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Batalla de Almansa. Landscape by Filippo Pallotta, figures by Buonaventura Ligli Although the war revolved around the question of who would become the next king of Spain, the Iberian Peninsula was not an obvious theater of operations. Philippe had established himself in Spain in 1701, while Louis’ diplomats signed a treaty of friendship with Portugal’s […]

The beginning of the battle – Polish Lancers (four platoons – one hundred cavalrymen) in a challenge with English soldiers 3rd Dragoon Guards. matej16 Colborne’s brigade 16 May 1811 It was Napoleon himself who referred to the Peninsular War as the ‘Spanish ulcer’ which, for the seven years between 1807 and 1814 constantly gnawed away […]

At the head of the little valley behind the Ridge, Latour-Maubourg’s cavalry found themselves confronted by Lumley’s dragoons and both sides reined in to watch the other warily. Latour-Maubourg was also watching the developments on the hill to his right and, observing the attack of Colborne’s brigade, took full advantage of the mistake to launch […]

For both commanders, the crisis of the battle had now been reached. It was unusual for the French to display such iron tenacity in a prolonged firefight, and they were doing so now because they believed they were winning. They had seen off Colborne’s brigade and the Spaniards and now Houghton’s battalions had shrunk to […]

42nd Highlanders the Black Watch at the Battle of Corunna on 16th January 1809 in the Peninsular War: picture by Harry Payne The positions of the armies at Corunna. The British are in red and the French in blue. Despite their predicament, the British had two factors in their favour. The first was that the […]