{"id":13286,"date":"2015-01-08T21:37:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-08T20:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/?p=13286"},"modified":"2019-01-01T19:10:02","modified_gmt":"2019-01-01T18:10:02","slug":"time-line-of-the-peninsula-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/?p=13286","title":{"rendered":"Time line of the Peninsula War"},"content":{"rendered":"

Time line of the Peninsula War<\/strong><\/p>\n

The following table shows the sequence of events of the Peninsular War from the years (1807 to 1814). It also includes major battles, smaller actions, uprisings, sieges and other related events that took place during the peninsula war period.<\/p>\n

For ease of reference using modern maps, the provinces\/regions given for Spain and Portugal are those that correspond to the 20th century, that is, resulting from the 1976 Constitution of Portugal and the processes of devolution of Spain’s transition to democracy (1979), which created 17 autonomous communities (regions) and 2 autonomous cities. This affects, in particular, the historical regions and provinces of Le\u00f3n and Old Castile (Spanish: Castilla la Vieja), constituted in 1983 as Castile and Le\u00f3n. Events in Portugal and France are specified.
\nOverview<\/p>\n

The Peninsular War (a) was a military conflict for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars, waged between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom and Portugal. It started when French and Spanish armies, then allied, occupied Portugal in 1807, and escalated in 1808 when France turned on Spain, its former ally. The war on the peninsula lasted until the Sixth Coalition defeated Napoleon in 1814, and is regarded as one of the first wars of national liberation, and significant for the emergence of large-scale guerrilla warfare. British and Portuguese forces eventually secured Portugal, using it as a safe position from which to launch campaigns against the French army, while both Spanish and Portuguese guerrillas weakened the occupying forces.<\/p>\n

The Peninsular War overlaps with what the Spanish-speaking world calls the Guerra de la Independencia Espa\u00f1ola (Spanish War of Independence), which began with the Dos de Mayo Uprising on 2nd of May 1808 and ended on 17th of April 1814. Although Spain had been in upheaval since at least the Mutiny of Aranjuez (March 1808), May 1808 marks the start of the Spanish War of Independence. The French occupation destroyed the Spanish administration, which fragmented into quarrelling provincial juntas. In 1810, a reconstituted national government, the C\u00e1diz Cortes\u2014effectively a government-in-exile\u2014fortified itself in C\u00e1diz but could not raise effective armies because it was besieged by up to 70,000 French troops. The combined efforts of regular and irregular forces throughout the peninsula prevented Napoleon’s marshals from subduing the rebellious Spanish provinces, and the war continued through years of stalemate.<\/p>\n

The final stages of the Peninsular War were fought on French soil, as the French army was pushed further back across the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n

2nd\u201318th October 1807<\/strong>
\nFrench troops enter Spain en route to Portugal Irun, Basque Country
\nManoeuvre (French)
\nJunot crosses into Spain with 28,000 troops. The Treaty of Fontainebleau, to be signed later that month, stipulates that three columns of Spanish troops numbering 25,500 men will support the Invasion of Portugal. Junot enters Portugal 19th November.<\/p>\n

27th October 1807<\/strong>
\nTreaty of Fontainebleau signed by Charles IV of Spain and Napoleon I of France
\nFontainebleau
\nTreaty
\nThe accord proposed the division of the Kingdom of Portugal and all Portuguese dominions between the signatories.
\n19th\u201330th November 1807
\nPortugal (Invasion of) Portugal.<\/p>\n

29th November 1807<\/strong>
\nTransfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil
\nThe Royal Court of Portugal, headed by the Prince Regent, Prince John and his mother, Maria I of Portugal, set sail for Brazil, escorted by the British Royal Navy, led by Sir Sidney Smith and Sir Graham Moore (younger brother of Sir John Moore).<\/p>\n

17th\u221219th March 1808<\/strong>
\nAranjuez (Mutiny of) Aranjuez, Madrid
\n9th March 1808
\nAbdication: Charles IV of Spain abdicates in favour of his son, Ferdinand VII
\nAranjuez, Madrid<\/p>\n

23rd March 1808<\/strong>
\nMurat enters Madrid
\nMadrid Manoeuvre (French)
\nIn his letter to his brother Louis, dated 27th March 1808, offering him the throne of Spain, Napoleon stated that he had 100,000 troops in Spain, and that 40,000 of them had entered Madrid with Murat on 23rd March 1808.<\/p>\n

24th March 1808<\/strong>
\nFerdinand VII enters Madrid
\nMadrid Manoeuvre (French).<\/p>\n

2nd May 1808<\/strong>
\nDos de Mayo Uprising
\nMadrid Uprising: French victory
\nFollowing the fighting at the Royal Palace, rebellion spread to other parts of the city, with street fighting in different areas including heavy fighting around the Puerta del Sol, the Puerta de Toledo and at the barracks of Montele\u00f3n. Martial law was imposed on the city. Hundreds of people died in the fighting, including around 150 French soldiers. The uprising was depicted by the Spanish artist Goya in The Second of May 1808 (The Charge of the Mamelukes) and The Third of May 1808.<\/p>\n

24th May 1808<\/strong>
\nDupont marches from Toledo
\nToledo \u2013 C\u00f3rdoba
\nManoeuvre (French)
\nAfter having originally received orders from Murat to head for C\u00e1diz, and countermanded by Napoleon, thinking that his troops might be needed in Madrid, Dupont finally leaves Toledo with 18,000 second-line troops, originally raised as provisional or reserve formations, intended either for internal police services or garrison duty.<\/p>\n

5th June 1808<\/strong>
\nDespe\u00f1aperros Ja\u00e9n, Andalusia
\nSpanish victory (guerrillas)
\nTwo squadrons of French dragoons were attacked by insurgents at the northern entrance to the pass of Despenaperros, a steep gorge (defile) in the Sierra Morena, that separates Castile-La Mancha (including Madrid) and Andalusia, and forced to retreat to the nearby town of Almuradiel.<\/p>\n

5th June 1808<\/strong>
\nSanta Cruz de Mudela (Uprising of)
\nCiudad Real, Castile-La Mancha Uprising: Spanish victory
\nThe 700 French troops stationed in the village of Santa Cruz de Mudela are attacked by the population. 109 French soldiers are killed and 113 taken prisoner, while the rest flee back in the direction of Madrid, to Valdepe\u00f1as.
\n6th June 1808<\/strong>
\nPorto (Uprising of)
\nPorto (Portugal)
\nUprising: Spanish victory
\nOn hearing of the rebellion in Spain, Spanish General Belesta, having participated in the Invasion of Portugal, and stationed in Porto with 6,000 Spanish troops, captures the French General of Division Quesnel, and marches to Coru\u00f1a to join the fight against the French troops, sparking off a series of uprisings throughout the north of Portugal.<\/p>\n

6th June 1808<\/strong>
\nValdepe\u00f1as (Uprising of)
\nCiudad Real, Castile-La Mancha Uprising: Spanish victory<\/p>\n

Following the previous day’s uprising in Santa Cruz de Mudela, Ligier-Belair and Roize, at the head of some 800 troops, together with some 300 soldiers that had escaped from the Santa Cruz uprising prepare to march through the town of Valdepe\u00f1as. The population attack the leading column and Ligier-Belair sends in the dragoons, who are also forced to retreat. The resulting truce stipulates that the French troops will not pass through the village in return for a day’s worth of food supplies. The guerrilla actions at Santa Cruz and Valdepe\u00f1as, together with more isolated actions in the Sierra Morena itself, effectively cut French military communications between Madrid and Andalusia for around a month.<\/p>\n

6th June 1808<\/strong>
\nCoronation of Joseph I
\nMadrid
\nNapoleon’s elder brother, Joseph Bonaparte, proclaimed King of Spain. His reign lasted until 11th December 1813, when he abdicated and returned to France after the French defeat at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813.<\/p>\n

6th June 1808<\/strong>
\nBruch (First battle of)
\nBarcelona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory
\nSee also Bruch (Second battle of). Often grouped together as one battle, there were in fact two separate battles, separated by more than a week, with different armies and commanders involved: of the 12th French regiments that participated, only one of them fought at both battles.<\/p>\n

7th June 1808<\/strong>
\nAlcolea Bridge (Battle of)
\nC\u00f3rdoba, Andalusia
\nFrench victory
\nAt Alcolea, 10 km from C\u00f3rdoba, Dupont’s troops are engaged in their first battle in Andalusia against 3,000 regular troops under Pedro Agust\u00edn de Ech\u00e1varri who try to protect the bridge over the Guadalquivir. The same day, Dupont captures C\u00f3rdoba.<\/p>\n

7th June 1808<\/strong>
\nC\u00f3rdoba
\nC\u00f3rdoba, Andalusia
\nFrench victory
\nOn their way to Seville, and ultimately to C\u00e1diz, Dupont’s 18,000 troops capture C\u00f3rdoba, ransacking the city over four days. However, damaging guerrilla actions force Dupont to withdraw towards Madrid to meet up with Gobert’s division, that had set out from Madrid on July 2nd to reinforce Dupont. Only one brigade of this division ultimately reached Dupont, the rest being needed to hold the road north (to Madrid) against the guerrillas.<\/p>\n

9th June 1808 \u2013 14th June 1808<\/strong>
\nRosily Squadron (Capture of)
\nC\u00e1diz, Andalusia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

19th June 1808<\/strong>
\nVedel marches from Toledo
\nToledo \u2013 La Carolina
\nManoeuvre (French)
\nVedel, with the 6,000 men, 700 horse, and 12 guns of the 2nd Division, sets out south from Toledo to force a passage over the Sierra Morena, hold the mountains from the guerrillas, and link up with Dupont, pacifying Castile-La Mancha along the way. Vedel is joined during the march by small detachments under Roize and Ligier-Belair.<\/p>\n

26th June 1808<\/strong>
\nPuerta del Rey (mountain pass)
\nJa\u00e9n, Andalusia
\nFrench victory
\nVedel’s column face Lieutenant-Colonel Valdeca\u00f1os’ detachment of Spanish regulars and guerrillas with six guns blocking the mountain pass. The following day, Vedel meets up with Dupont at La Carolina, reestablishing military communications with Madrid after a month of disruption. With the reinforcements from Vedel and Gobert, Dupont now has 20,000 men, albeit short of supplies.<\/p>\n

12th June 1808<\/strong>
\nCabez\u00f3n (Battle of)
\nValladolid, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

14th June 1808<\/strong>
\nBruch (Second battle of)
\nBarcelona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory
\nSee also Bruch (First battle of).<\/p>\n

15th June 1808 \u2014 14th August 1808<\/strong>
\nZaragoza (First siege of)
\nZaragoza, Arag\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

20th and 21st June 1808<\/strong>
\nGerona (Battle of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

24th June \u2013 26th June 1808<\/strong>
\nValencia (Battle of)
\nValencia, Valencia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

27th June 1808<\/strong>
\nGij\u00f3n: Arrival of British officers
\nAsturias
\nDelegation
\nIn response to the Junta General of Asturias’ request to London, the Portland administration sent three British Army officers, led by a lieutenant colonel, to Gij\u00f3n to assess the state of affairs. Following the Spanish victory at Bail\u00e9n the following month, the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, Viscount Castlereagh sent a second delegation, led by General Sir James Leith, who arrived in Gij\u00f3n on 30th August 1808 charged with seeing how the north of Spain could be reinforced to prevent Napoleon sending in more troops through Irun, and isolating him in Madrid or Burgos. Leith would join Baird’s forces in November 1808.<\/p>\n

14th July 1808<\/strong>
\nMedina de Rioseco (Battle of)
\nValladolid, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory
\nAlso known as the Battle of Mocl\u00edn, from the name of a nearby hill held by Spanish infantry.<\/p>\n

16th July 1808 \u2013 19th July 1808<\/strong>
\nBail\u00e9n (Battle of)
\nJa\u00e9n, Andalusia
\nSpanish victory (decisive)
\nHaving lost some 2,000 men on the battlefield, together with some 800 Swiss troops that had gone over to Reding’s Swiss regiment, Dupont called for a truce, formally surrendered his remaining 17,600 men on 23rd July. Under the terms of surrender, Dupont, Vedel and their troops were to be repatriated to France. However, with the exception of the most senior officers, most of the French rank and file were confined on hulks in C\u00e1diz, before being transported to the uninhabited island of Cabrera, where half of the 7,000 men starved to death.<\/p>\n

24th July 1808 \u2013 16th August 1808<\/strong>
\nGerona (Second siege of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

29th July 1808<\/strong>
\n\u00c9vora (Battle of)
\nAlentejo (Portugal)
\nFrench victory
\nThe following day, the French General Loison massacred the men, women, and children, of \u00c9vora, marking the future of the relationships between the different nations.<\/p>\n

7th August 1808 \u2013 11th October 1808<\/strong>
\nEvacuation of the La Romana Divisio
\nDenmark\u2013Spain by sea
\nManoeuvre (Spanish)
\nSome 9,000 men stationed in Denmark, belonging to the 15,000-strong Division of the North, comprising Spanish troops commanded by Pedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of la Romana, defected from the armies of the First French Empire under the leadership of Marshal Bernadotte. Transported aboard British navy ships, on reaching Santander, they reinforced Blake’s Army of Galicia. Entering into battle at Valmaseda, on 5th November 1808, they defeated Victor’s army, only to be defeated by the same forces a few days later at the Battle of Espinosa.<\/p>\n

17th August 1808<\/strong>
\nRoli\u00e7a (Battle of)
\nLeiria (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory, tactical French retreat
\nThe first battle fought by the British army during the Peninsular War.<\/p>\n

21st August 1808<\/strong>
\nVimeiro (Battle of)
\nLisbon (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory
\nLed to the signing of the Convention of Sintra on 30th August 1808, putting an end to Napoleon’s invasion of Portugal.<\/p>\n

30th August 1808<\/strong>
\nSintra (Convention of)
\nLisbon (Portugal)
\nFollowing his victory at the Battle of Vimeiro (21st August) Sir Arthur Wellesley, against his wishes, was ordered by his immediate superiors, Sir Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple, to sign the preliminary Armistice. The subsequent convention, agreed between Dalrymple and Kellerman, and despite the protests of the Portuguese commander, Freire, allowed the evacuation of Junot’s 20,900 troops from Portugal to France with all their equipment and ‘personal property’ (mostly loot) aboard Royal Navy ships. The public outcry in Britain led to an inquiry, held 14th November to 27th December 1808, which cleared all three British officers. Shortly after, George Woodward would caricature Wellesley in The Convention of Cintra, a Portuguese Gambol for the amusement of Iohn Bull, London, 1809.<\/p>\n

31st October 1808<\/strong>
\nPancorbo (Battle of)
\nBiscay, Basque Country
\nIndecisive
\nAlthough a tactical victory for the French, it was considered a strategic blunder.<\/p>\n

5th November 1808<\/strong>
\nValmaseda (Battle of)
\nBiscay, Basque Country
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

7th November \u2013 5th December 1808<\/strong>
\nRoses (Siege of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

10th and 11th November 1808<\/strong>
\nEspinosa (Battle of)
\nBurgos, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

23rd November 1808<\/strong>
\nTudela (Battle of)
\nTudela, Navarre
\nFrench-Polish victory.<\/p>\n

30th November 1808<\/strong>
\nSomosierra (Battle of)
\nMountain pass 60 miles north of Madrid separating the provinces of Madrid and Segovia
\nFrench victory
\nFamous for the Polish light cavalry uphill charge, in columns of four, against Spanish artillery positions. The heavily outnumbered Spanish detachment of conscripts and artillery were unable to stop the Grande Arm\u00e9e’s advance on Madrid, and Napoleon entered the capital of Spain on 4th December, a month after entering the country.<\/p>\n

4th December 1808<\/strong>
\nNapoleon enters Madrid with 80,000 troops.
\nMadrid
\nFrench victory
\nNapoleon turns his troops against Moore’s British forces, who are forced to retreat back towards Galicia three weeks later and, after a last stand at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809, withdraw from Spain.<\/p>\n

16th December 1808<\/strong>
\nCardadeul (Battle of)
\nBarceona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

20th December 1808 \u2013 20th February 1809<\/strong>
\nZaragoza (Second siege of)
\nZarago
\nArag\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

21st December 1808<\/strong>
\nMolins de Rey (Battle of)<\/p>\n

21st December 1808<\/strong>
\nSahag\u00fan (Battle of)
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nBritish victory.<\/p>\n

25th December 1808<\/strong>
\nRetreat to Corunna
\nBritish retreat
\nJohn Moore starts a 250-mile (400 km) retreat and reaches La Coru\u00f1a on 14th January.<\/p>\n

1st January 1809<\/strong>
\nCastell\u00f3n (Battle of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory
\nThis Castell\u00f3n refers to Castell\u00f3 d’Emp\u00faries, in Catalonia, not the town or province in Valencia.<\/p>\n

3rd January 1809<\/strong>
\nCacabelo (Battle of)
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nBritish victory.<\/p>\n

13th January 1809<\/strong>
\nUcl\u00e9s (Battle of)
\nCuenca, Castile-La Mancha
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

14th January 1809<\/strong>
\nTreaty between Great Britain and Spain
\nLondon
\nTreaty
\n“Treaty of peace, friendship, and alliance” by which Britain recognises Fernando as King of Spain.<\/p>\n

16th January 1809<\/strong>
\nCorunna (Battle of)
\nA Coru\u00f1a, Galicia
\nDifferent analyses:
\nBritish tactical victory
\nFrench strategic victory
\nThe British troops were able complete their embarkation, but left the port cities of Corunna and Ferrol, as well as the whole of northern Spain, to be captured and occupied by the French. During the battle, Sir John Moore, the British commander, was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n

18th January 1809<\/strong>
\nCorunna (Surrender of)
\nA Coru\u00f1a, Galicia
\nFrench victory
\nAlcedo, whose garrison of two Spanish regiments had protected Sir John Moore’s troops during the embarkation, surrendered to Marshal Soult, who was able to refit with the ample military stores available. A week later Soult’s forces also captured Ferrol, a major Spanish naval base with an even greater arsenal than that of Corunna, and taking eight ships of the line.<\/p>\n

25th February 1809<\/strong>
\nValls (Battle of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

7th March 1809<\/strong>
\nBritish General William Beresford appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Army.<\/p>\n

10th to 12th March 1809<\/strong>
\nChaves (First siege of)
\nNorte (Portugal)
\nFrench victory
\nFrancisco da Silveira would later recapture the town at the Second Siege of Chaves, from 21st to 25th March 1809.<\/p>\n

17th March 1809<\/strong>
\nVillafranca (Battle of)
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

20th March 1809<\/strong>
\nBraga (Battle of)
\nBraga (Portugal)
\nFrench victory
\nAlso known as the Battle of P\u00f3voa de Lanhoso or Battle of Carvalho d’Este.<\/p>\n

21st to 25th March 1809<\/strong>
\nChaves (Second siege of)
\nNorte (Portugal)
\nPortuguese victory.<\/p>\n

24th March 1809<\/strong>
\nYevenes (Battle of)
\nToledo, Castile-La Mancha
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

27st March 1809<\/strong>
\nCiudad Real (Battle of)
\nCiudad Real, Castile-La Mancha
\nFrench-Polish victory.<\/p>\n

28 March 1809<\/strong>
\nPorto (First battle of)
\nPort (Portugal) (Portugal)<\/p>\n

French victory.<\/p>\n

22th April 1809<\/strong>
\nCreation of Anglo-Portuguese Army
\nWellesley, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Army and integrated the two armies into mixed British-Portuguese divisions, normally on a basis of two British and one Portuguese brigades.<\/p>\n

6th May – 12 th December 1809<\/strong>
\nGerona (Third siege of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory
\nDepicted in The Great Day of Girona, by Ramon Mart\u00ed Alsina.<\/p>\n

10th May 1809 \u2013 11th May 1809<\/strong>
\nGrij\u00f3 (Battle of)
\nPorto (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory.<\/p>\n

12th May 1809<\/strong>
\nPorto (Second battle of)
\nPorto (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory (decisive)
\nAlso known as the Battle of the Douro.<\/p>\n

14th May 1809<\/strong>
\nAlcantara (Battle of)
\nC\u00e1ceres, Extremadura
\nFrench victory<\/p>\n

23rd May 1809<\/strong>
\nAlca\u00f1iz (Battle of)
\nTeruel, Arag\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

15th June 1809<\/strong>
\nMar\u00eda(Battle of)
\nZaragoza, Arag\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

7 thJune 1809 \u2013 9th June 1809<\/strong>
\nPuente Sanpayo (Battle of)
\nPontevedra, Galicia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

18th June 1809<\/strong>
\nBelchite (Battle of)
\nZaragoza, Arag\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

27th\u201328th July 1809<\/strong>
\nTalavera (Battle of)
\nToledo, Castile-La Mancha
\nPyrrhic Anglo-Spanish victory
\nStrategic French victory.<\/p>\n

8th August 1809<\/strong>
\nArzobispo (Battle of)
\nToledo, Castile-La Mancha
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

11th August 1809<\/strong>
\nAlmonacid (Battle of)
\nToledo, Castile\u2013La Mancha
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

12th August 1809<\/strong>
\nPuerto de Ba\u00f1os (Battle of)
\nC\u00e1ceres, Extremadura
\nAnglo-Allied victory
\nMountain pass.<\/p>\n

9th October 1809<\/strong>
\nAstorga (Combat of)
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory
\nApparently unaware that the town had recently been heavily garrisoned, Kellerman sent Carri\u00e9 with 1,200 infantry and two regiments of dragoons to attack the town.<\/p>\n

18th October 1809<\/strong>
\nTamames (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

20th October 1809<\/strong>
\nTorres Vedras (Wellington orders construction of the Lines of)
\nLisbon, Portugal
\nFortification (Anglo-Portuguese)
\nWellington orders construction of the Lines. Under the direction of Sir Richard Fletcher, the first line was finished one year later, around the time of the Battle of Sobral.<\/p>\n

11th November 1809<\/strong>
\nOca\u00f1a (Combat of)
\nToledo, Castile-La Mancha
\nFrench victory
\nOca\u00f1a is a small town 65 km from Madrid, defended by five regiments of Milhaud\u2019s dragoons and Sebastiani\u2019s division (six battalions) of Polish infantry. Ar\u00e9izaga sent his cavalry force, 5,700 strong, which outnumbered the French cavalry by three-to-one, and forced them to retreat behind the Polish infantry. After attempting to attack the squares, Areizaga realised that they would have to wait for Zayas’ infantry to arrive and attack the following day. The French, however, retreated overnight to Aranjuez. Ar\u00e9izaga entered the town the following day.<\/p>\n

19th November 1809<\/strong>
\nOca\u00f1a (Battle of)
\nToledo, Castile-La Mancha
\nFrench victory
\n65 km from Madrid.<\/p>\n

23rd November 1809<\/strong>
\nCarpio (Battle of)
\nValladolid, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory
\nEl Carpio, some 20 km southwest of the town of Medina del Campo, is about 4 km from Fresno el Viejo. Both villages border the province of Salamanca at the southwestern tip of the province of Valladolid. The village, including its strategic 10th century fortress was completely destroyed by the French troops on 25th November.<\/p>\n

26th November 1809<\/strong>
\nAlba de Tormes (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

21st January 1810<\/strong>
\nMollet Barcelona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

5th February 1810 \u2013 24th August 1812<\/strong>
\nC\u00e1diz (Siege of) C\u00e1diz, Andalusia
\nSpanish victory
\nThe reconstituted national government of Spain, known as the C\u00e1diz Cortes\u2014effectively a government-in-exile\u2014fortified itself in C\u00e1diz, besieged by 70,000 French troops.<\/p>\n

20th February 1810<\/strong>
\nVich (Battle of)
\nBarcelona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

21st March 1810 \u2014 22nd April 1810<\/strong>
\nAstorga (First siege of)
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

15 April 1810<\/strong>
\nL\u00e9rida: arrival of Suchet’s troops
\nL\u00e9rida, Catalonia
\nManoeuvre (French)
\nSuchet’s army of 13,000 French troops arrive in front of L\u00e9rida. The siege proper starts on 29th April.<\/p>\n

23rd April 1810<\/strong>
\nMargalef (Battle of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory<\/p>\n

On 22nd April, a Spanish force of 8,000 infantry and 600 cavalry, incorporated into two divisions led by Ibarrola and Pirez, under O\u2019Donnell, descended the Monblanc defile of the Prades Mountains to relieve Lerida. They were surprised by Musnier’s seven infantry battalions and 500 cuirassieres which, together with Harispe’s three infantry battalions and two squadrons of hussars that had been stationed at Alcoletge, a bridgehead three miles from Lerida, forced them to retreat to the ruined village of Margalef, some 10 miles from L\u00e9rida.<\/p>\n

26th April 1810 \u2013 9th July 1810<\/strong>
\nCiudad Rodrigo (First siege of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

29th April \u2013 13th May 1810<\/strong>
\nL\u00e9rida (Siege of)
\nL\u00e9rida, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

11th July 1810<\/strong>
\nBarquilla (Combat of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

24th July 1810<\/strong>
\nRiver C\u00f4a (Battle of the)
\nGuarda, (Portugal)
\nFrench victory
\nAfter having blown up the Real Fuerte de la Concepci\u00f3n on 20th July, Craufurd, positioned his Light Brigade, comprising five battalions of infantry, two light cavalry regiments, and one horse artillery battery (about 4200 infantry, 800 cavalry, and 6 guns) east of the C\u00f4a River (disobeying Wellington’s orders), near Castelo de Almeida and near the only bridge of an otherwise unfordable river. On the morning of the battle, they were surprised by Marshal Ney’s 20,000 troops, on their way to besiege Almeida. Craufurd was able to defend the bridge against several attacks, but finally retreated at midnight.
\nThe Real Fuerte de la Concepci\u00f3n, in the province of Salamanca, was one of a series of star forts on the Spanish side of the border between Spain and Portugal. The Pra\u00e7a-forte de Almeida, 10 km away, in the Guarda District, was one of a series of Portuguese star forts.<\/p>\n

25thJuly to 27th August 1810<\/strong>
\nAlmeida (First siege of)
\nGuarda, (Portugal)
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

14th September 1810<\/strong>
\nLa Bisbal (Battle of)
\nGirona, Catalonia
\nAnglo-Spanish victory.<\/p>\n

24th September 1810<\/strong>
\nC\u00e1diz Cortes \u2013 opening session
\nC\u00e1diz, Andalusia
\nThe opening session of the Cortes was held eight months into the two-and-a-half-year Siege of C\u00e1diz.<\/p>\n

27th September 1810<\/strong>
\nBussaco (Battle of)
\nAveiro District (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory
\nSerra do Bussaco mountain range.<\/p>\n

13th\u201314th October 1810<\/strong>
\nSobral (Battle of)
\nLisbon (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory.<\/p>\n

15th October 1810<\/strong>
\nFuengirola (Battle of)
\nM\u00e1laga, Andalusia
\nPolish-French victory.<\/p>\n

19th January \u2013 22nd January 1811<\/strong>
\nOlivenza (Siege of)
\nProvince of Badajoz, Extremadura
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

15th January 1811<\/strong>
\nPla (Battle of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

26 thJanuary 1811 \u2013 11th March 1811<\/strong>
\nBadajoz (First siege of)
\nBadajoz, Extremadura
\nFrench victory
\nThe Spanish fortress fell to the French forces under Marshal Soult.<\/p>\n

19th February 1811<\/strong>
\nGebora (Battle of)
\nBadajoz, Extremadura
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

11th March 1811<\/strong>
\nPombal (Battle of)
\nLeiria (Portugal)
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

12th March 1811<\/strong>
\nRedinha (Battle of)
\nCoimbra (Portugal)
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

14th March 1811<\/strong>
\nCasal Novo (Battle of)
\nFrench victory
\nCoimbra (Portugal)
\n15th March 1811 \u2013 21st March 1811
\nCampo Maior Castle (Siege of)
\nAlentejo (Portugal)
\nFrench victory
\n800 Portuguese militia and 50 old cannon held out against 4,500 troops belonging to the V Corps under Marshal Mortier.<\/p>\n

25th March 1811<\/strong>
\nCampo Maior (Battle of)
\nAlentejo (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory.<\/p>\n

3rd April 1811<\/strong>
\nSabugal (Battle of)
\nGuarda (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Portuguese Victory.<\/p>\n

14th April \u2013 10th May 1811<\/strong>
\nAlmeida (Second siege of)
\nGuarda, (Portugal)
\nAnglo-Allied victory
\nAlso known as the Blockade of Almeida, since the Anglo-Portuguese Army had no heavy guns to breach the walls, they were forced to starve the garrison out. Because of this, it was technically a blockade rather than a siege. French troops abandoned the fort under cover of darkness and escaped. See Battle of Fuentes de O\u00f1oro.<\/p>\n

22nd April \u2013 12th May\/18th May \u2013 10th June 1811<\/strong>
\nBadajoz (Second siege of)
\nBadajoz, Extremadura
\nFrench victory
\nThe siege was briefly lifted while the Battle of Albuera was fought on 16th May.<\/p>\n

3rd\u20136th May 1811<\/strong>
\nFuentes de O\u00f1oro (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nTactically indecisive
\nStrategic Anglo – Portuguese victory
\nSpanish village on the border with Portugal. French failure to relieve Almeida. See Blockade of Almeida.<\/p>\n

5th May 1811 \u2013 29th June 1811<\/strong>
\nTarragona (First siege of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

16th May 1811<\/strong>
\nAlbuera (Battle of)
\nBadajoz, Extremadura
\nAllied victory
\nAllied forces engaged the French Arm\u00e9e du Midi (Army of the South) some 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Badajoz.<\/p>\n

25th May 1811<\/strong>
\nArlab\u00e1n (Battle of)
\nMountain pass between Gipuzkoa and \u00c1lava
\nSpanish victory
\nGuerrilla ambush led by Francisco Espoz y Mina. Also referred to as the First Surprise of Arlab\u00e1n to distinguish it from the Second Surprise of Arlab\u00e1n (April 1812).<\/p>\n

25th May 1811<\/strong>
\nUsagre (Battle of)
\nBadajoz, Extremadura
\nAllied victory.<\/p>\n

29th July 1811<\/strong>
\nMontserrat (Battle of)
\nBarcelona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

9th August 1811<\/strong>
\nZujar (Battle of)
\nGranada, Andalusia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

25th September 1811<\/strong>
\nEl Bod\u00f3n (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory,<\/p>\n

4th to 14th October 1811<\/strong>
\nCervera (Battle of)
\nLleida, Catalonia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

25 October 1811<\/strong>
\nSaguntum (Battle of)
\nValencia, Valencia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

28th October 1811<\/strong>
\nArroyo dos Molinos (Battle of)
\nC\u00e1ceres, Extremadura
\nAllie7th January 1812 \u2013 20th January<\/p>\n

3rd November 1811 \u2013 9th January 1812<\/strong>
\nValencia (Siege of)
\nValencia, Valencia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

5th November 1811<\/strong>
\nBornos (First battle of)
\nC\u00e1diz, Andalusia
\nSpanish victory.<\/p>\n

7th January 1812 \u2013 20th January 1812<\/strong>
\nCiudad Rodrigo (Second siege of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nAllied victory.<\/p>\n

24th January 1812<\/strong>
\nAltafulla (Battle of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

9th April 1812<\/strong>
\nArlab\u00e1n (Battle of)
\nMountain pass between Gipuzkoa and \u00c1lava
\nSpanish victory
\nAlso referred to as the Second Surprise of Arlab\u00e1n to distinguish it from the First Surprise of Arlab\u00e1n (May 1811).<\/p>\n

31st May 1812<\/strong>
\nBornos (Second battle of)
\nC\u00e1diz, Andalusia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

29th June \u2013 19th August 1812<\/strong>
\nAstorga, Second siege of
\nLe\u00f3n, Castile-Le\u00f3n
\nSpanish victory Spanish troops liberate Astorga, in French hands since the first Siege of Astorga in 1810.<\/p>\n

21st July 1812<\/strong>
\nCastalla (First battle of)
\nAlicante, Valencia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

22nd July 1812<\/strong>
\nSalamanca (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nDecisive Allied victory
\nAlso known as the Battle of Arapiles, for the name of the nearby village, Arapiles, which in turn takes its name from the two low, flat-topped hills, Arapil Chico (Lesser Arapile) and Arapil Grande (Greater Arapile), over and around which part of the battle took place.<\/p>\n

23rd July 1812<\/strong>
\nGarcia Hernandez (Battle of)
\nSalamanca, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nAnglo-German victory.<\/p>\n

19th September to 21st October 1812<\/strong>
\nBurgos (Siege of)
\nBurgos, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

23rd October 1812<\/strong>
\nVenta del Pozo (Battle of)
\nPalencia, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nIndecisive; French tactical victory
\nAlso known as the Battle of Villodrigo.<\/p>\n

25th\u201329th October 1812<\/strong>
\n(Battle of)
\nValladolid, Castile and Le\u00f3n
\nFrench victory
\nAlso known as the Battle of Villamuriel or Battle of Palencia.<\/p>\n

13th April 1813<\/strong>
\nCastalla (Second battle of)
\nAlicante, Valencia
\nAnglo-Spanish victory.<\/p>\n

3rd-11th June 1813<\/strong>
\nTarragona (Second siege of)
\nTarragona, Catalonia
\nFrench victory.<\/p>\n

18th June 1813<\/strong>
\nSan Millan-Osma (Battle of)
\nSan Millan, Burgos, Castile and Le\u00f3n \/ Osma, \u00c1lava, Basque Country
\nAnglo-Allied victory
\nMountain pass northwest of Miranda del Ebro, just off the Burgos\u2013Bilbao road.<\/p>\n

21st June 1813<\/strong>
\nVitoria (Battle of)
\n\u00c1lava, Basque Country
\nAllied victory (decisive)
\nLed to the abdication of Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain, 11th December 1813. Beethoven’s Op. 91, “Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria”, completed in the first week of October 1813, commemorates the victory. Originally composed for the panharmonicon, it was first performed with Beethoven himself conducting, together with the premiere of his Symphony No. 7<\/p>\n

7th\u201325th July 1813<\/strong>
\nSan Sebasti\u00e1n (First siege of)
\nProvince of Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
\nFrench victory
\nAlthough referred to as one siege, there were in fact two separate sieges. See Second siege of San Sebasti\u00e1n below.<\/p>\n

25th July 1813<\/strong>
\nPyrenees (Battle of the)
\nAllied victory
\nThe Battle of the Pyrenees was large-scale offensive, involving several battles, launched by Marshal Soult to relieve the French garrisons under siege at Pamplona and San Sebasti\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

25th July 1813<\/strong>
\nRoncesvalles (Battle of)
\nRoncevaux Pass, Spain
\nFrench victory
\nMountain pass at 1,057 m (3,468 ft) on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees near the border with France. A battle included in the Battle of the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n

25th July 1813<\/strong>
\nMaya (Battle of)
\nNavarre
\nFrench victory
\nMountain pass on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees near the border with France.<\/p>\n

28th July \u2013 1st August 1813<\/strong>
\nSorauren (Battle of)
\nNavarre
\nAllied victory
\nA battle included in the Battle of the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n

8th August – 8th September 1813<\/strong>
\nSan Sebasti\u00e1n (Second siege of)
\nProvince of Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory
\nAlthough referred to as one siege, there were in fact two separate sieges. See First siege of San Sebasti\u00e1n above.<\/p>\n

7th October 1813<\/strong>
\nBidassoa (Battle of the)
\nAllied victory (tactical)
\nAlso known as the Battle of Larrun.<\/p>\n

10th November 1813<\/strong>
\nNivelle (Battle of)
\nPyr\u00e9n\u00e9es-Atlantiques, France
\nAllied victory.<\/p>\n

11th December 1813<\/strong>
\nAbdication of Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain.
\n9th \u2013 13th December 1813
\nNive (Battle of the)
\nPyr\u00e9n\u00e9es-Atlantiques, France
\nAllied victory.<\/p>\n

15th February 1814<\/strong>
\nGarris (Battle of)
\nPyr\u00e9n\u00e9es-Atlantiques, France
\nAllied victory.<\/p>\n

27th February 1814<\/strong>
\nOrhthez (Battle of)
\nPyr\u00e9n\u00e9es-Atlantiques, France
\nAnglo-Portuguese victory.<\/p>\n

Sourced from Wikipedia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The following table shows the sequence of events of the Peninsular War from (1807 to 1814). It includes major battles, smaller actions, uprisings, sieges and other related events that took place during the peninsula war period.<\/p>\n

For ease of reference using modern maps, the provinces\/regions given for Spain and Portugal are those that correspond to the 20th century, that is, resulting from the 1976 Constitution of Portugal and the processes of devolution of Spain’s transition to democracy (1979),<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[17,71],"class_list":["post-13286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-memorial-at-peninsula","tag-peninsula-war","category-6-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13286\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}