Battle of Montes Claros

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Montes Claros
campaign=

caption=
partof=Portuguese Restoration War
date=June 17, 1665
place=Near Vila Viçosa, Portugal
result=Decisive Portuguese victory
combatant1=flag|Portugal|1640
combatant2=flag|Spain|1506
commander1=António Luís de Meneses,
Duke of Schomberg
commander2=The marquis of Caracena
strength1=20,500 including British and French mercenaries
strength2=15,000 infantry
7,000 cavalry
casualties1=2.700
casualties2=10,000

The Battle of Montes Claros, was fought on June 17 1665, near Vila Viçosa, between Spanish and Portuguese as the last battle in the Portuguese Restoration War.It was a great Portuguese victory and is considered as one of the most important battles in the country's history.

Prelude

The Spanish were determined to end Portuguese independence once and for all. The Marquis of Caracena had planned to march to occupy Lisbon, taking first Vila Viçosa, followed by Setúbal.

The Portuguese were prepared and had foreseen such an attack. 3500 men were moved from Trás-os-Montes in the north to Alentejo in the south. A further 7800 men came from Lisbon, under command of António Luís de Meneses, who had beaten the Spanish in the Battle of the Lines of Elvas, six years earlier. Then the Spanish army moved into Portugal. The first city, Borba was empty and taken without any resistance. Vila Viçosa was well defended, and offered a stiff resistance to the attackers.

Meanwhile, the main body of the Portuguese army had set itself in motion towards the besieged city, but it stopped in Montes Claros, halfway between Vila Viçosa and Estremoz.

Caracena, informed of the approach of the Portuguese army, gave immediate orders to march towards the enemy.

The Battle

The Spanish cavalry attacked in great numbers, and opened breaches in the Portuguese infantry lines. Then they were met by hails of artillery fire and had to withdraw. A second Spanish cavalry attack again caused many casualties in the Portuguese infantry lines , but again they had to withdraw with considerable losses, due to artillery fire.

The battle raged on and the fighting was extremely intense. The Duke of Schomberg had his horse shot from underneath him. The Spanish had placed all their hopes on the cavalry charges and started to lose hope. Then, after 7 hours of fighting, the Portuguese launched a counterattack. The Spanish army started to fall apart and fled in disorder towards Badajoz, leaving behind all their artillery, and many dead, wounded and prisoners.

Aftermath

This battle definitively secured the Portuguese independence from Spain. The Spanish did not attempt another invasion, and signed the Treaty of Lisbon three years later, recognizing Portugal's independence.