Battle of Saragossa

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For other battles, see Siege of Saragossa
Battle of Saragossa
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession

An artist's rendition of the Battle of Saragossa, or Monte Torrero.
Date August 20, 1710
Location Zaragoza, Spain
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Flag of Spain Kingdom of Spain Flag of Habsburg Monarchy Habsburg Empire
Flag of the United Kingdom Great Britain
Flag of the Netherlands United Provinces
Flag of Aragon Crown of Aragon
Commanders
Flag of France Marquis de Bay Flag of Habsburg Monarchy Guido Starhemberg
Flag of the United Kingdom Lord Stanhope
Strength
20,000
 23,000–30,000
Casualties and losses
7,000–10,000 dead or wounded
4,000–5,000 captured		 ~1,500 dead or wounded
v • d • e
War of the Spanish
Succession
Carpi – Chiari – Cremona – Luzzara – Cádiz – Friedlingen – Vigo Bay – Ekeren – Höchstädt – Schellenberg – Blenheim – Málaga – Elixheim – Cassano – Calcinato – Ramillies – Turin – Castiglione – Almansa – Toulon – Oudenarde – Lille – Malplaquet – Almenara – Saragossa – Brihuega – Villaviciosa – Bouchain – Denain – Barcelona


The Battle of Saragossa (Spanish: Zaragoza) took place on August 20, 1710 in the War of the Spanish Succession.

Contents

[edit] Prelude

On July 27, 1710 the Spanish troops suffered a defeat in the Battle of Almenara. They had to leave Catalonia and withdraw to the capital of Aragón. The Spanish commander, marquis de Bay, positioned his troops between the river Ebro (on his left) and the Torrero heights (on his right).

On August 15, an allied cavalry-attack was successfully countered. Five days of skirmishes followed.

On August 19, the allied troops crossed the river Ebro unchallenged and were allowed to deploy their army during the night.

[edit] The battle

The allied left-wing was composed of Catalan and Dutch troops under Count Atalaya. The right-wing was commanded by Stanhope and was composed of British and Austrian troops. Starhemberg was in charge of the center, which was mainly German infantry.

On August 20 at 08:00 an artillery-duel started which lasted until noon. In the afternoon, the battle was more or less a repeat of the Battle of Almenara. The Spanish cavalry attacked fiercely and were almost successful, but the allied troops stood firm.

Then the British and Austrian infantry counter-attacked and the Spanish army was pushed back. Thousands were killed or taken prisoner. Philip V only escaped disguised as an ordinary soldier and helped by a local miller.

[edit] Aftermath

Archduke Charles entered Zaragoza then next day.

The Spanish defeat was total, the way to Madrid was open. Philip V abandoned Madrid on September 9, and went to Valladolid.

Archduke Charles entered a very hostile and almost empty Madrid on September 28. Charles commented: "This city is a desert!"

In the winter of 1710, Archduke Charles and the allied troops had to abandon Madrid, and suffered the decisive defeats of Brihuega and Villaviciosa.

[edit] External links