Battle of Castelo Rodrigo
| Battle of Castelo Rodrigo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Portuguese Restoration War | |||||||
 View of Castelo Rodrigo | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Portugal |
 Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Pedro Jacques de Magalhães |
Duke of Osuna John of Austria the Younger | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3,000[2] |
7,000 [3] 9 cannons[4] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed |
2,000 killed[5] 500 prisoners[6] All the artillery captured[7] | ||||||
The Battle of Castelo Rodrigo, also known as the Battle of Salgadela, was fought on 7 July 1664, near Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, between Spanish and Portuguese as part of the Portuguese Restoration War.
After a number of skirmishes, the Duke of Osuna attacked the castle of Castelo Rodrigo with 7,000 men and 9 pieces of artillery. The castle was only defended by 150 Portuguese.
The military commander of the province, Pedro Jacques de Magalhães, rallied 3,000 men and moved to the rescue of Castelo Rodrigo.
A battle took place near the village of Mata de Lobos in "Salgadela" which was won by the Portuguese. After an initial Spanish attack was repelled, the Portuguese counter-attack proved decisive. Many prisoners were taken and all the artillery pieces captured.[8] It is told that Osuna and John of Austria the Younger, escaped disguised as monks.[9]
A memorial stone was placed on the site of the battlefield.
40°52′N 6°57′W / 40.867°N 6.950°W
References
- John Murray (Firm), A handbook for travellers in Portugal: A complete guide for Lisbon, Cintra, Mafra, the British battle-fields, Alcobaça, Batalha, Oporto, &c (1864)
- Ângelo Ribeiro: História de Portugal: A Restauração da Independência-O início da Dinastia de Bragança (2004) ISBN 989-554-110-4
- John Colin Dunlop, Memoirs of Spain during the reigns of Philip IV. and Charles II. from 1621 to 1700 (1834)