Battle of Vilanova
Battle of Vilanova | |||||||
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Part of the Portuguese Restoration War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Portugal | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Count of Castelo Melhor | Marquis of Viana | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
5,500 infantry, 500 cavalry[1][2] |
4,000 infantry, 3,000 militia, 2,000 sappers, 700 cavalry[3][4] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
250 killed 380 wounded 260 prisoners[5][6][7] |
38 killed 60 wounded[5][6][7] |
The Battle of Vilanova took place on 17 September 1658 during the
Background
After the death of
A new governor for Galicia, don Rodrigo Pimentel, Marquis of Viana, was appointed by King Philip IV in May 1658 with instructions of recover Salvatierra de Miño and other important towns of the area.[3] Pimentel was seconded in the leadership of his army by don Baltasar de Rojas y Pantoja, Maestre de Campo General; and Maestre de Campo don Francisco de Castro, who had previous experience against Portuguese armies.[3] Marquis of Viana established his headquarters in Tui, where a force consisting of 4,000 infantry, 3,000 militia, 2,000 sappers and 700 cavalry was gathered. The commander of the cavalry was the Portuguese loyalist don Bernardino de Meneses, Marquis of Peñalba, Count of Tarouca and Grandee of Portugal.[3]
Battle
The Spanish army departed
On 17 September the Portuguese army under João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, Count of Castelo Melhor, numbering 5,500 infantry and 500 cavalry men, approached a league from the Spanish.
Marquis of Viana led the major attack from Vila Nova de Cerveira; the Maestro de Campo General commanded a second attack from
Aftermath
The day after the battle, the Spanish army captured the Tower of
On 30 September, having reorganised his army, the Marquis of Viana laid siege to the fortress of Lapela, which had been his first objective. The village was taken on 6 October with its garrison of 150 soldiers, who were imprisoned in Galicia.[13] Monção was also besieged, falling in Spanish hands on 7 January 1659 after a costly and expensive siege for both countries. The Count of Castelo Melhor died of illness during the winter and could not prevent the fall of the town. The main objective of the campaign, the recapture of Salvatierra de Miño, was achieved on 17 February.[13]
Notes
- ^ González López, p. 170
- ^ Fulgosio, pp. 70–71
- ^ a b c d González López, p. 164
- ^ a b c Fulgosio, p. 70
- ^ a b c d e González López, p. 171
- ^ a b c Fulgosio, p. 71
- ^ a b c Santiago y Gómez, p. 369
- ^ González López, p. 158
- ^ González López, p. 159
- ^ a b González López, p. 160
- ^ González López, p. 163
- ^ a b c d e González López, p. 172
- ^ a b González López, p. 173
References
- Fulgosio, Fernando (1867). Crónica de la provincia de Pontevedra. Rubio y Compañía.
- González López, Emilio (1973). El águila caída: Galicia en los reinados de Felipe IV y Carlos II. Editorial Galaxia. ISBN 84-7154-166-1.
- De Santiago y Gómez, José (2006). Historia de Vigo y su comarca. Editorial MAXTOR. ISBN 84-9761-285-X.