Battle of Ameixial

The Battle of Ameixial, was fought on 8 June 1663, near the village of Santa Vitória do Ameixial, some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north-west of Estremoz, between Spanish and Portuguese as part of the Portuguese Restoration War. In Spain, the battle is better known as the Battle of Estremoz.

D. Sancho Manuel, commander of the Portuguese Army in the battle, portrayed in 1673-5 by Feliciano de Almeida (Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence)

Battle of Ameixial
Part of Portuguese Restoration War
17th-century Portuguese engraving depicting the Battle of Ameixial
Date 8 June 1663 Location Near Estremoz, Portugal 38.8500°N 7.6500°W / 38.8500; -7.6500 Result Decisive Anglo-Portuguese victory[1]
Belligerents
Portugal England[2]	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Sancho Manoel de Vilhena Frederick Schomberg Count of Ericeira	John of Austria
Strength
17,000 (3,000 from British Isles):[3][4] 14,000 infantry 3,000 cavalry 15 cannons	18,500:[5][6] 12,500 infantry (26 Spanish Tercios, 8 Italian Tercios, 5 German Tercios and one French Tercio) 6,000 cavalry (11 trozos or bodies) 18 cannons
Casualties and losses
1,000 Portuguese killed or wounded 100 English casualties	8,000[7] -10,000, of whom more than 4,000 killed all the artillery captured[3]

In the spring of 1663, the Spanish had undertaken their most successful attack on Portugal, since the beginning of the war.

Under command of John of Austria the Younger, son of Philip IV of Spain (and the conqueror of Catalonia and of the Kingdom of Naples and winner of the French in Italy), the greater part of the south of Portugal was overrun. The important city of Évora was taken on 22 May, opening perspectives for a march on Lisbon, 135 kilometres (84 mi) to the west.

But the lack of ammunition, food and money paralysed the Spanish army. The Portuguese raised a 17,000 men strong army led by Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, aided by Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg, Fernando de Meneses, Count of Ericeira and other senior officers, and marched against the Spanish.[8] The Spanish commander decided to retreat to a strategic position at the north east of Évora and wait for the enemy, leaving a garrison of 3,700 in Évora.

The Portuguese army was reinforced by three regiments (1 cavalry & 2 infantry) of about 3,000 troops, from England (mostly from around the British isles) which were put under the command of the Duke of Schomberg.[4] Also included were a small number of mercenaries from France. Of this foreign contingent, almost 2,000 English fought in Ameixial, about 1600 incorporated in the infantry and 300 in the cavalry.

The standard of Don John of Austria was captured when his squadron was almost totally killed.[9] The standard was later presented to King Afonso VI of Portugal himself.[9]

The Spanish casualties were very high, all of their artillery and baggage was captured,[3][9] and the army was forced to retreat to Badajoz in Extremadura. When the Spanish garrison of Évora of 3,700 men capitulated on 24 June 1663, the whole expedition was a complete failure. The independence of the Kingdom of Portugal was saved while the military career of John of Austria ended.

A memorial stone was placed on the site of the battlefield.[10]