The Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 in Western Spain proved to have important consequences for the French Empire in the Iberian Peninsula. The battle which only lasted a day was won by important decision making by Wellesley, who used flanking manoeuvres and his cavalry forces to defeat the French command. The French losses of READ MORE…
Tag: DukeofWellington
The Battle of Almaraz, 19th May 1812
The Battle of Almaraz was one of the less formal battles of the war. It was more of an offensive operation that was a prelude to the battle of Salamanca and so can still be considered important in the context of the war. The 6,000 strong Anglo-Portuguese forces under the control of Lord Hill, (who READ MORE…
The Battle of Fuente De Honor (Fuentes de Oñoro), 5th May 1811
The Battle of Fuente De Honor took place in Spain on the Portuguese border. Similarly to previous battles it was a combined force of British, Spanish and Portuguese troops against Napoleon’s Grand Armèe. Wellington and his forces repelled the almost 50,000 strong French army at their defensive stronghold, reportedly killing at least 2,500 French troops. READ MORE…
The Battle of Toulouse, 10th of April 1814
Toulouse – 10th April 1814 The Battle of Toulouse was one of the last battles of the Napoleonic Wars and signifies the virtual collapse of the French empire. Toulouse was significant to the French and the region in particular as it was the regional capital. It was resolutely defended by the French who held it READ MORE…
The Battle of Talavera, 27th July 1809
The Battle of Talavera, 75 miles Southwest of Madrid is a primary example of the issues surrounding the box. Following this battle, Wellesley was ennobled as Viscount of Wellington, which would suggest that he performed admirably. However, the allied Anglo-Spanish forces at his disposal suffered more casualties than the French in this fight. Similarly, Wellesley’s READ MORE…
The Battle of Vitoria, 21st June 1813
The Battle of Vitoria in June 1813 in Northern Spain can be seen as a decisive moment in the eventual downfall of the Napoleonic Empire. Although the French empire would survive for another two years, the battle at Vitoria in Spain marks the collapse of Napoleonic rule in Spain and therefore one of the first READ MORE…