Battle of Alcântara (1580)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Alcântara took place on August 25, 1580, near the brook of Alcântara
, in the vicinity of Lisbon
, Portugal
, and was a decisive victory of the Spanish
Habsburg King Philip II
over the Portuguese pretender to the Portuguese throne, Dom António, Prior of Crato
.
in 1578, without any heirs to succeed him, had plunged the country into a succession crisis. King Philip II of Spain was one of seven who laid claim to the Portuguese throne, and in June 1580 a Spanish army of about 40,000 men (about half of which were German and Italian mercenaries) invaded Portugal, under the command of Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba.
Two years earlier, the Portuguese army had been decimated at the Battle of Ksar El Kebir (1578), causing the death and imprisonment of tens of thousands of Portuguese soldiers and nobles. Dom António also lacked support from what was left of the Portuguese nobility and high clergy, which chose to support Philip II instead. Dom António was therefore forced to recruit an irregular army composed mainly of local peasants and townspeople as well as 3,000 African slaves who fought for António in exchange for their freedom.
, west of Lisbon. By mid-August, the Duke was only 10 kilometers from the city. West of the small brook Alcântara
, the Spanish encountered a Portuguese force on the eastern side of it, commanded by António, Prior of Crato
(a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal
who had proclaimed himself King as António I) and his lieutenant Francisco de Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso
.
The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Spanish army, both on land and sea. Two days later, the Duke of Alba captured Lisbon, and on March 25, 1581, Philip II was crowned King of Portugal as Philip I.
. At the end of 1580, most of the Portuguese territory was in Spanish hands. Two more battles
(1582 and 1583) over the succession were fought in the Azores
.
Spain and Portugal would remain united in a personal union
of the crowns (remaining formally independent and with autonomous administrations) for the next 60 years, until 1640. This period is called the Iberian Union
.
Alcântara (Lisbon)
Alcântara is a civil parish of the city and municipality of Lisbon. Its name is derived from the Arabic , meaning the bridge, and refers to an ancient Roman bridge that once existed there, until the reign of John V...
, in the vicinity of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and was a decisive victory of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Habsburg King Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
over the Portuguese pretender to the Portuguese throne, Dom António, Prior of Crato
António, Prior of Crato
António, Prior of Crato , was a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal, claimant of the Portuguese throne during the 1580 dynastic crisis, who was King of Portugal as António I of Portugal during 33 days in the continent in 1580, and, after the crowning of Philip II of Spain as King of Portugal,...
.
Background
In Portugal, the death of King Sebastian of PortugalSebastian of Portugal
Sebastian "the Desired" was the 16th king of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of Prince John of Portugal and his wife, Joan of Spain...
in 1578, without any heirs to succeed him, had plunged the country into a succession crisis. King Philip II of Spain was one of seven who laid claim to the Portuguese throne, and in June 1580 a Spanish army of about 40,000 men (about half of which were German and Italian mercenaries) invaded Portugal, under the command of Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba.
Two years earlier, the Portuguese army had been decimated at the Battle of Ksar El Kebir (1578), causing the death and imprisonment of tens of thousands of Portuguese soldiers and nobles. Dom António also lacked support from what was left of the Portuguese nobility and high clergy, which chose to support Philip II instead. Dom António was therefore forced to recruit an irregular army composed mainly of local peasants and townspeople as well as 3,000 African slaves who fought for António in exchange for their freedom.
The battle
The Duke of Alba met little resistance and in July landed his forces at CascaisCascais
Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...
, west of Lisbon. By mid-August, the Duke was only 10 kilometers from the city. West of the small brook Alcântara
Alcântara
Alcântara is a Brazilian city in the state of Maranhão. The city has a population of 22,359 , and is 30 km away from the state's capital, São Luís....
, the Spanish encountered a Portuguese force on the eastern side of it, commanded by António, Prior of Crato
António, Prior of Crato
António, Prior of Crato , was a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal, claimant of the Portuguese throne during the 1580 dynastic crisis, who was King of Portugal as António I of Portugal during 33 days in the continent in 1580, and, after the crowning of Philip II of Spain as King of Portugal,...
(a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
who had proclaimed himself King as António I) and his lieutenant Francisco de Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso
Francisco de Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso
Francisco de Portugal, also known as Francis II of Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso , was the eldest son and heir of the 2nd Count of Vimioso, Afonso de Portugal ....
.
The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Spanish army, both on land and sea. Two days later, the Duke of Alba captured Lisbon, and on March 25, 1581, Philip II was crowned King of Portugal as Philip I.
Aftermath
The decimated Antonian army fled towards Oporto with the intention of reassembling his troops, but was completely destroyed at Oporto by the Spanish forces under the command of Don Sancho d'AvilaSancho d'Avila
Sancho d'Avila was a Spanish General.Born at Ávila, he first served as the commander of the Duke of Alba's bodyguard. It was in this function that d'Avila arrested the Count of Egmont....
. At the end of 1580, most of the Portuguese territory was in Spanish hands. Two more battles
War of the Portuguese Succession
The War of the Portuguese Succession was fought from 1580 to 1583 between the two main claimants to the Portuguese throne: António, Prior of Crato, proclaimed in several towns as King of Portugal, and Philip II of Spain, who eventually succeeded in claiming the crown reigning as Philip I of...
(1582 and 1583) over the succession were fought in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
Spain and Portugal would remain united in a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
of the crowns (remaining formally independent and with autonomous administrations) for the next 60 years, until 1640. This period is called the Iberian Union
Iberian Union
The Iberian union was a political unit that governed all of the Iberian Peninsula south of the Pyrenees from 1580–1640, through a dynastic union between the monarchies of Portugal and Spain after the War of the Portuguese Succession...
.
 |
See also
- War of the Portuguese SuccessionWar of the Portuguese SuccessionThe War of the Portuguese Succession was fought from 1580 to 1583 between the two main claimants to the Portuguese throne: António, Prior of Crato, proclaimed in several towns as King of Portugal, and Philip II of Spain, who eventually succeeded in claiming the crown reigning as Philip I of...
- Capture of OportoCapture of OportoThe Capture of Oporto took place on October, 1580, by the Spanish forces commanded by Don Sancho d'Avila during the War of the Portuguese Succession...
- Battle of Ponta DelgadaBattle of Ponta DelgadaThe naval Battle of Ponta Delgada, Battle of São Miguel or Battle of Terceira took place on July 26, 1582, in the sea near the Azores, off São Miguel Island, as part of the War of the Portuguese Succession...
- Conquest of the AzoresConquest of the AzoresThe Conquest of the Azores, principally Terceira Island, took place on 2 August 1583, between the Portuguese loyal to the claimant Dom António, Prior of Crato, supported by French and English troops, and the Spanish-Portuguese forces loyal to King Philip commanded by the admiral Don Álvaro de Bazán...
- Timeline of Portuguese history (Third Dynasty)Timeline of Portuguese history (Third Dynasty)This is a historical timeline of Portugal.-16th Century:*1580**Invasion of Portugal by a Spanish army commanded by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba.**Battle of Alcântara between Portuguese and Spanish forces.**The Fortress of St...