spanish battles in the C16 and C17

From Pavia to Rocroi

The Tercios at war

In Europe in the X= VI and XVII centuries, the Spanish monarchy possessed the following territories: <= /span>Espagne (Spain), Franche-Conté (FC), Lombardia (L), Naples, Sicile (Sicily), Flandres (Flanders). Charles I (1520 - 1557) had also the control of the Saint Empire (German Holy Empire ) and the Terres des Hapsburgs (Land of the Habsburg). From 1580 to 1668= , Portugal was a possession of the Spanish King.=

1515 - 1556&= nbsp; =3D=3D Charles I, King of Spain, Emperor of th= e Holy Empire

1556 - 1598&nbs= p; =3D=3D Philip II, King of Spain

1598 - 1621&nbs= p; =3D=3D Philip III, King of Spain

1621 - 1665&nbs= p; =3D=3D Philip IV, King of Spain

1665 - 1700&nbs= p; =3D=3D Charles II, King of Spain

=

<= /span>

6.1 Charles I of Spain, Emperor of the Holy Em= pire (1515 - 1556)

During the reign of Charles I (Charles V of Germany), the concept of Tercio was created and their number was only four: The "Old" Tercios of Lombardia, Napo= li , Sicilia and Sardinia. The number of men involved = in the Tercio was changing from 8 000 to 12 000 men out of a total of 60 000 to 80= 000 infantrymen. They were the elite force of the Empire. Charles I of Spain could maintain, at maximum, an army of 100 000 men.

Charles I of Spain had= made campaign principally against France, the Ottoman Emp= ire and the protestant princes.

Italians Wars

The Italian wars w= ere the major confrontation in Europe during half-century for the domination of the Italian peninsula. Briefly, the Fren= ch Monarchy was confronted with the Spanish monarchy for the dominion of the <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Kingdom of Napoli and the Duchy of Lombardia.= The result was the end of the Italian dream for the French monarch and the domination of Italy by= Spain for the next 200 years.

o      Battle of La Bicoca (Italy) in 1522: Imperial vict= ory against the French.

o      The Provence (France) Campaign in 1524: French victory over a Imperial invasion. =

o      Battle of Pavia (Italy) in 1525: Imperial victory against a French army.

o      Sack of Rome in 1527: Imperial victory against the Pope.

o      The battle of Cerisoles (1544): French victory against the Imperial = army of Italy= .

Balkan and North African Wars

In the XVI century= the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman expanded strongly in Europe and in the west <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Mediterranean. The Struggle with the Holy empire was for the domination of East Europe (especial= ly Hungary= ) and the North African coast. The Ottoman sent several campaigns in Hungary and the rest of East Europe and the culmination point was the siege of Vienna. In the Mediterranean, the Spanish tried to conquer Moorish strongholds (Tunis, Alger) in= north Africa and to resist the Ottoman advance. It was= a bitter and cruel wars which could cost heavy los= ses to the Spanish infantry.

o&nb= sp;     Siege= of Vienna by the Tur= ks in 1529: Imperial victory against a Turkish invasion army.

o&nb= sp;     The expedition of Tunis in 1535: Imperial victory against the Moors and the Ottoman.

o&nb= sp;     The expedition of Algiers in 1541<= /a> : Ottoman victory against a Imperial invasion.

o&nb= sp;     Exped= ition to Tlemcen in Algeria in 1542: Spanish victory against a Moorish king and Ottomans <= /p>

German War

The Protestant ref= ormation had changed the political situation in the Germanic Holy Empire. The Schmalkaldic league was formed in 1530 by the main protestant German princes and started to discuss the Emperor authority. Until 1544, Charles V was not able to turn his attention to the German problem. After futile discussion a= nd negotiation the war broke up and the protestant rebellion was destroyed at Mühlber= g in 1647. The religious struggle seemed to be = solved with the unsatisfactory compromise of Passau in 1552, but the religious question was again the main problem during the thirty year war (1618 - 1648).

o&nb= sp;     Battle of Mühlberg (Germany) in 1547: Imperial victory against the protestant princes.

6.2 Philip II King of Spain (1556 - 1598)

To maintain his he= ritage Philip II made a great number of campaigns. The main conflict was against t= he Dutch rebels in Flanders, the Netherlands' War of Independence from 1567 to 1648. But Philip had also to check the Ott= oman advance in west Mediterranean (siege of Mal= ta, battle of Lepanto) and fight in France to support the Catholic league against the French Huguenot during the French religious wars (1562 - 1598). Also at the Death of the King of Portugal in 1578, Philip II claimed the Portuguese crown and sent an army to occupy his= new kingdom in 1580.

The number of Terc= ios was reduced. The army of Flanders had an ave= rage of 4 Tercios. To protect Italy and fight against the Ottoman Empire, the Spanish used to have 6-7 Tercios of which 3 (Te= rcio de la Ligua, Tercio de la galeras de Sicilia and Tercio nuevo de Napoles) were used in the Navy galleys. For the occupation of Portugal in 1580 and the operation of England in 1580, 4 new Tercios were raised, 1 stayed in Portugal and the rest was disbanded and the soldiers sent in Flanders in 1583 after = the invasion of the Azores islands.

In 1588, the monarchy had 4 Tercios in Flanders, 6 Tercios in Italy and 5 Tercios in Spain p= lus an undefined number of independent companies to garrison the peninsula. <= /o:p>

In total, the numb= er of Spanish infantrymen would oscillate between 20 000 - 30 000 men (in total t= he Spanish monarchy had between 75 000 and 100 000 infantrymen) and the Spanish cavalry around 9,000 - 10 000 men.

Italian and Fre= nch Wars (1495 - 1559)

From 1556 to 1559 = Felipe II inherited from his father the end of the Italian wars against the French Monarchy. The battles of St Quentin and Gravelines, recognised the end of the French dream in <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Italy and the impossibility f= or the Spanish King to recover the Duchy of Burgundy; peace was signed in Cateau Cambresis in 1559.

Battle of Saint Quentin<= i> in 1557: Spanish victory over France.

Battle of Gravelines in 1558: Anglo - Spanish victory over F= rance.

The Wars of Rel= igion in France (1562 - 1598)

The conflict in France could be divided in 9 separate civil wars between the Huguenot (French protestant) and the Catholics for the control of the French crown. As a Cat= holic King, Felipe II supported the Catholic cause first with money, afterwards s= ending troops and at last sending the Army of Flanders in the 1590 decades. <= /o:p>

Duke of Parma's campaigns in F= rance (1590- 1594): Inconclusive campaigns against the French Huguenot.

Siege of Amiens in 1597: French victory over Spain.

Ottoman Wars

Now that the Holy = Empire was to his Uncle Ferdinand, Felipe II could concentrate his force to block the Ottoman advance in the west Mediterranean. After the battle of Lepanto the Ottoman di= d not tried (for non-military reasons) to challenge again the Christian fleet. In North Africa the Spanish loose most of their stronghold like Tunis in 1575 and were able to keep only the city of Oran. The rest of the country was left = to the authority of the Turks of Alger.

Expedition to Mostagaden (Algeria) in 1558: Ottoman victory against the Spanish

Siege of Malta by the Turks<= /a> in 1565: Victory of the Catholic league against the Ottoman. <= /span>

Battle of Lepanto (Grece) in 1571: Victory of the Holy L= eague over the Ottoman Empire.

Loss of Tunis in 1575: Ottoman victory o= ver the Spanish monarchy. =

War in Flanders= (The Netherlan= ds' War of Independence)

This war was the m= ain conflict of the Felipe II reign. In the XVI century, Flanders was divided in 17 different regions more or less united in the Duchy of Flanders. The war broke up with a widespread oppo= sition to the Spanish Monarch governance practice. Also the diffusion of the protestant religion amongst part of the Flemish rulers, and the Spanish repression radicalised the opposition to t= he Catholic King, especially in the north provinces of the Duchy (mainly= in the province of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht). The war of Flanders was a series of sieg= es and skirmish in this wet country cut of by arms of sea, rivers, canals and mars= hes and full of well-protected cities and fortresses. The impossibilities to de= ploy large armies means that few pitch battles were f= ought.

Campaign against the Protestant rebels = in Flanders 1568 - 1569 with the battle of Jemmingen    in 1568: Spanish vic= tory over the Protestant leaders.

The siege of Haarlem by the Spanish in 1572: S= panish victory over the protestant.

The siege of Alkmarr by the Spanish in 1573: Dutch victory over the Spanish.<= /span>

Campaign in the Flanders in 1574 with t= he battle of Mook and the siege of Leyden: Spanish victo= ry over the Protestant Leaders at Mook but defeat in front of Leyden.

Battle= of Gembloux in 1578: Spanish victory o= ver the Protestant rebels.=

Siege of Anvers<= /st1:place> by the Spanish in 1585: Spanish vict= ory over the Protestant. <= o:p>

Dutch campaign of Maurice of Nassau in 1591 - 1595 (gain of Zutphen, Deventer, Nijmengen, Groningen= ...): Dutch victory over Spain.

Battle= of Turnhout in 1597: Dutch victory ove= r the Spanish.

Others

In 1578 the Portug= uese king Sebastian died in combat against Moorish tribes in Morocco= . Felipe II claimed the crown of Portugal (he was the grand son of Sebastian) to uni= fy the Iberia peninsula.

Occupation of Portugal in 1580: Spani= sh victory over the Portuguese.

Invasion of the Azores islands in 1582 - 1583: Spanish victory over th= e

Portuguese.

The Invincible Armada in 1588: English victory over a Spanish invasion force.

6.3 Philip III King of S= pain (1598 - 1621)

After the death of= the king Philip II, the Spanish Empire was exhausted and could not maintain the combat against the French, the Dutch and the English at the same time. The = new king Philip III negotiated the peace with = France = in 1598 and with the English in 1604. In 1609 the two enemies the Spanish and the D= utch negotiated a truce of 12 years.

The efficiency of the Tercios of Flanders was reduced by lack of funds and several mutinies. At that time the 4 Tercios of Flanders had around 7 000 m= en.

At his death, in 1= 621, Philip III infantry was composed of 7 Spanish Tercios (Iñigo Borja, Diego Luis de Olivares, Diego Mesia, Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, J= uan Bravo de Lagunas, Rofrigo Pimentel, Ramón Cordona), 13 Italian Tercios, 11 Walloon Tercios, 2 Tercios from Burgundy, 2 Irish Tercios and 9 German Regiment. We can imagine a force of 50 000 - 65 000 infantrymen of which some 16% were Spaniards.

War in Flanders= ( The= Netherlands<= /st1:country-region>' War of Independence)

First battle of the Dune= or battle of Nieuwport in 1600: Dutch victory over S= pain.

Siege of Ostende by the Spanish from 16= 01 to 1604: Spanish victory over the Dutch.

Thirty Years Wa= r

In 1618, began one= of the major conflicts of the century, the Thirty Years War. To help the Emperor, Philip III engaged some Tercios from Italy to fight with the Habsb= urg armies. The White Mountain battle in 162= 0 gave end to the first part of the war.

Invasion of the Palatina (Germany) in 1620: Spanish Victory over the Protestant = ; Elector of Palatina Frederic. =

Battle of the White Mountain= (Czech Republic) in 1620: Catholic victory against the Bohemia= n Protestant.

6.4 Philip IV of Spain (1621 - 1665) =

The reign of Phili= p IV was characterised by the war in Flanders once more, the support of the Catholics League during the Thirty Years War, the repeated crisis in Italy, the war with France from 1635 and the uprising in Catalonia,= Portugal and in the kingdom of Naples.

After two decades = (1622 - 1642) of victories, the Spanish power met his limits. Again, the monarchy d= id not have the money to maintain a large army (bankrupt of 1627, 1647 and 166= 2). From 1640, the Spanish had to fight on 7 fronts: in Flanders against the Du= tch, the French and the German protestant, in Franche - Conté and Italy against France and in the peninsula a= gainst the Portuguese, Catalan and French. Finally the English would support the Portuguese and attack the Spanish possessions of America. Defeats would arrive= very soon and Philip IV would have to negotiate to save his Kingdom. =

In 1648 the indepe= ndence of the United - Province (the Dutch) was recognised by Spain and in 1659, t= he Peace of Pyrenees would put an end to the war with France (The territory of Roussillon was given to France as well as some cities in the region of Arto= is).

In 1635, to face <= st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">France, the Spanish had around 160 000 - 1= 70 000 men in total: 70 000 men (88% infantry men and 12 % horsemen) in Flanders (= 44 000 men had to be maintained in garrisons)= , 30 000 in Germany, 23 600= in Milano, 10 000 in Napoles and 31 000 in Spain.

With the conflicts in the Iberia peninsula in 1640, more troops had to be raised in Spain and new type of Tercios were created. In 1641, we had probably 90 000 men (6 Spanish Tercios) in the Flanders and Palatina, 30 000 in Italy (5 Spanish Tercios), 40 000 men in <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Catalonia (17 Spanish Tercios ?), in Extremadura 10 000 men (7 Spanish Tercios) and probabl= y 10 000 - 20 000 men in the rest of Spain.

<= /span>

In total a maximum= of 190 000 men (cavalry and infantry), of which 50 000 were Spaniards infantrymen.=

In 1652, after the surrender of Barcelona,= the Spanish army was most reduced and only 77 000 men subdivided in 19 000 men = in Flanders, 16 000 men in Italy, 4 000 men in Cataloña, 16 000 men in Extremadura and 22 000 men in t= he rest of the peninsula.

War in Flanders= (The Netherla= nds' War of Independence)

The 12 year truce = ended in 1621 and neither parties wanted to settle a peace treaty. The war would give some victories,= like the siege of Breda in 1625 or the battle of Kallo in 1638, unfortunately the lack of funds and the war with France = and the disaster of the Dunes in 1639 would not permit to achieve the war. In 1648 = the Spanish monarchy agreed to recognise the Dutch independence. The main weapo= n of the Dutch were the navy, but they had also an army of 70 000 - 80 000 men a= nd by 1629 they could field an army of 20 000 - 30 000 men.

Siege of Breda by the Spanish in 1625: Spanish victory over the Dutch.

Siege of s'Hertogenbosch by the Dutch in 1629: Dutch victory over Spain.

Storm of the fortress of Scenkenschans = by the Spanish in 1635: Spanish victory ove= r the Dutch.

Siege of Breda by the Dutch in 1637 : Dutch victory over = Spain.

Battle= of Kallo in<= /span> 1638: Spanish victory over the Dutch.

The Naval battle of the Dune in 1639: D= utch victory over a naval and terrestrial Spanish force.

Thirty Year War=

Spain would participate in this war for example se= nding funds to the Emperor Ferdinand, but the main politics was to fight against = the Dutch and the French and all the Spanish military or diplomatic movement in the Holy Empire was to reduce the n= aval supremacy of the Dutch or to attract the Empire to fight with them.

Battle of Nordlingen<= span style=3D'font-family:Univers'> (Germany) in 1634: Victo= ry of the Catholics against the main Swedish/Protestant army.

French war (163= 5 - 1659)

Again the French m= onarchy was strong enough to challenge the Spanish. The war with France = brought some victories (like Corbie in 1636, Salses in 1639, Honnecourt in 1642) at= the beginning but none of these victories were decisive. At the end the French, with great difficulties managed to break the Spanish monarchy. France, for the next 70 years became the dominant power in Eu= rope. From 1635 to 1659, the French had a maximum of 210 000 men (170 000 infantry men and 40 000 horsemen) in their armies (in 1640 they had 6 field armies).=

The Battle of Avins or Avion (North of France) in 1635: French victory over the Spanish

The invasion of North France and the ta= ke of Corbie in 1636: Spanish advance to Paris.

Siege of Leucate by the Spanish (Roussillon) in 1637: French victory over the Spanish

Battle of Fuenterrabia (Spain) in 1638: Spanish victory over the French

Siege of Salses by the Spanish in 1639<= /span> (Roussillon): Spanish victory over France.

Battle of Honnecourt (Belgium) in 1642: Spani= sh victory over the French.

Siege of Perpigna= n by the French (Roussillon) in 1642: French victory over Spain.

Battle of Rocroi (France) in 1643: French victory over = Spain.

Battle of Lens (France) in 1648: French victory over Spain

Siege of Gravelines and Dunkirk by the Spanish (Flanders) in 1652: Spanish victory over the French

Battle and siege of Arr= as by the French (Flanders) in 1654: French victory over Spain

Battle of Valenciennes<= /st1:City> (Flanders) in 1656: Spanish victor= y over the French =

Second Battle of the Dune (Flanders) in 1658: Anglo-French victo= ry over Spain.

Wars in Italy (= 1620 - 1659)

At that time Italy= was divided in a multitude of States, basically we had, the states (Duchy of Lombardy and the Kingdom of Naples) member of the Spanish crown; the duchie= s of Tuscany, Savoy and Mantua, the Papacy, the Republics of Venice and Genoa and some minor states. Some states, like the Duchy of Savoy, were part of the H= oly Empire and thus affected by the thirty years war, but above all by the cris= is between France, Spain and their Italian allies, maimly the cris in the Valteline passes (1620 - 1626) which connected Spanish lombardy with the Austrian Tyrol (the Spanish road), the Invasion of the Republic of Genova (1625), the Mantuan succesion war (1628 - 1631) and the Savoyan civi= l war (1638 - 1642). The crisis in the Italian peninsula affected strongly the strategy of the Spanish monarchy as well as their financial and military resources.

The Franco - Saboyan siege Genoa in 1625: Spanish - Ge= noese victory over a Franco - Saboyan invasion ar= my.

Campaign in the Duchy of Mantua in 1630: Spanish and Imper= ial victory over a pro-French Italian coalition.

The Battle of Tornavento in 1636: Costly victory of th= e French and Savoyan over the Spanish.

The siege of Tor= ino in 1640: French and Savoyan allies victory against a Spanish and Savoyan garrison.

Siege of Casal by the Spanish in 1652: Spanish Victory over the French

Iberian Campaigns =

From 1640, these t= wo regions, each with a strong individuality of history and of language, revol= ted themselves against the Spanish government who had the plan to extend the power of the monarchy by means of certain reforms.

<= /span>

Portugal (1640 - 1668)
In Portugal, the rising was due to the feelling by a part of the native aristocracy that the Government in Madrid was not doing enough for the Portuguese interests (especially to defend colony’s trading against the Dutch and English). On the contrary Portuguese thought that they could do better without the Spanish monarchy. = The decision of the Spanish to crush first the Catalans and then the Portuguese saved probably the new elected king of Portugal Joâo IV. From 1659 to 1665, the Spanish would try to concentrate their forces to invade Portugal, the results would be three disastrous expeditions. T= he Portuguese never had more than 30 000 men to face Spain, but strong reinforcement (7 000 - 8 000 men) woul= d arrive from England an= d France.=

Battle of Montijo in 1644: Spanish victory over the Portuguese.

Battle of Elvas in 1659: Portuguese victory o= ver Spain.

Battle of Estremoz or Almeixial<= /i> in 1663: Portuguese victory over Spain.

Battle of Villaviciosa in 1665: Portuguese vi= ctory over Spain.

Catalonia (1640 - 1652)
In Catalonia, the rebellion was against the Spanish monarchy a part of the ruler class as well as the attitude of the Spanish soldiers. Catalonian rebellion was directly connected with the war with <= st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">France as the Catalonians dec= ided to give the crown of the principally to the French king (even if the Catalo= nian discovered that to live under French rules was not easy). For the Spanish t= his front was very important and strong forces and money was used to recover the country.

Battle of Montjuïc in 1641: Franco= - Catalan victory over the Spanish

Battle of Lerida in 1642: Franco - Catalan victor= y over Spain.

Siege of Monzón by the Spanish in 1643: Spanish victory over the Franco - Catalan

Siege of Lérida by the Spanish in 1644: Spanish victory over France.

Siege of Lérida by the French in= 1647: Spanish victory over France.

Siege of Barcelona by the Spanish in 1652: Spanish victory over the Franco - catalan forces.

6.5 Charles II King of S= pain (1665 - 1700)

When Charles II &q= uot;El Hechizado" (The Enchanted) accessed to the throne= , the Spanish Empire was the sick man of Europe. Spain could not compete against powerful states like France, England<= /st1:country-region> or the Dutch. The finances were very weak (another bankrupt in 1666) and co= uld not maintain a large army. Only the alliances with the Austrians, the Dutch= and the English could save Spain from the new French monarch Louis XIV, at least the Spaniard were not alone anymore.

Against France, the Spanish monarchy = would participate to the Devolution War (1667 - 1668), the Dutch wars (1672 - 167= 8) and the Augsburg League war (1688 - 1697). In thirty years (1667 - 1697), t= he Spanish crown would lose to France: the Franche - Conté, the region of Artois and Alsace and some fortress in Flanders.

Finally the endoge= nic cross in the Spanish Habsburg dynasty would produce a weak king unable to h= ave a heritor. It would be the end of the Habsburg monarchy and the beginning of the Bourbon (the actual King of Spain is called Juan Carlos I de Borbón y Borbón)= .

The Tercios were s= till the sword (a short one) and shield of Spain but the monarchy have a= big manpower problems to maintain his forces.

In 1694, the Spanish had around 65 000 - 75 000 men (77 - 80% of infantryme= n), with 70 - 80 Tercios or regiments of infan= try (35 - 40 should be native Tercios). In 1700 - 1703, at Charles II death, the Spanish had 33 native Tercios and 32 allied Tercios, so around 30 000 infantrymen (13 300 in Spain, 8 000 - 9 000 in Flanders and 8 000 - 9 00= 0 Italy).= Normaly he had also 1 Guard regiment, 18 Tercios of Cavalry and 9 Tercios of dragoo= ns (around 10 000 men).

By Comparison t= he Dutch had in 1701, 57 infantry regiments of nati= ve troops (43 100 men), 2 gardes regiments (4 100 men) and 7 foreigns regiments (11 200 men), in total 58 400 infantrymen. The cavalry numbered 11 800 horsemen, 27 cavalry regiments and 4 dragoons regiments. The French had in 1700, a peace army of 190 000 men of which 30 = 000 were horsemen (cavalrymen and dragoons).

Devolution War = (1667 - 1668)

This war started b= y the wish of the French monarch to expand the boundary of his kingdom, especiall= y in north France. In 1667 the French army invaded the Spanish Flanders with 70 000 men against the 14 000 Spanish troops and the Franche-Conté. Without allies, the Spanish capitulated to the French demand in 1668 by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle..

Take of the main fortress in Flanders in 1667: French victory over Spain.

The French siege = Lille in Flanders (1667): French victory over Spain.

Invasion of the Franche - Conté = in 1668: French victory over Spain.

Dutch Wars (167= 2 - 1678)

In 1670, the French government recognised that the Dutch were now their main opponent and Louis= XIV decided to invade the United Provinces (Dutch Netherlands) in 1672. To coun= ter the French, the Dutch formed an alliance with Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, Denmark, Brandenburg-Prussia, and Lorr= aine. For Spain the main fro= nts were Catalonia, Flanders and north Italy. = After 6 years of fighting, the treaty of = Nijmegen settle the peace at the expense of the Spanish monarchy.

Occupation of Ca= talonia in 1672: French victory over Spain.

Battle of Seneffe (Flanders) in 1674: French victory over Dutch - Spanish -German army.=

Conquest of Franche - Conté in 1= 675: French victory over Spain.

Conquest of Saint Omer (Flanders) in 16= 77: French Victory over Spain

Battle of Espolla in 1677 (Roussillon): Frenc= h Victory over Spain

Take of the city of Gent (Flanders) in 1678: French victory over Spain.

Augsburg<= b> League War (1688 -1697)

In 1680, the Frenc= h army occupied the Duchy of Luxembourg. In front of the expansion of the French monarchy, most of the European countries formed the League of Augsburg to s= top Louis XIV aggressive politics. The war started in 1688 and finished 9 years= later by the treaty of Treaty of Ryswick. In the= fisrt part of the war, the French took the offensive and won several terrestrial battles, at sea the defeat of the Hougue in 1692 gave the superiority to the Anglo-Dutch navy. After 1694, the French strategy was defensive and the allies were unable to break to invade France.= In 1697 all the European monarchies had the succession of the Spanish crown in mind= ....

Battle of Fleurus (Belgium) in 1690: French victory over the Augsburg League.

Battle of La Staffarda (Italy) in 1690: French victory over the Augsburg League.

Siege of Namur by the French (Belgium): french Victory over the = Augsburg League.

Battle of Steinkerque (Belgium) in 1692 : French victory over the Augsburg Le= ague.

Battle of Neerwinden<= span style=3D'font-family:Univers'> (Belgi= um) in 1693: French victory over the Augsburg League.

Battle of La Marsaglia (Italy= ) in 1693: French victory over the Augsburg League.

Battle of the river Ter<= i> (Catalonia) in 1694: French victory over the Spanish.

Siege of Gerona by the Frecnh (Cataloni= a) in 1694: French victory over the Spanish.

Siege of Namur by the Allied (Belgium) in 1695: the Augsburg League troops retake the city from the French.

Siege of Ath by the French (Belgium) in 1697: French victory ove= r the Augsburg Le= ague.

Siege of Barcelon= a by the French (Cataloni= a) in 1697: French victory over the Spanish.

In November 1700, = Charles II died in Madrid, Philip of Anjou grandson of the French king would access to the throne under the name of Philip V of Spain. In 1702 the Succession= War (1702 - 1714) began. The Tercios would disappear in 1704, replaced by regim= ents copied on the French model.

6.6 More details concerning some Military operations or battles

In this part, I gi= ve a small description of 25 battles/sieges were the Spanish Tercios have been involved. In general, I give the strategic situation and a table with the opposite armies. Also 10 battles ( Pavia in 1525 , Cerisoles in 1544 , Jemmingen in 1568 , = Mook in 1574 , = First Dunes in 160 0 , Nordlingen in 1634, Rocroi in 1643, Montijo in 1644 , the day of Seneffe in 1674 and = the battle of the river Ter in 1694) have been described in detail using diagram= s.

The battle of Pavia 24/02/1525    Im= perial victory (Strategic)

French Army
Commander: King François I
Infantry: 17 000 men

Cavalry: 6500 men (1200 gendarmes)=
Artillery : 53 guns
Losses: 10 000 - 13 000 men

Imperial army
Commander: Duke of P= escara
Infantry: 19 000 men=
   &n= bsp;    Spanish ( 5000 men)
Cavalry: 4000 = men
Artillery: 17 guns
Losses: 500 - 600 me= n

After the failure = of the invasion of Provence in 1524, the French army under the command of the King François I attacked the Imperial position of Pavia defended by 6 000= - 8 000 imperial troops. To relieve the garrison the Duke of Pescara organised = an army of 24 000 men army. The 25/02/1525, following a night march approach, the Imperial army would destroy the French army in a confused bat= tle. In two hours the battle was won and the King of France prisoner of the imperialist.

Click here for more information

Return

Algiers Expedition   20/10/1541 &n= bsp; Ottoman Victory (Strategic)

Ottoman Army
Commander: Bacha Hassan
Infantry: 4 000 men
           (Janissaries= : 1000 men)
Cavalry: 10 000 - 15 000* men
Artillery: 50 guns

Losses: 1500-2000 men

Imperial Army
Commander: Charles V=
Infantry: 18 000 men=
   &n= bsp;            = ;           (Tercio ~ 7000 men)
Cavalry: 1 500= men
Artillery: 56 guns

Losses: 7 000 - 8 000 me= n

In 1541, Charles V considered that the bulk of the Ottoman armies were fighting in east Europe= and Persia and decided to destroy the main Ottoman outpost in the west of the Mediterranean, the harbour of Algiers. He collected an army of 19 500 men** (3500 men from the Tercio of Napoles, 3 000 men from the Tercio of Sicilia = and 500 from the Tercio of Lombardia) and disembarked the 20/10/1541 on a beach near Algiers defended by a garrison of 4 000 men. But on the night of the 23 of October disaster came by a tempest of storm and rain. After tree days of winds and rain, 130 transport ships were destroyed as well as 14 warships. At the end= of the tempest, clouds of Moorish horsemen came down from the hills to attack the Imperial troops. Considering the = situation the Emperor decided to re- embark his army.

* the garrison of Algiers had only some 1 000 cavalrymen, but the Moorish tribes sent numerous horsem= en to attack the Christians.
** We do not take in account the numerous adventurers who participated to t= his expedition

Return

The battle of Cerisoles       11/04/1544&= nbsp;    French Victory (Tactical)

French Army
Commander: François of Bourbon
Infanterie: 14 800 men

Cavalerie: 1 500 men
Artillerie ~ 20 guns

Pertes: 1500-2000 men

Imperial Army
Commander: Marquis o= f De Vasto
Infantry: 17 800 men=
   &n= bsp;            = ;           (Tercio : 1500 men)
Cavalerie: 1 0= 00 men
Artillerie: 20 guns<= /span>

Pertes: 8 000 - 9 000 me= n (3 000 prisoners)

After the disaster= of the Algiers Expedition, the French King decided to start again the war against = the Emperor Charles V and sent an army in North Italy. The French commander put siege at the fortress of Carignano to force the Imperials to react. The Imperialist commander, the Marquis of De Vasto organised an army with the help of    7 000 new Landsknechts= and marched toward the French. The battle took place near Cerisoles the 11 April 1544. After fierce combat the Imperial centre was destroyed, the French had= won the day. Unfortunately for them, the French king fearing an invasion of France recalled his best troops from Italy. =

Click here for more informati= on

Return

The Battle of Mühlberg       &nb= sp; 24/04/1547          &= nbsp; Imperial victory (Strategic)

Army of the Smalkalde league =
Commander: John Frederic of Saxony
Infantry: 12 000 men

Cavalry: 3 000 men
Artillery : 15 guns

Losses: 7000-8000 men

Imperial army
Commander: Duke of A= lba & Charles I
Infantry: 25 000 men=
   &n= bsp;        (Spanish Tercio : 7 800 men) <= br> Cavalry:  = 4 500 men
Artillery: 20=

Losses: 100 -200 men&nbs= p;

The Emperor Charle= s tried to destroy the Smalkalde league (Protestant). Waiting for the arrival = of the Spanish Tercios from Italy the Duke of Alba saved time refusing to fight a pitch battle. When the Span= ish infantry arrived, Alba changed strategy and pursuit the Elector of Saxony. = The battle of Mühlberg was fought when the Elector couldn't escape from the trap near the river Elbe. The imperials sent a vanguard of 2 000 Spanish harquebusier and musketeers (first time to be used in a battle) and some 1 050 light cavalrymen to check the Saxon picket and cross the river. When both banks of the river were secured, the main group of Imperial cavalry (1 800 men at arms, and 600 harquebusiers on horse) an a part of the infantr= y fall upon the Saxon army who fled in panic. The Imperial victory was complete and the Protestant League destroyed.

Return

The battle of Saint Quentin     10/08/1557 Spani= sh Victory (Strategic)

French army
Commander: Duke of Monmorency
Infantry ~ 18000 men

Cavalry ~ 6000 men
Artillery : ?

Losses: 14000 men

Imperial army
Commander: Duke of S= avoy
Infantry ~ 6000 men
   &n= bsp;       (Spanish Tercio ~ 4000 men) Cavalry ~  = ; 4000 men
Artillery: ?<= span style=3D'font-family:Univers'>

Losses: 200 men&nb= sp;

After the occupati= on of three cities (Toul, Metz and Verdun) by the French forces in 1552, the new King of Spain Philip II reacted and s= ent an army of 50 000 men to invade the north of France. The Spanish forces be= sieged the city of Saint Quentin defended by a garrison of 1000 men. An army of 24 000 men was sent by the French to relieve the garrison. This army was intercepted by the Spanish in= a narrow pass and destroyed. The 27/08/1557 the city surrended and in 1558 af= ter a new victory at Gravelines the Spanish - French war was put to an end by t= he peace treaty of Cateau-Cambressis.

Return

Siege of Malta May to September 1565&nbs= p;    Catholic Victory (Strategic)

Ottoman Army
Commander: Baja Mustapha & Piali
Troops: 45 000 men
Artillery : 70 guns
Navy: 179 ships

Losses: 30 000 men

Catholic Army
Commanders: Duke of&= nbsp; Alba & Order of Malta
Infantry: 15 000 men=
   &n= bsp;             (Garrison of Malta: 5000 h + 700 Spanish)
   &n= bsp;            = ; (Spanish Tercio: 6000 h)=
Cavalry : 200 = men
Navy: 60 Ships

Losses: 3000 men + 7500 civilians

In 1565 the Sultan= of the Ottoman Empire decided to conquer the Strategic island of Malta. The defence of Malta b= elong to the Order of San John and the very Catholic King of Spain w= ould take care of the military situation of the island. At the beginning of the siege the garrison had around 500 knights from the Order of San John, 4= 500 militias and 500 Spanish infantry from the Tercio of Sicila. Very quickly 200 Spanish infantrymen and 100 It= alians cavalry would be sent to the island. During 4 months, the garrison repulsed= the Turkish assaults inflicting heavy losses to the attackers (to Take the Fort= San Telmo the Turks would spent 30 days and lose 6 000 men). In September 1565, Philipp II King of S= pain organised an army of 9 000 infantrymen (from the Tercio of Napoles, = Cócerga o Bracamonte and Lombardia) with 60 fast ships to relieve the ga= rrison. The troops were quickly disembarked and began to attack the tired Turkish troops. After a small resistance Mustapha decided to withdraw, ending the s= iege of Malta= .

Return

The battle of Jemmingen 21/07/1568       Spanish Victory (Strategic)

Protestant Army
Commander: Louis of Nassau
Infantry ~ 10 000 men

Cavalery ~ 2 000 men
Artillery: 16 guns

Losses: 7000 men

Spanish Army
Commander: Duke of A= lba
Infantry ~ 12 000 me= n
   &n= bsp; (Spanish Tercios ~ 5 500 men)
Cavalry ~ 3 000 men<= /span>
Artillery: ?<= span style=3D'font-family:Univers'>

Losses: around 300= men

In August 1567 the Tercios, under the command of Duke of Alba, arrived in Bruxelle to subdue t= he Protestant uprising. In Spring 1568 the Protestant leaders William of Orange and Louis of Nassau decided to invade the Flanders with mercenary armies. In front of superior forces, Alba decided to avoid a= battle and to harass first Louis's army. Louis of Nassau made the mistake of trapp= ing himself in a peninsula in Frisia bordered by the rivers Ems and Dollard. The 21/07/1568, the Duke of Alba sent a vanguard of 1300 harquebusiers and musketeers and 300 horsemen. Thinking that it was the only Spanish force against him, the protestant leader launch= ed a counter-attack but were destroyed by Alba's gunmen. After the victor= y, Alba marched towards the second protestant army which would disolve themsel= ves under the Spanish skirmishes.

Click here for more information

Return

Battle of Lepanto      7/10/1571  = ;            &n= bsp; Catholic victory    (Tactical)

Turkish Fleet
Comamander: Admiral Ali Pacha
Navy : 221 galleys + 56 others ships
Infantry : 34000 men

Artillery : 750 guns

Losses: around 35000 men

Catholic League Fleet&nb= sp;
Commander: Don Juan = of Autria
Navy : 207 galleys&n= bsp; + 66 others ships
Infantry : 33 000 me= n
   &n= bsp;       (Spanish Tercio: 8000 men)
Artillery : 12= 00 guns

Losses: 7600 men (2000 Spaniards)

The Tercios were i= nfantry units but in naval combat in the Mediterranean sea the boarding tactic was important and= a good infantry was very helpful. After the fall of Cyprus, the Pope organised a Catholic League to repulse the Turks and liberate some strategic islands in the East Mediterranean. Italian states, the Spanish Empire and the Pope would&n= bsp; negotiate to create a important Fleet. This fleet of 273 ships with = 33 000 infantrymen aboard (45 companies from the Tercio of Napoles, = Figueroa, Sicilia, Lombardia and Moncada), under the Command of = Don Juan of Austria, would meet the Turkish fleet in the golf of Lepanto. Thank= s to a better firepower (from artillery and harquebu= s) the Catholics would win the day. The Turkish Admiral would be killed in the com= bat between his galley the "Sultan" and the galley "La Real"= ; of Don Juan.

Return

Campaign of 1574: = The Battle of Mook        15/04/1574      Spanish Victory (Tactical)

Protestant Army
Commander: Luis of Nassau
Infantry: 5 500 men

Cavalry: 2 600 men

Losses: 3 000 men

Army of Flanders
Commander: Sancho de= Avila
Infantry ~ 5 000 men=
   &n= bsp;        (Spanish Tercio ~ 3200 men) Cavalry: 800 m= en

Losses: 150 men

Coming from German= y, Louis of Nassau wanted to rejoin William of Orange to invade the Brabant and redu= ce at the same time the pressure on the besiege city of Leiden in Holland. The Spanish Commander organised quickly an army and marched towards Louis of Na= ssau. With a rapid march the Spanish would cut the retreat of the Dutch, who were obliged to fight a battle.The Dutch army was defeated and two of their Lead= ers Louis of Nassau and Eric of Nassau dead on the field. Lack of funds and mutinies would reduce the impact of the Spanish victory. =

Click = here for more informati= on

Return

Conquest of the Azores Islands &nbs= p; 2/08/1583 Spanish Victory (Strategic)

Portuguese Army
Comandant: Comodore de Chaste
Infantry: 9000 men
Cavalry: 200 men

Artillery : 203 guns (in fortresse= s)
Navy : around 30 ships

Losses: 9000 men (mostly prisonner= s)

Spanish Army
Commander: Admiral S= anta Cruz
Infantry: 11500 men&= nbsp;
   &n= bsp;            (Spanish Tercios: 9900 men) Cavalry : 200 men
Artillery : 6 guns
Navy: 100 ships

Losses: 400 men

After the occupati= on of Portugal in 1580 by Philip II of Spain who became King of Portugal, the Portuguese pretender Don Antonio retired to the Archipelago of the Azores. Don Antonio fortified the archipelago with = the help of the English and French. In July 1582, Admiral Santa Cruz defeated a French fleet near the isl= and of Terceira. The ne= xt year, Santa Cruz decided to invade all the archipelago and especially the island of Terceira<= /st1:PlaceName> defended by 9 000 men in 44 fortress (203 guns). The invasion force (for th= e Spanish: Tercio of Figueroa, Bobadilla, Iñiguez and d= e Toledo ) = would disembark the 26/07/1583 and established, after some hard fighting, a bridgehead. Soon they would advance to the Capital Angra and obtained the surrender of de Chaste's troops. On the 2/08/1583 the conquest was over. Ph= ilip II was definitely King of Portugal.

Return

The Invincible Armada   21/07/1588 - 2/09/1588  = English Victory (Strategic)

English Navy
Commander: Effingham
Navy: 50 Ships (16 Gallions)
Infantry: 1500 men

Artillery : 1500 guns

Losses: 200 men

Army of Flanders
Commander: Duk= e of Parma
Navy : 275 shi= ps (250 transports)
Infantry: 26000 men<= /span>
   &n= bsp;            = ;     (Spanish Tercio : 6000 men)
Cavalry: 1000 = men
Artillery : 12 guns<= /span>

Losses:   = ; -

Armada
Commander: Medina Sidonia<= /span>
Navy:   126 Ships (20 Gallions)
Spanish Infantry: 18= 000 men

Cavalry : 1000 men
Artillery : 2431 gun= s

Losses: 63 vessels (8000 infantrymen)

For economic, poli= tic and religious reasons, Philip II of Spain would intend to invade England. In 1588, the Spanish organised a fleet of 126 ships in Galicia= with 18 000 infantrymen. At the same time the Army of Flanders prepared an expediti= on force of 26 000 men under the command of the Duke of Parma. The major probl= em for the Spanish was that they controlled only the Harbour of Dunkirk in the Flanders. The rest of the coast was under Dutch control. The 12 July 1588, the main f= leet sailed to the Flemish coast to join with armada's= men. By the 21/07/1588, The English navy would start to harass the Spanish fleet in some heavy engagements. At the beginning of august Medina Silonia<= span class=3DGramE> decided to sail to Calais to re-supply his ships. During t= he night 7- 8 August, the English sent fireships among the anchored enemy vess= els, many of which cut their cables in panic. Finally the English navy attacked strongly the Spanish the 8/08/1588 in front of Gravelines. The next day, the Spanish Commander decided to go back to Spa= in passing by the north of Scotland. In the Atlantic, severe gales would sunk many sh= ips, the survivors arrived in September in Spain. Elisabeth I, Queen of England had saved her kingdom.

Return

= First Battle of the Dune       &nb= sp; 2/07/1600      Dutch Victory (Tactical)

Dutch Army
Commander: Maurice of = Nassau*
Infantry: 9 400 men

Cavalry: 2 500 men
Artillery : 6 guns

Losses: 1700 men

Army of Flanders
Commander: Archduke Alberto
Infantry < 9 000 = men **
   &n= bsp;    (Spanish Tercio ~ 4 000 men) <= br> Cavalry : 1 600 men<= /span>
Artillery : 9 guns

Losses : 4 000 - 4 500 m= en

Thanks to the supe= riority of his Navy, Maurice of Nassau decided to disembark an army to reduce the Spanish bases of Nieuport and = Dunkirk. The Spanish reacted quickly and the Spanish commander, the Archduke Alberto sent an army of 16 000 men to counter the Dutch. The Spanish destroyed at f= irst the Dutch vanguard (2000 men lost) and then marched towards the bulk of the enemy force. The Archduke decided to launch immediately an assault on the D= utch position. Thanks to a major mobility of his infantry and his cavalry, Mauri= ce of Nassau was able to counter the Spanish infantry and inflict heavy losses= to the attacker. Exhausted by the march and the hard fighting, the Spanish ran away. Maurice of Nassau had won the day, but he had also suffered severe lo= sses and decided to re-embark his troops.

* The 2000 men los= t during previous days are not counted.
** In this number we do not count 4 000 Ge= rmans infantry who did not participate to the battle.

Click = here for more informati= on

Return

The White Mountain   8/11/1620 Imperial victory (Strategic)

Bohemian Army
Commander: Christian of Anhalt
Infantry ~ 10 000 men

Cavalry ~ 11 000 men <= br> Artillery : 10 guns

Losses: 5 000 men

Imperial Army
Comandant: Tilly &am= p; Bucquoy
Infantry: 18 500 men=
   &n= bsp;            = ;          (italian Tercio ~ 2800 men)
Cavalry : 6 50= 0 men
Artillery ~ 10 guns<= /span>

Losses: 700 men

Around 1618, the P= rotestant nobility of Bohemia refused to accept the Emperor Ferdinand II as King of Bohemian state. It was the beginning of the Thirty Years War (1618 - 1648). The Emperor organised = a coalition of Catholic princes and with the support of Italian (Tercio of Spinelli<= /i>) and Walloon (with some Spaniards in the Tercio of Bucquoy and Ver= dugo) troops attacked the Protestant. The decisive battle would take place at the west of Prague in the massif of the White mountain. The Impe= rial troops would launch a frontal attack on the Protestant position and after t= wo hours of bitter fighting, the Protestant broke and fled. The victory would = put an end to the Independence of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Return

The battle of Nordlingen       =       6/09/1634      Imperial victory (Strategic)

Swedish /Protestant Army
Commanders: General Horn & Saxe-Weimar
Infantry: 16 300 men

Cavalry: 9 300 men
Artillery : 54 guns

Losses: 13 000 -15 000 men<= /p>

Imperial Army
Commanders: Cardinal-Infante & Ferdinand II
Infantry < 21 000= men
   &n= bsp;      (Spanish Tercio : 3 200 men) <= br> Cavalry: 12 000 men<= /span>
Artillery : 32= guns

Losses: some 5 000 = men

During a large par= t of the Thirty Years War, Sw= eden would be the Protestant champion with the victory of Breitenfeld and Lutzen over the Imperialist. The battle of Nordlingen showed the only pitch battle where the Swedish infantry (in fact German mercenaries in Swedish service) would fight against the Old Spanish Tercio (Lombardia and Napoles= ). The result would be the destruction of the Swedish dream in Germany= .

Click here for more informati= on

Return

The Battle of Salses = 2/11/1639 Spanish Victory (Strategic)

French Army
Commander: Prince of Condé
Infantry ~ 22 000 men
Cavalry ~ 4 000 men
Artillery : 12 guns

Losses ~ 2 000 men

Spanish Army of Cataloni= a
Commander: ?
Infantry: 23 000 men=
Cavalry ~ 5 000 men
Artillery ~ ?=

Losses~ 400 = men

In June 1639, a Fr= ench army of 16 000 men invaded the Spanish province<= /st1:PlaceType> of Rossellon (South France) and take very quickly the fortress of Salses the 15/07/1639. Offended by this defeat, the Spanish reacted strongly and sent = an army of 28 000 men to retake the place and in October 1639, the second sieg= e of Salses started. The French, under the command of the Prince de Condé tried to save their conquest, but the 24/10/1639 a strong tempest delay a F= rench attack. The 2/11/1639, the French attacked again the Spanish position and a= fter fierce fighting were obliged to retreat. The garrison of Salses capitulated= the 6/01/1640.

Return

The Battle of Lerida 28/03/1642    = ; Franco - Catalan Victory (Strategic)

<= /span>

French - Catalan Army
Commander: Conte of la Motte
Infantry : 9 000 men
Cavalry: 4 000 men
Artillery : ?

Losse= s : 500 - 1 000 men

Spanish Army of Cataloni= a
Commander: Duck of Leganés
Infantry: 15 000 men=
Cavalry: 5 000= men
Artillerie : 20 guns=

Losses ~ 7 000 men

In 1642, most of t= he cities and fortress of Catalo= nia were in French and Catalan hands. King Philip IV decided to launch an offen= sive to retake the important city of Lérida. Troops from Zaragoza and Tarra= gona marched to attack the French army near Lérida. The battle took place outside the city and after bitter fighting the Spanish army was defeated, losing more than 3 000 dead in the da= y. The Spanish had to wait 2 years before launching a new offensive on Léri= da in 1644.

Return

The Battle of Rocroi       &nb= sp; 19/05/1643 French Victory (Tactical)

French Army
Commander: Condé Duke of Enghien
Infantry 16 000 men

Cavalry: 6 000 men
Artillery : 14 guns

Losses : 4 500 men

Army of Flanders
Commander: Francisco= de Melo
Infantry: 18 000&nbs= p; men
   &n= bsp;    (Spanish Tercios ~ 4 500 men) =
Cavalry: 7 000= men
Artillerie : 18 guns=

Losses ~ 12 000 men (Tercios ~ 4 000 men)

It is said that the Spanish Tercios were humiliated at Rocroi. In fact poor coordination between Spanish infantry and cavalry and the tactical initiative of a young French general Prince of Condé led to the first major French victory over <= st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">Spain. = Left alone on the battlefield, the Tercios had obeyed orders and had been destro= yed to save their reputation.

Click here for more informati= on

Return

The Battle of Montijo    26/051644 &nbs= p; Spanish Victory (Tactical)

<= /span>

Portuguese Army
Commander: Albuquerque
Infantry < 8 000 men
Cavalry : 1 600 men
Artillery : 6 guns

Losse= s: 4 000 men

Spanish Army of Extremad= ura
Commander: Baron of Molingen
Infantry ~4 200 men<= /span>
Cavalry : 1 700 men<= /span>
Artillery : 2 - 4 gu= ns

Losses: 1 000 men

In 1644, the Portu= guese government sent an army to raid the region of Badajoz= in Spain= in order to reduce the capacity of the Spanish and test the defences in this area. The Spanish Governor organised an army unde= r the command of a Flemish general Molingen to repulse the enemies. The Spani= sh attacked the Portuguese near the city of Montijo the 26th of may. The Spanish right wing and the = centre repulsed the Portuguese left wing and disorgani= sed their vanguard. After bitter fighting and thanks to the indiscipline of the Spanish troops and the counter-attack of 4 Portuguese battalions, Albuquerque was a= ble to retire in good order with his guns. More than 3 000 men died in this bloody battle.

Click here for more informati= on

Return

Battle of Lens 20/08/1648   French Victory (Tactical)

French army
Commander
Infantry : 10 000 men
Cavalry: 5 000 men
Artillery: 18 guns

Losse= s: ?

Spanish army of Flanders=
Commander
Infantry : 13 000 me= n
Cavalry: 7 000 men
Artillery 20 guns

Losses: 10 000 men

In 1648 the situat= ion in Paris is quite di= fficult for the power of the Cardinal Mazarin. Lacking money, the French are unable= to launch any action against the Spanish. The Spanish king ordered his governo= r of Flanders the young Archduke Leopoldo Guillermo to attack the French positio= ns in Artois. The army of the young prince of 20 000 men (16 infantry battalions and 58 cavalry squadrons) met an inferior French army of 15 000 men (12 infantry battalions and 45 cavalry squadrons) commanded by Condé near Lens. T= he bad actuation of the Spanish cavalry give the victory to the French, again = the Spanish infantry are left alone on the battlefield losing 9 000 men. <= /o:p>

Return

The second battle of the Dunes 14/061658    Anglo-French Victory (Strategic)

<= /span>

Anglo-French Army*
Commander: Viscount of Turenne
Infantry: 9 000 men
Cavalry: 6000 men
Artillery : 5-10 guns

Losse= s 500 men

Spanish army of Flanders=
Commander: Prince of Condé and Don Juan José of Austria
Infantry ~ 7 0= 00 men
Cavalry ~ 7 000 men<= /span>
Artillery : no guns<= /span>

Losses: 8 000 men

In 1658, with the = alliance of the England of Cromwell, the French launch a massive offensive to take t= he harbours of Dunkerque (for the English) and Gravelines. The Spanish Governor Don Juan José reacted and organised a small army of 14 000 men to at= tack by surprise the Anglo-French forces and save Dunkerque. The Viscount of Turenne, was alerted of the coming of the enemy and de= cided to attack the next morning living only a small force to siege the city. The= 14 of June, the two armies were deployed in the dunes north of Dunkerque. The French had two lines on infantry with some 18 battalions (6 English) and 4 cavalry squadrons in-between, 2 wings of cava= lry (in total 45 squadrons) and a reserve of 7 cavalry squadrons. The Spanish w= ere deployed in two corps with the infantry in the front and the cavalry behind= in several lines: the first corps, under Don juan José of Austria, numbered some 9 500 men (10 infantry battalions and= 40 squadrons) the second, under Condé, had 4 500 men (3-4 battalions an= d 22 squadrons). With the help of various English vessel, the Anglo-French army attacked the right and the left of the Spanish army and repulse all the cav= alry counter-attacks launched by Condé. After= some hard fighting the Spanish were forced to retire in disorder, leaving 3 500 = - 4 000 prisoners, 6 days later the garrison of Dunkerque capitulated.

*no= te: At the same time a part of the Anglo-French army (13 infantry battalions and 8 squadrons, some 7000 men) was besieging the city of Dunkerque. The garrison= of the city numbered 3 000 men.=

Return

The Battle of Estremoz 08/06/1663= Portuguese victory (Strategic)

Portuguese Army
Commander: Don Sancho Manuel and Schomberg
Infantry: 12000 men
Cavalry: 4000 men
Artillery : 15-20 guns ?

Losses: less than 1 000 men=

Spanish army of Extremad= ure
Commander: Don Juan José of Austria
Infantry: 11 120 men=
Cavalry : 6100 men
Artillery : 20 guns<= /span>

Losses 5 000 - 6 000 men=

In 1663 the Spanish Monarchy decided to launch a massive expedition of = ; 21 000 men to recover Portugal and the city of Lisboa. The first objective was the capture of the fortress of = Evora, that was done the 22/05/1663. But the Spanish lack of ammunition, food and money paralysed the army. The Portugue= se were able to raised a 16 000 men strong army and= march against the Spanish. The Spanish commander decided to wait for them in a strategic position north west= of Evora. The 8 of June, an impetuous Portuguese attack broke the Spanish position. The Spanish army was obliged to retreat to Badajoz= in Extremadura. Also the new Spanish garrison of Evora of 3 700 men capitul= ated the 24 of June 1663, the expedition was a comple= te failure.

return<= span style=3D'font-family:Univers'>

The Battle of Seneffe 11/08/1674

French army
Commander: Prince of Condé
Infantry: 30 000 men
Cavalry: 14 500 men
Artillery : 60 guns

Losses 7 000 men

Dutch-Spanish-German Arm= y
Commander: William I= II Prince of Orange
Infantry : 40 = 000 men
Cavalry :  = ; 21 000 men
Artillery: 70 guns&n= bsp;

Losses 11 000 men<= /span>

During the Dutch w= ars (1672 - 1678) a Dutch - Spanish-German army of 60 000 men commanded by Will= iam III (Future King of England) invaded the north of France. During 5 weeks the French commanders the Prince of Condé with his 45= 000 men outmanoeuvred the Dutch and refused the pitch battle. The 10/08/1674 William decided to march to Pa= ris, thinking that Condé's forces retreated. The 11/08/1674, Condé sent a detachment of 500 selected horseman to occupied the allied vanguard = and outflanked the rest of the Allied army to attack the rearguard at Seneffe or Senef. After 10 hours of hard fighting the two armies were forced to retire, more than 8 000 men died in this bloody battle.

Click here for more informati= on

Return

The Battle of Neerwinden    26/07/1693     &nb= sp; French Victory   (Tactical)

French army
Commander: Duke of Luxembourg
Infantry ~ 45 000 men
Cavalry ~ 25 000 men
Artillery : 74 guns

Losses ~ 10 000 men

English-Dutch-Spanish Ar= my
Commander: William I= II King of England
Infantry ~ <= /b> 31 000 men
Cavalry ~    19 000 men
Artillery : = 104 guns

Losses ~ 18 000&n= bsp; men

During the war of = the Augsburg League (1689 - 1697) an Allied army of 50 000 men (150 cavalry squadons and 52 infantry battalions, with at least 2 Spanish battalions from the Tercio de Zúñiga and Tercio de Mancheño ) commanded by William = III (King of England) took position near the city of Liege to block a French invasion army of 70 000 men (around 190 cavalry squadron, 90 Infantry battalions and 2 regiments of Artillery) commanded by the Duke of Luxembour= g. William III had a good defensive position but could not resist the various flanks attacks (the french launch 3 attacks to take the village of Landen on the left flank) and the final centre assault on his troops. The Allied cavalry charged to save the day, but = they were blocked by the French cavalry squadrons, Luxembourg had won. Due to his losses (probably 8 000 dead) the French commander was unable to pursuit the campaign.

Return

The Battle of la Mars= aglia 04/10/1693 French Victory   (Tactical)

<= /span>

French army
Commander: Marischal of Catinat
Infantry ~ 25 000 men

Caval= ry ~ 12 000 men
Artillery : 20 guns

Losse= s: 2 000 - 5 000 men

Savoy - Spanish & Imperial Army
Commander: Duke of S= avoy
Infantry:~ 20 000 me= n
   &n= bsp;    Spanish Tercio ( 2000 men)
Cavalry: ~ 10 = 000 men
Artillery: 31 guns&n= bsp;

Losses~ 10 000 men

During the Ausburg= league war, the Duke of Savoy joined the league against the French. The campaign of the year 1693 in Piedmont (north Italy) started with the shelling of the town of Pinerolo by the Allies and their seizure of the fort of Santa Brigida near the town.= The French reacted and with some reinforcement, the Marischal of Catinat marched against the Allies with more than 38 000 men (82 cavalry squadron, 2 dragoons battalions and 52 infantry battalions). The D= uke of Savoy had 79 cavalry squadron (at least 32 were payed by the Spanish) and 43 infantry battalions (5 were supplied by the following Spanish Tercios: L= isboa, Saboya, Napoles, Lombardia and San Pedro; 3 by the Ita= lian Tercios and 8-9 by Swiss and German regiments). The battle took place near = the village of Orbassano= in Piedmont and the superior (in number)= French beat the Duke of Savoy's army. The allies retired to reorganise their forces and the french were not able to pursue their ene= mies further because of the weakness of their supply lines and also of the losses incurred by them in the battle. In 1696 Savoy signed a treaty of peace in Turin.

Return

= The Battle of the River Ter 27/05/1694    &= nbsp;   French Victory   (Strategic)

<= /span>

French army
Commander: Marschal of Noailles
Infantry :15 000 men
Cavalry : 6 000 men
Artillery : 20 guns   ?

Losse= s: 500   men

Spanish Army
Commander: Virrey Du= ck of Escalona
Infantry : 12 300 me= n
Cavalry: 4 000= men
Artillery: 8 guns

Losses 3 300 - 5 700 men

During the Augsbur= g League war, the front of Catalonia was the main war - theatre for the Spanish Monarchy. For the French army it= was a front where small armies could achieve a= lot. In 1694 a French army of 21 000 men under the command of the Marshal of Noailles launched an invasion of Catalonia. The Spanish army tried to s= top the French on the river Ter, but the lack of equipment, the poor training of Spanish infantrymen (most of the troops were new recruits) and the bad comm= and of Escalona - Villena converted this day in a Spanish defeat. The Spanish w= ere obliged to retreat to Barcelon= a. The French army was able to take the fortress of Palomas and the city of Gerona. Barcelona was saved by the French minis= ter of war who reduced the money to the Marshal of Noailles and immobilised his ar= my.

Top of the Page

<= /span>

http://www.thewartourist.com/