Spanish Enlightenment, he earned the displeasure of conservative elements of society. He played an active role in reforming the Spanish military. Upon the outbreak of the War of the Pyrenees in 1793, the king sent him to command in Catalonia. He invaded Roussillon
where he won several victories over the French. After his death in early 1794, the war went badly for Spain.
Early career
In 1727, Ricardos was born in the same house as the dramatist and poet Lupercio Leonardo de Argensola in the city of Barbastro, part of Aragon. He joined his father's regiment, the Cavalry of Malta, while still in his teens. Being of noble blood, he served as a captain, and at the age of 16 briefly commanded the regiment in place of his father. In the War of the Austrian Succession, he fought in the Battle of Piacenza on 16 June 1746 and in another action on the Tidone River on 10 August of that year.[1]
Enlightened reformer
Nearly twenty years later, Ricardos fought in the Spanish–Portuguese conflict known as the
Orden de Santiago. Ricardos accepted the Age of Enlightenment and its reforms. He co-founded the Royal Economic Society of Madrid. Promoted to lieutenant general (LG) and appointed Inspector of Cavalry, he established the Ocaña Military College where he taught the techniques of modern warfare.[1]
As an enlightened reformer, Ricardos was opposed by the conservative forces of society, epitomised by the
Battle of Perpignan on 17 July. On his occasion, Ricardos was defeated, but only after inflicting 800 killed and wounded on his enemies.[5]
On 28 August, French General
Tech River valley. He repulsed d'Aoust in an action at Le Boulou on 3 October, where the 1,200 French casualties were four times greater than Spanish losses.[7] He won another victory over Louis Marie Turreau at the Battle of the Tech (Pla del Rey) in mid-October.[8]
While leading a mixed force of 3,000 Spanish and 5,000
