| Spanish Army Commander: Duke of Alba Infantry~ 12 000 – 13 000 men Spanish Tercios (8 000 – 9 000 men) Cavalry: 1 800 men Artillery: 22 guns Losses ~ 500 men |
Portuguese army Commander: The Prior of Crato and the Count of Bimioso Infantry: 6 000 – 7 000 men Cavalry: 500 – 1000 men Artillery: 20 – 40 guns Losses ~ 4 000 men |
Strategic Situation: In 1578, the
king of Portugal, Sebastien died at the disastrous battle of Ksar el Kebir,
leaving the kingdom of Portugal to his old uncle the Henri I Bishop of Evora.
Henri I died in 1580, leaving to candidate, the Philippe II King of Spain
and Antonio Prior of Ocrato. The main aristocrat families were with the Castillan
king or neutral, while part of the common people was with the Prior of Crato.
In May 1580, Antonio forces his destiny with a coronation in the city of Santarem,
Philip of Spain reply by organizing the conquest of his kingdom. In June
the Spanish organise a powerful army of 23 000 men in Badajoz and a navy
with 157 boats (including 64 galley and 21 naos) and 5 000 men (including
the Tercio of Argote) in Cadiz. The 27th of June the main army under the command
of the Duke of Alba start his march toward Lisboa, taking in one week the
several cities (Elvas, Camponor, Olivenza and Portalegre) surrender to the
Spanish. Extremoz was taken after a short siege and finally by July the 19th
the last resistance of the harbour of Setubal falls in Spanish hand. Here,
Alba waits for the arrival of Santa Cruz and the 28 of July the infantry embark
in the galleys with the objective to take city of Cascaes. The 30 of July
the Spanish infantry disembark on a beach near Cascaes and after a short
fight they manage to establish a powerful beachhead. The 7 of August, Cascae
fells after a short siege, 2 days later it was the turn of the castle of
San Gian and at last the 13 of August, the tower of Belén capitulated
and the Spanish Fleet was able to block the exit of the Tage river. Alba was
at less than 10 km of Lisboa, the goal of the campaign. Meantime, The Prior
of Crato play his last card and took the field, the 5 of august with an army
of 10 000 – 12000 men and entrench himself near the river Alcantara at few
kilometre from Lisboa. During 8 days Alba take his time to regroup his army
and the 22 of August he march quietly against the Portuguese, the 24 of august
all the 15 000 men of the Spanish army were facing the Prior of Crato.
Spanish Army: From right to left we have, On the right wing (p), Prospero Colona with a Spanish Squadron made of companies from the Tercio of Martín Argote and the Tercio of Antonio Moreno, an Italian Squadron with troops from the Tercio of Colona, Tercio of Spinelo and the Tercio of Carrafa and a German squadron from the Regiment of the Count of Lodron, in total 6 000 foots. In the Centre (a) we find the Duke of Alba with 3 Spanish Squadrons, one made by the Tercio of Enriquez, a second by the Tercio of Zapata and the Tercio of Gabriel Niño and the last by the veteran companies coming from the Tercios of Lombardia, Sicilia and Nápoles, in total some 4 000 foots. On the left wing (s) we have 7 Spanish mangas (extract from the 6 Spanish Tercios of the centre) of 300 harquebusiers and musketeers under Sancho de Avila and on the extreme left (c) 1 500 – 2 000 horses divided in 4 squadrons under the command of Don Fernando Prior of Castille. The artillery was under the command of Francés de Álava and was divided in 4 batteries (5, 6, 7 and 4 guns). In total we have some 15 000 men subdivided in 6 infantry squadrons, 4 cavalry squadrons and 22 guns. The armada of Santa Cruz (Es) consisted of some 14 galley to fight this day against the Portuguese.
Portuguese Army: Most of the Portuguese army was made of raw recruits with a core of veteran’s companies for the infantry and some companies of cavalry, mostly light cavalry including a company of 70 moors (Mulay Nacer). The Prior of Crato, seconded by the Count of Bimioso, entrench in army behind the Alcantara river and filled the trench with artillery and harquebusiers. In the first line of trench we have 2 infantry squadrons and in the second line of trench an infantry squadron and the cavalry. The Portuguese had several detachments entrenched in the watermill or guarding the bridge and some troops all along the coast. In total we have some 6000 - 7000 foots, some 500 - 1000 horses and numerous guns in the trenches. The Portuguese navy (Pr) at the command of Don Gaspar Brito was made of naos, galleons and some galleys under Diego López de Sequeyra command’s, and was deployed to protect Lisboa.
A) The Portuguese artillery open
fire with some success and rapidly the Spanish batteries replies.
B) Prospero Colona open the fight launching two assaults on the bridge of Alcantara, the stump resistance of the Portuguese and the counter attack of the Moorish horses frustrated the Italians to advance.
C) Meantime on the left Spanish wing, cavalry and the 7 mangas of Sancho de Avila start their flanking movement crossing the river Alcantara away from the Portuguese position.
D) Colona’s troop, with the reinforcement of Spanish mangas of Harquebusiers, take the river mills and the bridge of Alcantara
E) Sancho de Avila and his troops climb the hill and attack the Portuguese position. Meantime the Spanish cavalry follow their movement and attack the Portuguese cavalry of the second line. After a short fighting, the Spanish infantry take the guns, forcing the Portuguese to retire in disorder.
F) On the right wing the veteran Spanish passes the bridge and attack the Portuguese trench.
G) The Portuguese army could not resist the attacks and fled in great disorder to the gates of Lisboa.
H) Delayed by the lack of wind the Spanish armada finally engages the Portuguese navy. After a short fighting and seeing that the field army was lost, most of the Portuguese ships surrender quickly.
Balance: The victory was total; the Portuguese lost some 4000 men including 1000 dead, while the Spanish losses amount to 500 men. Two days later the city of Lisboa surrender and the Spanish had the good luck to capture a convoy coming from the India full of goods and spices. The prior of Crato manages to escape, but by the end of 1580 most of the Portuguese territory was in Spanish hand. The 25 of March 1581 Philip of Spain was crone king of Portugal. In 1583,.the marques of Santa Cruz destroy the last hope of the prior of Crato with the conquest of the Azore islands. The Spanish empire was at the zenith of his power.
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B) Prospero Colona open the fight launching two assaults on the bridge of Alcantara, the stump resistance of the Portuguese and the counter attack of the Moorish horses frustrated the Italians to advance.
C) Meantime on the left Spanish wing, cavalry and the 7 mangas of Sancho de Avila start their flanking movement crossing the river Alcantara away from the Portuguese position.
D) Colona’s troop, with the reinforcement of Spanish mangas of Harquebusiers, take the river mills and the bridge of Alcantara
E) Sancho de Avila and his troops climb the hill and attack the Portuguese position. Meantime the Spanish cavalry follow their movement and attack the Portuguese cavalry of the second line. After a short fighting, the Spanish infantry take the guns, forcing the Portuguese to retire in disorder.
F) On the right wing the veteran Spanish passes the bridge and attack the Portuguese trench.
G) The Portuguese army could not resist the attacks and fled in great disorder to the gates of Lisboa.
H) Delayed by the lack of wind the Spanish armada finally engages the Portuguese navy. After a short fighting and seeing that the field army was lost, most of the Portuguese ships surrender quickly.
Balance: The victory was total; the Portuguese lost some 4000 men including 1000 dead, while the Spanish losses amount to 500 men. Two days later the city of Lisboa surrender and the Spanish had the good luck to capture a convoy coming from the India full of goods and spices. The prior of Crato manages to escape, but by the end of 1580 most of the Portuguese territory was in Spanish hand. The 25 of March 1581 Philip of Spain was crone king of Portugal. In 1583,.the marques of Santa Cruz destroy the last hope of the prior of Crato with the conquest of the Azore islands. The Spanish empire was at the zenith of his power.
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