Battle of Bitonto

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Bitonto


caption=
partof=the War of the Polish Succession
date=May 25, 1734
place=near Bitonto, present-day Italy
result=Spanish victory
combatant1=flag|Spain|1701
combatant2=flag|Austria|empire
commander1=Carlos de Bourbon
Duke of Montemar
Luis de Córdova y Córdova
commander2=Giuseppe Antonio, Prince of Belmonte
strength1=14,000 infantry and cavalry
strength2=8,000 infantry
2,500 cavalry
casualties1=99 dead
196 wounded
casualties2=1,000 dead
1,000 wounded
2,500 capturedThe Battle of Bitonto (May 25, 1734) was a Spanish victory over Austrian forces near Bitonto in southern Italy in the War of Polish Succession.

Prelude

King Philip V of Spain had always aimed to reconquer Naples and Sicily. The War of the Quadruple Alliance had gone badly for Spain, but by 1734, things looked much better. Of the four former allies, France had allied with Spain, and Great Britain and the Netherlands were neutral, giving the Spanish and French the control of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Spanish fleet under Luis de Córdova y Córdova landed a Spanish army in Genoa, which joined forces with the troops of Carlos de Bourbon, ruler of Parma, in Tuscany. From there, 40.000 men marched unopposed through the Papal States towards Naples, were Charles proclaimed himself king of the Two Sicilies on May 7 1734.

In the meanwhile, Ex-viceroy Guido Visconti had fled to Bari, were an Austrian army from Sicily under Traun, was reinforcing itself with local inhabitants. First, the Austrians thought to defend themselves in Bari, but Prince Belmonte argued that in that case, there was no further room for retreat. He proposed to move to Bitonto, where the river Lama formed a natural line of defense, towards Terlizzi, and so it happened.

The Battle

The first skirmishes on May 24 were interrupted by a violent storm.On May 25 the Spanish lined up 12 infantry battalions and 24 squadrons of cavalry, 14,000 men, against the 10,000 Austrians.The first Spanish attack was stopped by the well-organized Austrian defenses.Then Spanish cavalry arrived from Andria and the battle raged on for nine hours. Spanish numerical superiority began to count, and groups of Austrians started to flee the battlefield towards Bitonto and Bari. The remnants of the Austrian army capitulated.

Aftermath

The next day Bitonto also capitulated under threat of the Spanish guns, and the entire garrison was made prisoner. Then Montemar turned towards Bari where Prince Belmonte had fled. Belmonte tried to fortify the city to withstand a siege, but the local population rebelled and forced the Austrians to surrender.

The Austrian army in the Two Sicilies was defeated. Visconti fled to the Papal States. The other cities in the region recognized Spanish rule, except for two cities which resisted Spain until autumn.
Gaeta was already under siege since April and held out until August. Traun defended Capua until November 30, when he surrendered, marching out with the honours of war. The return of the Two Sicilies to Spain was confirmed by the Treaty of Vienna in 1738, ending the War of Polish Succession.
Carlos de Bourbon named Montemar "Duke of Bitonto" and erected an obelisk on the battlefield to commemorate the battle.

External links

* [http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/revues_npi/25_2002/npi_2502/25_spain_cav_psw.htm Spanish cavalry in the War of the Austrian Succession]
* [http://www.ingenierosdelrey.com/guerras/1733_familia/1734_bitonto.htm BATALLA DE BITONTO (25 de mayo de 1734)]