Battle of Montijo

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Battle of Montijo
Part of Portuguese Restoration War
Date May 26, 1644 Location Near Montijo, Spain Result Portuguese victory
Combatants
Portugal and Dutch allies	Spain
Commanders
Matias de Albuquerque	Baron of Mollingen
Strength
6,000 infantry 1,100 cavalry 6 artillery	6,000 infantry 2,500 cavalry
Casualties
Unknown	Unknown

Portuguese Restoration War
Montijo – Battle of the Lines of Elvas – Ameixial – Castel Rodrigo – Montes Claros

The Battle of Montijo, was fought on May 26, 1644, in Montijo, Spain between Portuguese and Spanish forces.

[edit] History

Portuguese General Matias de Albuquerque knew the Spanish were commanded by the Marquis of Torrecusa, a renown military tactician and he was willing to affirm his own presence. Although having several difficulties, he managed to gather 6,000 infantry, 1,100 cavalry and 6 cannons, in order to make a "real" battle. He crossed the frontier and attacked Montijo, easily taking over the Spanish stronghold.

Not having encountered the Spanish army he decided to return to the initial point from where he had departed, a better terrain for defending a possible Spanish retaliation. The Spaniards did so, and a split of Torrecusa's army lead by the Baron of Mollingen met the Portuguese with an army composed by 6,000 infantry and 2,500 cavalry. Albuquerque had disposed his men for defence brilliantly and on May 26 1644 the two armies met. The first shock was disastrous for the Portuguese flanks as was in that point that the Spanish cavalry first attacked, causing the flee of many Portuguese, among them around 150 Dutch allies under the command of Piper. Led by Mollingen himself, the Spanish cavalry opened a breach in the centre of the Portuguese positions. Albuquerque's horse was killed and he was found fighting on his feet by a French officer named Lamorlé (fighting for the Portuguese) who gave him his own horse. Seeing their commander fighting again on horseback the Portuguese recovered their moral and soon after the Portuguese artillery fired over the Spanish cavalry and infantry the balance started to favour the Portuguese. The Spanish who had attacked with all their forces not having any reserve did not expect anything but the victory. Their battalions where forced to retreat to the other margin of the Guadiana.

Besides the defeat inflicted in the Spanish troops, the Battle of Montijo had an extremely important role on the rise of the Portuguese morale, a consequence of the considerably heroic victory of Matias de Albuquerque. In Lisbon the victory was widely celebrated.