledo. They then
fought in a place of the name of Shedunia, in a
valley which is called this day the valley of Umm-Hakim [on July 11, 711, at
the mouth of the Barbate river]. They fought a severe battle; but God, mighty
and great, killed Roderic and his companions" |
All |
|
0718 – 1492 |
The Christians gradually
re-asserted themselves from their mountain bases in the North, culminating in
the reconquest of Granada in 1492, the same year
Columbus set sail for the Indies. |
|
Asturias |
Covadonga |
0718 or 722 |
Alcama |
Historians symbolically
attribute the defeat of a Moorish army at the Battle of Covadonga
to a Christian Visigothic noble, Pelayo. Whatever really happened at Covadonga,
it is certain that Pelayo gains fame and is elected
King of Asturias |
Biscay |
San Sebastian |
0778 |
Roncesvalles |
Charlemagne attempts to conquer
Spain. He penetrates as far as Zaragoza when he is
called back to France (not by his mother). On the return trip, his rear guard
(including his great captain, Roland) is attacked and killed by Basque
troops. |
Castile |
|
0844 |
Clavijo |
|
Castile |
|
0844 – 1521 |
|
|
Leon |
|
0844 – 1521 |
|
|
Castile |
|
0846? |
Albelda |
|
Castile |
|
0866 |
La Morcuera |
|
Leon |
|
0870 or 0888 |
Padura – Arrigorriaga |
Possibly imaginary battle between on the one side
the Basques, commanded by Lope Fortún,
first lord of Biscay and Sancho de Estigiz, lord of Durango, and on the other prince Ordoño, son of the king Alfonso "el Magno" of Leon. Arrigorriaga
means the "Place of red stones" in the Basque language. |
Castile |
|
0878 |
Polvoraria |
|
Leon |
|
0917 |
S.
Esteban de Gormaz |
The Leonese king, Ordoño II, defeats the Moslem armies of Caliph Abd el-Rahman III. |
Castile |
|
0918 |
Talavera |
|
Leon |
|
0920 |
Valdejunquera |
The troops of Abd el-Rahman III defeat the Leonese
& Navarrese. |
Castile |
|
0933 |
Osma |
The Castilian-Leonese
troops, commanded by the count Fernán González, defeat again the troops of Abd
el-Rahman III. |
Leon |
Valladolid |
0939 |
The new king of Leon, Ramiro II, defeats Abd el-Rahman III. |
|
Leon |
Zamora |
0939 |
Zamora |
|
Castile |
|
0974 |
Deza |
Count García Fernández of Castile defeat the Moors of general Galib. |
Castile |
|
0981 |
Medinaceli |
Al-Mansur (Almanzor) defeats and kills the rebel general Galib, and his ally, García Fernández of Castile. |
Leon |
|
0981 |
Rueda |
The Moorish leader Al-Mansur
(Almanzor) defeats king Ramiro III of León. |
Leon |
|
0982 |
Portela |
Battle between two pretenders to the throne of León, Ramiro (III) and Vermudo
(II). |
Catalonia |
Cervera |
1000 |
Cervera |
Moslems defeat the first army
assembled by the united Christian kingdoms of Spain. |
Leon |
|
1002 |
Calatañazor |
A coalition of Christians, led by Vermudo II of León, defeats the
armies of Al-Mansur, who dies a few days later. |
Andalusia |
Malaga |
1010 |
River
Guadiaro |
The
Catalan army defeats Sulayman's Berbers again, in
June, near Ronda in the hills |
Unlocated |
|
1010 |
Aqabat al-Baqar |
"The
year of the Catalans" Having fled to Toledo Muhammad II seeks the aid of
the counts of Barcelona (Ramón Borrell) and Urgel. The Catalan army defeats Sulayman's
Berbers |
Leon |
|
1016 |
|
Norman
raiders ascend the Rio Miño/Minho and destroy Tuy in León |
Castile |
|
1037 |
Tamarón |
1037 -. The first Castilian king, Fernando I, defeats,
and kills his father-in-law, the Leonese Vermudo III, heiring his
kingdom. |
Leon |
|
1037 |
Támara or Tamarón |
The
first Castilian king, Ferdinand I, defeats and kills his father-in-law, Vermudo III of León, thus
inheriting his kingdom. |
Castile, Old |
Burgos |
1054 |
Atapuerca |
The
army of Ferdinand I of Castile defeats that of his brother García IV of Navarra at Atapuerca 12 miles to the east of Burgos (1 Sep).
Several disaffected Navarrese knights join the
Castilians before the battle and one of these men is believed to have killed
Garcia. Garcia's son Sancho is proclaimed
King on the field of battle and the war continues. |
Catalonia |
Tortosa |
1060 |
Tortosa |
Emir
Al-Muktadir ibn Hud of Zaragoza drives Slavs
from Tortosa when the Tortosans
rise against their Slav ruler |
Aragon |
Saragossa |
1063 |
During
the spring Ramiro I of Aragon besieges Muslim Graus
in Zaragozan territory. The Emir Al-Muktadir of Zaragoza leads his
army north accompanied by a Castilian contingent under Prince Sancho (the future Sancho
II). Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar
(later known as "El Cid") is probably in the Castilian
contingent. The opposing armies meet and after a protracted struggle
Ramiro I is killed and the Aragonese flee (8 May). |
|
Unlocated |
|
1067 |
Viana |
War
of the three Sanchos: Castile versus Aragon and
Navarre. Aragon severely mauls the Castilians at Viana,
however status quo is restored when the Zaragozan Vali of Huesca invades Aragon
from the south. |
Castile, Old |
|
1068 |
Llantada |
On
the plain of Llantada, Sancho
of Castile, with El Cid at the head of the army, routed the army
of Leon. Sancho and his brother Alfonso of Leon had
agreed that the battle would decide everything and the winner would take the
other's kingdom, but Alfonso changed his mind and fled into Leon. |
Leon,
and Old Castile |
|
1068 |
Llantada |
The
Battle of Llantada was arranged to be fought on 19
July by the banks of the Pisuerga River on the
boundary between León and Castile. The Castilians
under Sancho II and Rodriego
Diaz defeat the Leónese and Alfonso flees. |
Portugal |
Oporto |
1071 |
Braga |
Battle
of Braga (18 Jan between Braga
and the River Cávado) where Garcia of Galicia
suppresses the rebellion of his Portuguese subjects under Nuno Mendes (Livermore, 1966; Menéndez,
1934). Nuno Mendes is killed. |
Castile,
New |
Toledo |
1072 |
Golpejera |
(early
Jan) Sancho II of Castile defeats his brother,
Alfonso VI of León over the Carrión
River (9 miles south of the city of Santa Maria de Carrion - the capital of
the Beni-Gomez - Christian counts of Saldaña, Liebana, Carrion, and
Zamora). The battle starts at dawn and after a hard fight the Castilians are
driven from the field. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar manages to encourage both King and army, and leads
them in a new attack the following morning. Alfonso is captured
and seeks refuge in Toledo. But Sancho is then assassinated
when attacking Alfonso's men in Zamora. Alfonso inherits the joint
Kingdom of Leon-Castile. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1079 |
West of Granada, Rodrigo Díaz defeats
King Abd Allah of Granada, who was helped by the
Castilian Count García Ordíñez. |
|
Extremadura |
Plasencia |
1079 |
Coria |
Alfonso VI (now king of Castile & León,
after the death of Sancho) defeats the Muslim king
of Badajoz, Al-Mutawakkil. |
Valencia |
|
1081 |
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar,
now serving Al-Mutamin of Zaragoza,
For almost four months he lies encamped on that little plain until he
provoked Abu Bakr of Valencia into an attack which
ended with the latter's defeat. |
|
Aragon? |
|
1082 |
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar,
defeats a combined army of the kings of Valencia (Abu Bakr),
Lleida (Al-Hayib), Aragón (Sancho Ramírez) and the Count of Barcelona (Berenguer
Ramón II). |
|
Valencia |
Valencia |
1084 |
NW of Valencia, Rodrigo Díaz defeats Al-Hayib and Sancho Ramírez. |
|
Castile, New |
Toledo |
1085 |
Toledo |
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1086 |
Zallaka |
The Almoravids, a Purita
nical Berber sect,
were called into Spain by the Abbasids to help in the defense against
the Christians. Their manoeuvrability enabled the
defeat of the larger Castilian army of Alfonso at Zallaka
(1086) and they proceeded to annex Moorish Spain, with the exception of
Toledo and Saragossa. |
Catalonia? |
|
1090 |
Rodrigo Díaz defeats the Count of
Barcelona, Berenger Ramon II. |
|
Andalusia |
|
1091 |
Yusuf
returns to Spain and defeats the Castilian army, commanded by Alvar Yáñez, which tried to
help the Muslim kings of southern Spain. |
|
Aragon |
Huesca |
1091 |
The new king of Aragon, Pedro I, defeats the king of Zaragoza, Al-Mustain, and
conquers the city of Huesca. Castilian Counts García Ordóñez and Gonzalo Núñez fought with the king of Zaragoza.
It is probable that El Cid fought in the Aragonese
side. |
|
Valencia |
|
1094 |
Valencia |
The
Almoravid Yusuf brought a
huge army after Rodrigo El Cid, onto the plain of Valencia. On the night
of Oct. 25, 1094, Rodrigo's forces moved out. Parties of knights hid in the
ravines around the Moorish camp, and at dawn Rodrigo's main force was on the
plain, facing the Moors. Yusuf's army charged,
Rodrigo's retreated, and the rest of the Castilians charged down from the
ravines. The Moors broke and tried to run, and the Christians rode into them,
routing them. |
Aragon |
Huesca |
1096 |
Huesca |
|
Valencia |
|
1096 |
Valencia |
Late
in 1096 Rodrigo took an expedition to secure his outer fortresses and met a
Moorish army of 30,000. He maneuvered to catch them in a narrow place and
again won a great battle. |
Castile |
|
1097 |
Consuegra |
The Almoravids (Muhammad ben AlHach) defeat the
Castilian-Leonese armies (Alfonso VI). The son of
Rodrigo Díaz (Diego Rodríguez)
dies in the battle. |
La Alcarria |
Cuenca |
1097 |
Cuenca |
A second army under the command of Yusuf's
son, Ibn-Aisa, the governor of Murcia, attacked the
eastern end of the Christian line in the Cuenca
district and there defeated Alvar Fáñez. |
Valencia |
Valencia |
1097 |
The unstoppable Almoravids decide to
attack Valencia again, but Rodrigo Díaz and his
ally, Pedro I of Aragón make a pre-emptive strike
from Valencia and find the Moslems unprepared (they tought
El Cid was going to wait for them inside the walls of Valencia). |
|
Valencia |
Valencia? |
1102 |
Cullera |
Alfonso VI goes to help Valencia, besieged by Almoravids.
The battle ends in a draw. |
La Alcarria |
Cuenca |
1108 |
The Almoravids defeat the Castilian-Leonese armies. The heir to the throne (Sancho) dies at the battle, and the local cities of Consuegra, Cuenca, Ocaña and Hueste fall to the
Moslems. The linked text is in Spanish. |
|
Castile |
|
1111 |
Campo
de la Espina, or Candespina. |
The king of Aragon, Alfonso I "the battler", and the
count Enrique of Portugal, defeat the Castilian Queen Urraca
(wife of Alfonso I). The defeat turns into a victory when Enrique turns
against his ally after the battle. |
Castile? |
|
1111 |
Viadangos |
A Galeg (Galician) army, commanded by
Count Pedro Froilaz and Bishop Gelmírez
is ambushed and defeated by Alfonso of Aragón. The
greatest prize (the young king Alfonso) escaped the victor: seeing the battle
turning into a rout, Bishop Gelmírez fled, and
delivered him safely to his mother Urraca in
Galicia. |
Extremadura? |
|
1112 |
Astorga |
The Count of Portugal changes sides to assure his client of
victory in a Castilian war of succession |
Andalusia |
Cordoba |
1115 |
Baeza |
The lord of Ávila defeats the Moors of Ibn-Idhâri, east of Jaen at the
head of the Guadalquivir valley. |
Aragon |
Saragossa |
1118 |
Saragossa |
|
Portugal |
|
1128 |
Sao Memede |
|
Castile, Old |
Segovia |
1132 |
Lucena |
Militas
of Segovia & Ávila defeat an Almoravid army, under the command of prince Tâshfin. |
Galicia |
|
1135 |
Cerneja |
D. Alfonso Enriquez defeats Count Fernando Pérez
de Trava and Rodrigo Vela. Four years later he
would become King of Portugal. |
Portugal |
|
1139 |
Ourique |
the victory of Count Alfonso I
of Portugal over the Moors |
Portugal |
Lisbon |
1147 |
Lisbon |
|
Portugal |
Santarem |
1147 |
Santarem |
|
Castile |
|
114x |
Montiel |
After a raid into Muslim Spain,
Munio Alfonso is intercepted by a Moorish army, but
manages to defeat them. |
Portugal |
|
1158 |
Alcacer do Sal |
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1162 |
Valmuza |
-.
King Fernando II of León defeats the militias of
Salamanca, who tried to destroy the new built fortifications of Ciudad
Rodrigo. |
La Alcarria |
Cuenca |
1164 |
Huete |
Battle between the families Castro and Lara for the regency of
Castile, during the childhood of Alfonso VIII. |
Castile, Old |
Ávila |
1173 |
After a raid into Muslim Spain, militias of Ávila,
commanded by Sancho Jimeno
"the Hunchback" (known in Muslim chronicles as "Abú Bardaca", "the Packsaddler") are intercepted and defeated by an Almohad army. Sancho Jimeno is killed in the battle. |
|
Leon |
Tierra de Campos |
1179 |
Castejón |
-.
The Leonese defeat the Castilians, recovering the
control of Tierra de Campos. |
Portugal |
Algarve |
1189 |
Silves |
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1195 |
Badajoz |
Castilian King Alfonso VIII
(1158-1214) challenges Almohad emperor Yacub to battle. It ends in the defeat of the Christian
army at Badajoz. |
Portugal |
|
1195 |
Alarcos |
|
Andalusia |
|
1212 |
Las Navas de Tolosa |
The Christian armies of León, Castile, Navarre and Aragon defeat the Almohads in the decisive Battle of Navas
de Tolosa, a mountain pass that guaranteed
Christian forces passage into Southern Spain. The great defeat marked the
beginning of the downfall of the Almohades, the
last Muslim dinasty that ruled southern Spain and
North Africa |
Portugal |
|
1217 |
Campaigns of Sancho |
|
La Alcarria |
Cuenca? |
1225 |
Aspe |
A Castilian army (militias of Cuenca, Huete, Moya & Alarcón), under the command of Alfonso Téllez and the bishop of Cuenca
defeats the Muslim kings of Seville & Murcia (Ali Ibn-Aarki). |
Andalusia |
Cadiz |
1231 |
Jerez |
-.
Don Alvar Pérez de Castro
defeats a Moorish army of the king Aben-Hut. |
Andalusia? |
Cordoba |
1236 |
Cordovo |
|
Castile? |
|
1255 |
Lebrija |
A rebel army, commanded by the prince Enrique (brother of the king
Alphonse X) is defeated by Royal troops, under the command of Nuño González de Lara &
Rodrigo Alfonso. |
Andalusia |
Toledo |
1275 |
Martos |
- The
same Abu Yusuf defeats and kills the Archbishop of
Toledo, Sancho de Aragón. |
Castile? |
|
1275 |
Ecija |
- Merinid invaders, under the command
of Abu Yusuf, defeat the Castilian army of Nuño de Lara (the winner of Lebrija),
who dies in the battle. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1319 |
Granada |
Prince Pedro conducts his second
attack against Granada. His troops are surprised by a well-prepared king, Ismail. He destroys their army and the prince dies.
|
Portuguese waters |
Algarve waters |
1327 |
Cape Saint Vincent I |
|
Navarre |
Pamplona |
1335 |
Tudela |
A Navarrian-Aragonese army plans to
invade Castile. They are forestalled and defeated on the Ebro
by Martín Fernández de Portocarrero |
Andalusia |
Seville |
1337 |
Villanueva
de Barcarrota |
-.
An army of Castilian noblemen & militias of Seville defeats a Portuguese
invasion (Pedro Alonso de Sousa). |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1340 |
Salado |
-.
In the final battle against Merinids, Alfonso XI of
Castile & Leon, helped by the Portuguese Afonso
IV, defeats their last invasion. Merinids were
leaded by the king of Fez Abdul Hassan, and helped
by the King of Granada. |
Gibraltarian waters |
|
1344 |
Algeciras |
Moorish fleet defeated near Gibraltar |
Biscay |
|
1355 |
Gordejuela & Ochandiano |
King Peter I orders the prince Juan de Aragón
to fight the rebel Lord of Biscay, Tello
(half-brother of the king). He is defeated by the Basques (Juan de Avendaño) in a couple of battles. |
Andalusia |
Seville |
1357 |
Trigueros |
-.
The rebel Juan de la Cerda is defeated by the town milita of Seville, under the command of Juan Ponce de León & Gil Bocanegra. |
Castile |
|
1359 |
Araviana |
-.
Henry of Trastámara, half brother of the Castilian
king Peter I "the cruel" invades Castile and defeats the royal
troops. |
Castile |
|
1360 |
Nájera (1st battle). |
- After
an uncertain battle, Henry leaves Castile, looking for refugee in France. |
Aragón |
Saragossa |
1362 |
Catalayud |
King Peter I starts his great offensive inside the territory of Aragón, down the Jalon
tributary to the Ebro |
Aragón? |
Murviedro |
1364 |
Alcublas |
-.
The Master of Alcántara, sent to help the Castilian
garrison of, is defeated and killed. |
Castile |
|
1367 |
Nájera (2nd battle). |
- Henry
of Trastámara (now, king Henry II of Castile) is
defeated by the English Black Prince. Peter returns to the power, while Henry
refugees once more in France. |
Castile |
|
1369 |
Montiel |
-.
Final victory of Henry II over his brother, who is killed in the following
days. |
Portuguese waters |
|
1381 |
Naval battle of Saltes |
|
Portugal |
|
1384 |
Atoleiros |
|
Portugal |
|
1385 |
Valverde |
|
Portugal |
|
1385 |
Trancoso |
|
Portugal |
|
1385 |
Aljubarrota |
Definitive victory of Portugal over the Castilians |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1406 |
Quesada/Los
Collejares |
Indecisive battle
between Castilians (Pedro Manrique) and Granadians (Mohammed VII). |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1410 |
Antequera |
-.
The regent of Castile & León (future king of
Aragon), Fernando de Trastámara, defeats the king
of Granada, Mohammed VII. After that, he will be known as Fernando "de Antequera". |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1419 |
La
Higueruela |
-.
The constable of Castile, Alvaro de Luna, defeats the Granadian
army. |
Portugal |
|
1449 |
Alfarrobeira |
|
Portugal |
|
1459 |
Alcacer Ceguer |
|
Portugal |
|
1476 |
|
|
Las Canarias |
Gran Canaria |
1478 |
Guiniguada |
Castilians finally conquer the island of Gran
Canaria |
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1479 |
Albuera |
Portuguese claim the throne of Castile, but are defeated. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1482 |
Alhama de Granada |
Against the Moslems, in the hills to the west of the city |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1483 |
Ajarquía/Axarquía. |
- The
(future) king of Granada, Mohammed "el Zagal"
defeats the Castilians. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1485 |
Moclín |
-.
Mohammed "el Zagal" defeats again the
Castilians. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1486 |
Loja |
One of the final battles of the Reconquista,
WSW of Granada |
Andalusia |
Málaga |
1487 |
Málaga |
|
Andalusia |
Granada |
1489 |
Baza |
NE of Granada, and against the Moslems of that city. |
Andalusia |
Granada |
1491 – 2 |
Campaign against Granada |
Leading to the final reconquest of Spain
from the Moslems |
Las Canarias |
Tenerife |
1495 |
Peñuelas and Acentejo |
-.
Castilians conquer the island of Tenerife (Canary islands) from the native Guanches, who have fought a tenacious guerilla war |
Castile |
|
1521 |
The army of the "comuneros"
rebels in Castile is defeated by the royalist army. |
|
Navarre |
Pamplona |
1521 |
Noain |
In May a Franco-Navarrese army under
André de Foix, Lord of Asparrós
and Count of Foix, penetrates Navarre and reconquers the kingdom for Enrique de Albret. It continues towards Castile and surrounds Logroño, capital of La Rioja.
Castilian troops then rally on behalf of the Emperor Charles, and Asparrós is forced to flee and take refuge in the
Mountain range of the Pardon. 30,000 Imperial troops occupy the river basin
of Pamplona, closing off the retreat of the French army. Asparrós
decided to fight and appeared in Noain on 30 June
1521. In the beginning the Navarrese-French artillery dominated the field, but the
Admiral of Castile and Duke of Enriquez with his cavalry turned the combat,
and the Castilian infantry decided it.
The Navarrese had to surrender, after
suffering more than 5,000 losses. Asparrós was
released by the Emperor after paying a ransom. This battle gave possession of Navarre to
the Castilians, who quickly seized all the strongpoints.
Don Juan II Albret and Doña
Catherine, the last kings of the Navarrese
monarchy, took refuge on the other side of the Pyrenees, and would never
return. |
All |
|
1525
- 1704 |
The
Spanish “Tercios” |
The
Spanish “Tercios were innovative and elite military
units which played a large role in warfare across the whole of Europe as well
as in the Peninsula. |
Andalusia |
Malaga |
1580 |
Alcántara |
|
Andalusia |
Cadiz |
1587 |
Cadiz |
The English privateer Sir Francis Drake “singed the King of
Spain’s beard” with his audacious naval raid on the treasure port. |
Extremadura |
All |
1640-68 |
“War of Portugal” |
|
Portugal |
|
1640-68 |
“War of Portugal” |
|
Catalonia |
|
1640s |
…with French aid |
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1644 |
To the east of Badajoz, the Portuguese
were forced to retreat when their left caved in in
the face of Spanish tercios and cavalry. The
Spaniards were distracted with baggage looting, permitting the Portuguese to
rally and retire over the border in good order. |
|
La Alcarria |
Brihuega |
1665 |
Villa
Viciosa I |
|
All waters |
|
1701 - 1805 |
Many battles were fought off the coast of Iberia, which was the
gateway to the Mediterranean but also the point of departure for many
transatlantic voyages to the rich lands of the West Indies and the Americas. |
|
Galician waters |
Vigo |
1702 |
Naval battle of Rande/Vigo Bay |
A
Franco-Spanish bullion fleet met an Anglo-Dutch fleet at the end of the Vigo
Estuary (Rande area) with 28 boats sank as a
result. The English took four million 'pesos' together with thirteen ships.
There were 2,000 Hispanic-French and 800 Anglo-Dutch casualties, 26 ships
lost, and 3,000 injured. |
All |
|
1702-14 |
The powerful Bourbon dynasty of
France and Spain were resisted by an alliance of their neighbours
which included Austria, England, Portugal and Piedmont – Savoy. A good paper
source: Francis, A.D.: “The First Peninsular War 1700-1713”
London 1975 |
|
Andalusian waters |
Gibraltar |
1704 |
Naval battle off Marbella |
|
Andalusian waters |
1704 |
Naval battle off Málaga |
13 August 1704 |
|
Gibraltar |
1704 |
|
||
Catalonia |
1705 |
The Catalan capital captured by the Allies with strong popular
support. The Prince of Darmstadt killed in the fighting. |
||
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1705 |
Albuquerque |
North of Badajoz |
Valencia |
Valencia |
1705 - 6 |
Skirmishes around Valencia de Alcantara |
The Allies, supplied by the
British fleet, sought to defend and expand from their base at Valencia city. |
Balearic islands |
Majorca |
1706 |
Majorca |
25
May 1706 |
Castile |
Madrid |
1706 |
Madrid |
Madrid fell briefly to the
Anglo-Portuguese Allies, but they were then cut off by a popular
anti-Portuguese uprising, and had to evacuate. |
Valencia |
Castellon |
1706 |
San Mateo |
A fight over this strategic town
between the Allied strongholds of Catalonia and Valencia |
Valencia |
Valencia |
1707 |
Pass of Almansa |
A contest for the strategic pass between Albacete
and the coastal ports of Valencia and Alicante, on
25 Apr 1707. A Franco-Spanish army of 25,400 (Marshal Berwick) defeats an
Anglo-Portuguese army of 15,500 (Earl of Galway; Das
Minas). The Portuguese horse are swept away, but the Allied infantry fight
stubbornly. |
Balearic islands |
Minorca |
1708 |
Mahon |
The British Secured The Best
Fortified Harbour In The Islands, As A Base For
Their Western Mediterranean fleet. |
Murcian waters |
Cartagena |
1708 |
Naval battle of Cartagena |
28 May 1708 |
Portugal |
|
1709 |
Val Gudina |
In April, the Franco-Spanish defeat the Anglo-Portuguese |
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1709 |
Gaia or La Caya |
On May 7th 1709 the
Anglo-Portuguese army, under command of the Marquis de Frontera,
lay on the side of the Caya west of Badajoz, and the army of the Duke of Anjou, commanded by
the Marquis de Bay, on the other. De Bay made a motion with the whole body of
his horse toward Fort St. Christopher, near Badajoz.
The Portuguese crossed the river to oppose the designs of the enemy, although
a defensive posture would have sufficed. A detachment of foot and artillery,
and the whole of the horse, passed the river and commenced to bombard the
enemy. De Bay advanced with his horse and attacked the right wing of the
Portuguese cavalry, who fled. But their foot repulsed three successive
charges, with great order and resolution. Pearce’s British brigade then
attacked giving the Portuguese infantry time to retire in good order, behind
the river. But Pearce’s brigade was surrounded by the enemy, and three
regiments had to surrender. |
Aragon |
Saragossa |
1710 |
Saragossa |
Following up the previous victory of Almenara,
James Earl of Stanhope defeats a Franco-Spanish force of 20,000 under De Bay,
taking 5,000 prisoners and 36 guns |
La Alcarria |
Brihuega |
1710 |
Villa Viciosa II |
11 Dec 1710 Vendome defeats Guido von Starhemberg and the British main body, taking 2,000
prisoners and 22 guns. The battle is hard fought with heavy casualties on
both sides. Starhemberg manages to keep his army
together and continue the retreat. |
La Alcarria |
Guadalajara |
1710 |
The Allies are surrounded, isolated and defeated by the
Franco-Spanish. |
|
Catalonia |
Lerida |
1710 |
Almenara |
The Bourbon Philip V of Spain
had 22,000 on the Rio Segre inland from the
Catalonian coast, while Stanhope and Starhemberg
had 18,000 men. Stanhope crossed the Segre at Balaguer (north of Lerida)
marching to the bridge of Alfarras, crossing it on
27 July. Both armies then met at Almenara, a few
kilometers from the bridge, where the Allies inflicted a defeat, the French
retreating to Saragossa. |
All |
1718-1721 |
Taking advantage of an invasion, Catalonian
patriots loot and set fire to the properties of Castilians |
||
Galician waters |
Finisterre |
1747 |
1st Battle of Cape Finisterre |
3 May 1747 |
Galician waters |
Finisterre |
1747 |
2nd Battle of Cape Finisterre |
14 October |
Balearic islands |
Minorca |
1756 |
Minorca |
20 May 1756 Battle of Minorca: this may be the occasion of the
shooting of the infamous British Admiral, Byng |
Portugal |
|
1762 |
Portuguese campaign |
|
Portuguese Waters |
Algarve waters |
1780 |
Cape St. Vincent II |
16 January 1780 (The Moonlight Battle) |
Balearic islands |
Minorca |
1782 |
Minorca |
During the European operations of the American Independence War |
Gibraltar |
Gibraltar |
1782 |
Gibraltar |
Sep. - Oct. 1782 The Great Attack on Gibraltar During the European
operations of the American Independence War |
Galician waters |
Ferrol |
1805 |
Cape Finisterre |
Prior to the great battle at Trafalgar, French
Admiral Villeneuve encountered Calder’s British
squadron of 15 battleships on 22nd of July. They fought an abortive action in
poor visibility. Calder captured two French ships, and several of the British
ships were damaged. Calder failed to press home the action, for which he was
severely criticized. |
Gibraltarian waters |
|
1805 |
Cape Trafalgar |
Lord Nelson’s greatest and final battle – he split the
Franco-Spanish line but died from a musket wound which struck him on deck. |
Andalusia |
Cordoba |
1808 |
19 de Julio de 1808, north of Jaen |
|
Cantabria |
Santander |
1808 |
Espinosa de las Monteros, 10 de Noviembre de
1808, around the towns of Quintana and Reinosa, on
the Trueba river. |
|
Castile, Old? |
Burgos? |
1808 |
10 de Noviembre, in the
valleys of Piso and Arlanzon |
|
Catalonia |
Barcelona |
1808 |
16 de Diciembre de 1808,
near Sarria, Gerona and the Besós
river |
|
Catalonia |
Barcelona |
1808 |
21st December. French general Saint-Cyr, with about 40,000 infantry and 3000
cavalry, overturned a Spanish position in front of Barcelona whose
right was at Molins de Rey,
center in San Feliú, and left in Cornellá. Failure
to sieze a key bridge at the crucial moment
prevented the complete envelopment of the Spaniards, who numbered only half
of the French, but this did not prevent the Spanish commander being sentenced
to death for his failure!! |
|
Leon |
Valladolid |
1808 |
Medina de Rioseco, 14 de
Julio de 1808 |
|
Navarre |
Tudela |
1808 |
23 de Noviembre de 1808 |
|
Portugal |
Obidos |
1808 |
The French occupied hills blocking Wellington’s route south to
Lisbon, and were duly assaulted. |
|
Portugal |
Lisbon |
1808 |
Junot failed in his attempt to break the Lines of Torres Vedras,
and agreed a deal whereby his troops were ferried back to France in British
ships!! |
|
Andalusia |
Cordoba |
1808? |
Jaen |
A French division surrendered to Spanish regulars and guerillas
who had encircled them in the hills to the east of Cordoba halfway to Granada |
All |
|
1808-14 |
A very detailed site, in the Spanish language, on the French invasion
of 1808 and the subsequent years of quasi-guerilla warfare which accompanied
British operations from Portugal. |
|
Aragon |
Saragossa |
1809 |
23rd May |
|
Aragon |
Saragossa |
1809 |
18th June |
|
Castile, New |
Toledo |
1809 |
28 de Julio de 1809 |
|
Castile, New |
Madrid |
1809 |
19 Nov |
|
Castile, New |
Toledo |
1809 |
After the action of Aranjuez
on 5 August, General Venegas directed his Army of
La Mancha towards Toledo, uniting all his forces on
the 10th in Almonacid, consisting of
22.000 infantry, more than 3,000 horse and 29 pieces of artillery. The French
had passed the previous day through Toledo and the fords of Añover, arriving on the 20th in the town of Nambroca, one league from Almonacid.
The Spanish Caudillo, despite knowing of the retirement of the Allied army
from Talavera towards Extremadura,
had determined to attack the French on the 12th. But on the 11th
the French made the first move, with 26,000 infantry, 4,000 horse and 40
guns. The Army of La Mancha was moved hastily in
front of Almonacid:
the Vigodet division, a little delayed,
occupied the extreme right, with the greater part of the cavalry. Other
forces occupied the hills of Utrera, Santo, and
Lacy, next to the Guazalate stream. The 3ª (Girón) regiment was distributed between the key height of
the Cerrojones, and the Castle of De la Cruz on its
hill, where the reserve was located. The Spanish left was first attacked, by
General Lewal with the Polish and German divisions
after a very violent fire of artillery, answered well by the Spanish guns.
The battalions of Bailén and Jaén
twice repulsed the Poles; however reserves arrived late and could not prevent
the French occupying the important positions of the Cerrojones,
although with heavy losses. The Spaniards were forced to take refuge on
Castle Hill and then retire, covered by shrapnel fire and by the charges of
the Vigodet division and the Spanish Grenadiers
against enemy cavalry, which prevented the encirclement of the Spanish left
by Polish and German troops. The French, who had 2,500 losses, did not pursue
beyond Moor, and many of the Spanish therefore arrived in good order at Manzanares, although some were dispersed as far as the
Brown Mountain range. Spanish losses
were not more than 4,000 men total. |
|
Catalonia |
Tarragona |
1809 |
25th February. Saint-Cyr seized the
bridge at Goy over the Francolí river, the Spaniards retreating in panic back
towards Tarragona. |
|
Extremadura |
Merida |
1809 |
28th March |
|
Galicia |
La Coruna |
1809 |
16 de Enero de 1809 |
|
Galicia |
La Coruña |
1809 |
La Coruña |
|
La Alcarria |
Cuenca |
1809 |
13 de Enero de 1809 |
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1809 |
18 Oct |
|
Murcia |
Lorca |
1809 |
15th June |
|
Portugal |
Oporto |
1809 |
Oporto |
|
Portugal |
|
1810 |
|
|
Portugal |
Almeida |
1810 |
Coa
river |
Masséna
issued orders to Marshal Michel Ney on 21st July for the 6th Corps to advance
on Almeida. In the face of the French advance, General Robert Crauford,
commanding the British Light Division, blew up the isolated Spanish fortress
of Fort Concepcion and withdrew across the border into Portugal. Rather
incautiously, Crauford chose to attempt to shield Almeida by holding a line
east of the Côa river with a force of only 3,500 infantry and 1,200 cavalry |
Biscay |
Bilbao |
1811 |
19 Feb |
|
Catalonia |
Tarragona |
1811 |
Tarragona |
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1811 |
|
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1811 |
16 de Mayo de 1811 |
|
La Mancha |
Valdepenas? |
1811 |
5 Mar |
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1811 |
Despite defeating Marshal
Masséna's French army at Bussaco, Wellington had been forced to retreat to
within a few miles of Lisbon. Here the French encountered a massive line of
fortifications stretching from the River Tagus to the sea. With his army on
the point of starvation, Masséna was forced to retreat and the scene was set
for the climactic action of Fuentes de Oñoro. |
|
Extremadura |
Badajoz |
1812 |
British assault on the border fortress |
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1812 |
|
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1812 |
|
|
Leon |
Salamanca |
1812 |
22 Jul |
|
Biscay |
San Sebastian |
1813 |
Crossing of the Bidassoa |
Wellington forced the crossing at the foot of the Pyrenees |
Biscay |
Vitoria |
1813 |
21 de Junio de 1813 |
|
Navarre |
Vitoria |
1813 |
|
|
Navarre |
Pamplona |
1813 |
Following the disastrous battle of Vitoria, Marshal Soult took
over the French command on 12 July, in San Juan, and marched towards
Pamplona, with 33,000 men. He pushed back the Allies near the famous Pass of Roncesvalles, although the Spanish regiment of Leon,
under lieutenant colonel Aguier, defended with
determination the ammunition factory of Orbaiceta. The Allied retirement of the allies, pushed
by Soult, continued in the following days, stopping
only on 26 to cover the capital of Navarre. Soult
took positions in the mountains that extend from Ostiz
to Zubiri. On 27th the French occupied Sorauren, and on 28th the combat became
general along the line. A French attempt to slip through Tolosa
to relieve San Sebastian was blocked by Wellington, and the French attacks
were everywhere repulsed. The battle had cost the allies 6,000 losses and
more than 8,000 to the French. |
|
Biscay |
San Sebastian |
1813 |
The French, hoping to lift the siege of San Sebastián, crossed the Bidasoa
31 August, before dawn, by the fords near Hendaya.
The French attacked the Spaniards on the heights of San Marcial,
hoping to penetrate by the gorge of Ercuti and to
seize the important position of Soroya, but were
repulsed by the Asturians and others. The French
thereupon threw a pontoon bridge across the river and assaulted a position
known as the Place of the Baskets, under the protection of artillery which
they had planted across the Bidasoa. They were
repelled and thrown down the hill by a brigade of the division of Don Juan
Diaz Porlier, helped by the IIº Navy Battalion. The
French then directed their attacks against the Spanish left, where a brigade
of the IIIª division was commanded by Don Jose Maria de Ezpeleta.
They were counterattacked and thrown back to the river by the regiments of
Guadalajara, Asturias and the Crown, three battalions of Volunteers of Guipúzcoa, sent by D. Juan Ugartemendía,
and the Second company of the IVª battalion of Artillery under Don Juan Lóriga. At the same time, another French column was
forced to descend from the Irachaval mount,
occupied in the first attack, and to recross the Bidasoa by the ford of Saraburo.
Further operations were prevented by incessant rain. The French had suffered
3,600 losses and the Spaniards a similar number. The English and Portuguese
hardly participated in this battle, although Lord Wellington appeared at the
end. |
|
Biscay |
San Sebastian |
1833 |
Guernica |
The Cristino Baron del Solar de
Espinosa attacked the Carlists at Guernica under Fernando de Zabala and Simon
de La Torre. In their first victory
against army Regulars, the Carlists held the town and inflicted over 300
Cristino casualties, but withdrew when heavy reinforcements approached. |
Castile |
Madrid |
1833 |
Madrid |
Merino, the 64 year old renegade
Castilian priest, led 11,000 Carlists south from Logroño towards
Madrid. He got near enough to alarm the inhabitants of the
capital but was forced to withdraw to Navarre in the face of superior
numbers.
|
Navarre |
Estella |
1833 |
Los Arcos |
First battle of Carlist War.
The Carlist Field-Marshal Santo Ladrón de
la Guevara led a body of Royalist Volunteers from Logroño into Navarre.
There they encountered a much larger government force under General Manuel Lorenzo. Attempting to make a stand, the Carlists were defeated and their commander was captured and shot. |
Navarre |
Vitoria |
1833 |
Peñacerrada |
Following Los Arcos the
Cristino Generals Pedro Sarsfield and Manuel Lorenzo crossed the Ebro and
routed 1,500 Carlists blocking their way at Peñecerrada. Within a week the Liberals had entered
Vitoria and Bilbao unopposed. |
Navarre? |
|
1833 |
Astarta |
29 December 1833: Tomás Zumalacárregui's first major battle in which he defeated two Cristino
commanders, General Manuel Lorenzo and Colonel Marcelino
Oráa (subordinates
of Saarsfield). Zumalacárregui determined to hold a
position between Asarta and Nazar. The half trained Carlists fought bravely and most of the 350 dead are
Cristinos. |
Catalonia |
|
1834 |
Mayals |
10 April 1834: Battle of Mayals: Determined to spread the Carlist
insurrection to Catalonia, Commander Manuel Carnicer crossed the Ebro and was
met at Mayals, southwest of Lerida, by General José Carratalá, commanding in
Tarragona, and Governor Manuel Breton of Tortosa. Despite a courageous attack by Colonel
Ramón Cabrera, Carnicer was defeated and the Carlists suffered a major setback |
Navarre |
Estella |
1834 |
Peñas de San Fausto |
19 August 1834: Peñas de San Fausto: Campaigning against the
Carlists northwest of Estella, a Spanish Liberal division under Baron Luis
Angel de Carondolet was surprised by General Tomás Zumalacárregui at Peñas de
San Fausto on the Urederra River. The Liberals were routed and fled, losing
250 men, including some drowned in the river. |
La Rioja |
Logrono |
1834 |
?? August 1834:
A triumph for the Carlist horse against Baron
Luis Angel de Carondolet. Although
they at first refused to charge, Zumalacárregui’s 200 lancers then met and
broke the illustrious Cazadores de la Guardia Real, largely because the
latter were foolish enough to receive the charge of the lancers when
halted. The lancers went on to
overwhelm a battalion of the Castilla Regiment (19th Line) and
take its Colour. |
|
Navarre |
Mendaza |
1834 |
Mendaza |
12 December 1834: Pursued through Navarre by the Spanish Liberal
army, Carlist commander Tomás Zumalacárregui with 10,000 men unwisely
accepted open battle against 14,000 under General Luis Fernández de Córdova
and Colonel arcelino Oráa. After a
bloody five-hour action the Carlists were forced to withdraw. |
Navarre |
Mendoza |
1834 |
Arquijas I |
15 December 1834: Following the Battle of Mendaza, the Spanish
Liberal army under General Luis Fernández de Córdova pursued the Carlist
commander Tomás Zumalacárregui through Navarre and attempted to force the
pass at Arquijas, five miles to the
northwest of Mendaza. Córdova suffered a costly repulse
and fell back towards Los Arcos. |
Navarre |
Pamplona |
1834 |
Gulina |
17 June 1834:
Battle of Gulina: Liberal commander Vicente Jenaro de Quesada in Vitoria
ordered Brigadier Linares from Pamplona in an attempt to trap
Zumalacárregui. However, just
northwest of Pamplona, Zumalacárregui attacked Linares and both sides
suffered about 600 casualties before Zumalacárregui was driven off. |
Navarre |
Salvatierra |
1834 |
Alsasua |
2 May 1834: Zumalacárregui
attacked and defeated the Cristinos (General Vicente Jenaro de Quesada) as they passed Alsasua
on a march from
Salvatierra into Navarre. Despite being rescued by another Cristino
force (Jáuregui el Pastor 'The Shepherd'), Quesada left 100 prisoners in the
hands of the Carlists and suffered 200 dead and wounded. Subsequently
all the captured Cristino officers were shot. |
Navarre |
Vitoria |
1834 |
Salvatierra /
Alegría |
Fought on the
plains of Salvatierra near Vitoria (27 Oct). Eluding
pursuit after victory at Artaza and Peñas de San Fausto, Carlist commander
Tomás Zumalacárregui and Francisco de Iturralde surprised a large Liberal
column (3,500 men) under Brigadier O’Doyle at Alegría, between Vitoria and
Salvatierra. Zumalacárregui
formed his Carlist troops with a skirmishing battalion leading two others in
close order and a fourth in reserve; cavalry guarded the flanks. The Cristinos lost very heavily when their
lines were broken by a Navarrese bayonet assault. O’Doyle fled to nearby Arrieta, where a relief
column from Vitoria under General Joaquín de Osma was beaten next day (28
Oct). |
Navarre? |
|
1834 |
Artaza |
31
August 1834: Soon after Don Carlos V arrived in Spain, Liberal General José
Ramon Rodil led perhaps 8,000 men into the rugged Améscoa Valley, where he
was attacked at Artaza by just 2,000 Carlists under General Tomás
Zumalacárregui. In a one-sided action
Rodil suffered heavy losses before the Carlists withdrew. Despite his
losses Rodil continued his campaign in pursuit of the pretender. |
All |
|
1834-9 |
The first liberal influences sweeping Europe at this time were
opposed from the northeast region of Spain by the conservative Catholic supporters
of the pretender Don Carlos, who got all the way to the gates of Madrid.
Further Carlist wars followed later in the century, and Carlism is still an
active political force as at 2004!! |
|
Catalonia |
|
1835 |
Cervera |
25 February 1835: Action at Cervera: The Isabelino Regiment of Ceuta suffered a
serious defeat in the neighborhood of Cervera (Sorando, n.d.). |
Navarre |
Mendaza |
1835 |
Pass of Arquijas |
5 February 1835: Second Battle of Arquijas: In a renewed attack on
Carlist commander Tomás Zumalacárregui, northeast of Logroño in Navarre near
Mendaza, Spanish Liberal forces under General Manuel Lorenzo made a second
attempt to force the pass at Arquijas. With only half as many men, Zumalacárregui
dealt the Liberals a very costly defeat. |
Navarre |
Pamplona |
1835 |
Pamplona |
March 1835:
Taking advantage of Zumalacárregui absence, the Cristinos (General Espoz y
Mina) launched a major attack from Pamplona, to try and destroy part of the
Carlist army. The attack took place in
freezing weather. Mina's plan failed
largely because of the extraordinary mobility of the Carlist army, and he was
nearly surrounded and destroyed.
Although he extricated his army without very heavy losses (partly by
forging Zumalacárregui’s signature on an order which he contrived to pass to
another enemy general), and some of his forces fought very well, Mina’s
reputation suffered irreparable harm, and he was replaced by Valdés in April
1835. |
Navarre? |
|
1835 |
Segura |
3 January 1835:
Zumalacárregui, in order to halt the Cristino offensive, decided that his
army would have to suffer heavy losses.
When attacking the enemy columns on the march, the Carlists delivered
a rolling fire and then a fire by platoons - which surprised an English
observer by its regularity and order.
At a later period in the battle the 1st Navarrese and Guías
de Navarra “opened left and right” to allow the general’s squadron of
escorting cavalry to charge through at the gallop, a very considerable feat
of drill. Unfortunately, the Príncipe
regiment (3rd line), drawn up three deep, halted them with its
fire. Following scattered action both sides withdrew. |
Navarre? |
Beasain |
1835 |
Ormáiztegui |
2 January 1835: Following
success at Arquijas, Carlist commander Tomás Zumalacárregui marched north and
at Ormáiztegui, west of Beasain, met Spanish Liberal Generals Baldomero
Espartero and José Carratalá (2 Jan).
After costly fighting the Carlists fell back to strong positions at
Segura |
Navarre? |
Maeztu |
1835 |
Orbiso |
17 Jan 1835: Carlist commander Tomás Zumalacárregui attempted to
intercept a Spanish Liberal army under General Manuel Lorenzo and Colonel
Marcelino Oráa marching towards Maeztu.
On the heights at Orbiso, Zumalacárregui was driven off at the cost of
about 400 men |
|
|
1846 |
Matiners War |
|
All |
|
1868 |
Spanish Revolution |
Queen Isabella overthrown |
Navarre? |
|
1868 |
Alcolea |
|
Navarre, Aragon |
|
1873-6 |
Second Carlist War |
|
Asturias |
|
192x |
|
Miners revolt savagely put down
by the government. |
Castille |
|
1936 |
Toledo |
|
Leon |
|
1936-1937 |
Corunna Road |
|
All |
|
1936-1939 |
Conservative Nationalists under Franco, landing initially from the
North African colonies, rebelled against an extremist but divided Republican
government supported by the Soviets. Franco received much help from |
|
|
|
1936-9 |
Siege of |
The Nationalists, who had approached originally from Extremadura,
closed their stranglehold gradually around the city. |
|
|
1937 |
|
The Nationalist entry into the town culminated in a massacre of
their opponents. |
|
Saragossa |
1937 |
Saragossa |
|
Cantabria |
Santander |
1937 |
Santander |
|
Castille |
|
1937 |
Brunete |
|
Castille, New |
|
1937 |
Jarama |
|
La Alcarria |
Guadalajara |
1937 |
|
|
La Alcarria |
Guadalajara |
1937 |
Guadalajara |
|
Navarre |
Bilbao |
1937 |
Bilbao |
|
Aragon |
Teruel |
1937-1938 |
Teruel |
The Nationalists headed for the sea through Teruel,
creating a massive salient into Republican lines. |
Catalonia |
Lerida |
1938 |
In July, the Republicans from the Catalonian enclave attempted to
force the river line and gain the hilly Terra Alta region in a most bloody
contest, with the ultimate intent of linking with the government’s remaining
territory in Valencia. |
|
Catalonia |
Barcelona |
1938-1939 |
Siege of Barcelona |
.. where there had been intermittent street fighting during the
war between the various factions of the left, well described in George Orwell’s
classic “Homage to Catalonia” |
Biscay |
San Sebastian |
193x |
Bombing of Guernica |
The first example of strategic bombing, carried out by Hitler’s
Condor Legion and made famous by Picasso’s painting. |
All |
|
1990s |
ETA bombings |
Bombings by this terror group favouring
Basque independence continued, with new warnings concerning tourist targets just
issued in 2004. |