Battle of Vilanova
| date | September 17, 1658 |
|---|---|
| place | Next to Vila Nova de Cerveira , Portugal |
| output | Spanish victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
|
Count of Castelo Melhor |
Marquis of Viana |
| losses | |
|
250 dead, 380 injured |
18 dead, 60 injured |
.svg){kind=small}
The Battle of Vilanova took place on September 17, 1658 during the War of Restoration near the fortress of São Luis de Gonzaga, south of Tui , on the south bank of the Minho River . A Spanish army led by Rodrigo Pimentel, Marquis of Viana, faced the Portuguese military led by João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 2nd Count of Castelo Melhor. The Spaniards won, and over the next few months they captured Monção , Salvaterra de Miño, and other Portuguese forts.
The Spanish army left Pontevedra on September 6th, and after crossing the Miño River using a pontoon bridge, they invaded Portuguese territory on September 12th. On September 17th, a Portuguese army with an infantry of 5500 men and a cavalry of 500 riders under João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, Count of Castelo Melhor, a troop of the Spaniards approached. The Count of Peñalba was sent to examine the field under the command of eight cavalry squadrons. The squadrons were led by don Francisco de la Cueva, don Francisco Taboada, don Álvaro de Anaya, don Francisco Marcos de Velasco, don Antonio de Mocoso, don Andrés de Robles and don Pedro Niño. They were accompanied by eight departments of the Tercios. Meanwhile, Teniente Maestro de Campo General don Francisco Buzo was instructed to skirmish with the Portuguese in command of 400 musketeers. The maneuver of the Count of Peñalba was covered by Teniente Maestro de Campo General don Francisco Rojo with his Tercio. Don Francisco de la Cueva moved on the opposite flank with the same purpose.
The Marquis of Viana led the main attack from Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Individual evidence
literature
- Fernando Fulgosio: Crónica de la provincia de Pontevedra . Rubio y Compañía, 1867.
- Emilio González López: El águila caída: Galicia en los reinados de Felipe IV y Carlos II . Editorial Galaxia, 1973, ISBN 84-7154-166-1 .
- José De Santiago y Gómez: Historia de Vigo y su comarca . Editorial MAXTOR, 2006, ISBN 84-9761-285-X .