The Battle of Montijo was fought on 26 May 1644, in Montijo, Spain, between Portuguese and Spanish forces. Although the battle ended with a Portuguese victory, the Spanish saw it as a strategic success as they claimed to have prevented Matias de Albuquerque from capturing Badajoz, despite Albuquerque having no intention of attacking that city. Due to the chaotic nature of the battle, its outcome is debated and casualty figures vary.

Background

Portuguese General Matias de Albuquerque knew the Spanish were commanded by the Carlo Andrea Caracciolo, marquis of Torrecuso, a renowned military tactician, and wanted to affirm his own presence. He managed to gather 6,000 infantry, 1,100 cavalry and six cannons, in order to give battle. He crossed the frontier attacking, pillaging and burning Vilar del Rey, Puebla and Boca de Manfarete until reaching the town of Montijo, which surrendered without a fight.

Battle

Not having encountered the Spanish army, Matias de Albuquerque decided to return to Alentejo. While on the march, the Portuguese were confronted by a Spanish force from Torrecuso's army, led by the Baron of Molinghem consisting of 4,000 infantry and 1,700 cavalry. On 26 May 1644 the two armies met not far from Montijo. The forces of Molinghem adopted a semi-circle formation, which would permit a simultaneous attack on the Portuguese front and flanks. Matias de Albuquerque, marching in a slow pace towards Portugal, had prepared for a rear attack by placing the infantry in two defensive lines with the strongest formations in the rear, the baggage wagons in the vanguard and the cavalry split between the two flanks. The six cannons of the Portuguese initiated the hostilities, the Spanish side soon replied, but very ineffectively. The Spanish cavalry attacked the Portuguese left flank, routing the 150 Dutch cavalry commanded by Captain Piper. The panic spread to the rest of the cavalry on both flanks who abandoned the field through their own lines, taking refuge in woods near Xévora, leaving the infantry disorganized. Led by Molinghem himself, the Spanish cavalry easily opened a breach in the centre of the Portuguese positions, taking the Portuguese artillery. Thinking that the battle was won, Molinghem's troops scattered themselves without care on the field looting. Albuquerque's horse was killed and he was found fighting on foot by a French officer named Lamorlé (fighting for the Portuguese) who gave him his own horse. Taking advantage of the Spanish lack of reserves and dispersion, Albuquerque and his officers rallied some of the scattered troops and retook the Portuguese artillery. D. João da Costa, a Portuguese artillery officer, efficiently used the artillery to stop the Spanish forces from regrouping. The rallied Portuguese troops took back the field, and drove the Spaniards across the Guadiana inflicting heavy losses.

Aftermath

Both sides claimed victory. Madrid, as well as Lisbon rejoiced with news of the battle that had great repercussion in the European courts, which quickly acknowledged Portugal's independence. While there were writers and historians who referred to the Spaniards having been "defeated", "entirely defeated" or "routed" and talked about varying degrees of victory for the Portuguese troops, including a "major victory", and even "an easy victory", others exercised more caution when reviewing the result. Equally elated were Spanish writers and historians when referring to the Spanish victory, and the Portuguese being "routed". On the following day the Portuguese troops returned to Campo Maior. When news of Albuquerque's victory reached King John IV of Portugal, he awarded the general with the title of Count of Alegrete.

In culture

The Spanish playwrights Pedro Francisco de Lanini and Agustín Durán composed respectively the comedy El más valiente Extremeño, Bernardo del Montijo, el segundo Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar and the poem in the collection Romances vulgares de valentías, guapezas y desafueros in honor of the battle, and the Portuguese poet João Soares da Gama celebrated a Portuguese victory in his Batalha do Montijo.