English expedition to Portugal (1662–1668)
The English expedition to Portugal also known as the British Brigade in Portugal was a brigade raised during the reign of
Background
The war between
The infantry were raised from three
Portugal and Spain
Once in Portugal the British regiments at once were put into action but in the first few months of deployment, difficulties arose from the opposition of many Portuguese officers.
The British army uniform had red jackets (
In the spring of 1663, a Spanish army under the command of Don
After more quarrels with the Portuguese high command to get supplies to his men, Schomberg and the British brigade pressed ahead in the next campaign.[13] On 10 June 1664 the siege of Valencia de Alcántara took place and a fortnight later after a breach had been in the defences - the English who bore the brunt leading the main assault suffered heavy casualties but forced the surrender of the Spanish garrison.[7] The Portuguese soon realised their mistake in the mistrust and sent heaps of praise upon Schomberg and the English.[13] The Count of Castelo Melhor made a comment soon after the surrender of Valencia de Alcantara.[11]
the English had done more than can be expected of them and I believe there a no soldiers in the world like them.[7]
— Count of Castelo Melhor.
On 17 June 1665 at the Battle of Montes Claros the brigade was crucial in the outcome.[14] The Portuguese under commander António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva positioned his heaviest infantry, composing the British brigade under Schomberg once more, in two lines in the most vulnerable area and ordered his artillery to support them. As the battle raged Schomberg had his horse shot from under him, and was nearly captured, but the veteran brigade were able break the defences to bring about a decisive victory over the Spaniards under Luis de Benavides Carrillo, Marquis of Caracena.[2]
After Montes Claros the Spaniards failed to gain any compensating advantage but the war continued and Portugal was safe from further attack.
A ceasefire in September 1667 was declared after a palace coup within the Portuguese court forced King Afonso VI of Portugal into exile. Castelo Melhor was dismissed and went into exile in England, where he became an adviser to King Charles II.[14]
Aftermath
A treaty had been signed by England and Spain at Madrid in 1667; in that treaty England agreed to mediate a treaty between Portugal and Spain or at least a thirty-year truce.[16]
In 1668, desperate to reduce its military commitments, at almost any price, Spain accepted the loss of the Crown of Portugal and formally recognized the sovereignty of the House of Braganza by signing the Treaty of Lisbon with the promised English mediation.[17][18]
At the conclusion of peace and with the war over, the brigade was then broken up with 1,000 men remaining in total out of the 3,500 men who made up the force.[19] The remainder returned to seek service in England or abroad - but places and positions were hard to find.[4]
About half of the men were incorporated in the Tangier garrison, and the remainder were shipped back to England.[9] Some remained in Portugal having found wives or sought to join various trades.[19]
Notes
- ^ Riley pp 75-78
- ^ a b McMurdo pp 424-25
- ^ Riley p. Backcover
- ^ a b c d e f Paul, Hardacre (1960). The English Contingent in Portugal, 1662–1668, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, volume 38. pp. 112–125.
- ^ Davenport pp. 57-59
- ^ a b c d Riley pp 54-56
- ^ a b c d e Glozier, pp. 63-68
- ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 357.
- ^ a b c Childs pp. 169-71
- ^ a b Riley pp. 85-87
- ^ a b McMurdo pp 419-20
- ^ a b Great Britain Royal Manuscripts, pp. 111-12
- ^ a b c Riley pp. 96-98
- ^ a b Riley pp. 122-23
- ISBN 9780722224731.
- ^ Davenport pp.98-99
- ^ Barton p. 139
- ^ McMurdo pp 439
- ^ a b Riley p. 165
References
- Barton, Simon (2009). A History of Spain. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137013477.
- Davenport, Frances Gardiner; Paullin, Charles Oscar, eds. (2004). European Treaties Bearing on the History of the United States and Its Dependencies: Issue 254. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN 9781584774228.
- John, Childs (1976). The Army of Charles II. University Of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0415846110.
- Glozier, Matthew (2005). Marshal Schomberg 1615–1690, the Ablest Soldier of His Age: International Soldiering and the Formation of State Armies in Seventeenth-century Europe. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 9781903900611.
- Manning, Roger B (2006). An Apprenticeship in Arms: The Origins of the British Army 1585–1702. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780199261499.
- McMurdo, Edward (2010). The History of Portugal - From the Reign of D. Joao II. to the Reign of D. Joao V. - Volume III. Volume 3. Read Books Design. ISBN 9781444695694.
- Riley, Jonathon (2014). The Last Ironsides: The English Expedition to Portugal, 1662–1668. Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1909982208.
Attribution:
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Schomberg, Friedrich Hermann". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 357–358. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the