Prelude
After victories in the 27 July Battle of Almenara and the 20 August Battle of Saragossa, the Habsburg allies supporting Archduke Charles capturedBourbon deployment
First line
Right wing
Commander: Marquis of Valdecañas (Philip V of Spain participated in the battle in the cavalry squadrons of the right wing). Cavalry squadrons: * Dragoons of Caylus * Dragoons of Vallejo (three squadrons) * Dragoons of Osuna * Guards of corps (four squadrons) * Old Granada * Piñateli * Old order (four squadrons)Center
Commander: Count of Torres Infantry battalions: *Spanish guards (three battalions) *Walloon guards (three battalions) *Comesfort (one battalion) *Castellar (one battalion) *Gueldres (one battalion) *Benmel (one battalion) *Santal of Gende (one battalion) *Armada (one battalion) *Lombardy (one battalion) *Milan (one battalion) *Uribe (one battalion) *Mulfeta (one battalion)Left wing
Commander: Count of Aguilar (the future Duke of Montemar participated in the battle under the Count of Aguilar as field marshal). Cavalry squadrons: *Dragoons of Marimon *Dragoons of Quimalol *Dragoons of Grinao *Old Santiago *Bargas *Reina (four squadrons)Second line
Right wing
Commander: Count of Merode (subordinate to the Marquis of Valdecañas) Cavalry squadrons: *''Asturias'' (four squadrons) *''Muerte'' *''Pozoblanco'' (four squadrons) *''Estrella'' *''Lanzarote'' (three squadrons) *''Extremadura'' (three squadrons)Center
Commander: Lieutenant-General Pedro de Zúñiga Infantry battalions: *''Castile'' (one battalion) *''Murcia'' (one battalion) *''Trujillo'' (one battalion) * ''Savoy'' (one battalion) *''Écija'' (one battalion) *''Naples Sea'' (one battalion) *''Extremadura'' (one battalion) *''Toledo'' (one battalion) *''Sicily'' (one battalion) *''Coria'' (one battalion) *''León'' (one battalion) *''Vitoria'' (one battalion) *''Segovia'' (two battalions) *''Naples'' (one battalion)Left wing
Commander: Lieutenant-General Navamorquende (under the Count of Aguilar) Cavalry squadrons: *New Roussillon (four squadrons) *New Granada *''Velasco'' *''Carvajal'' *Cavalry of Raja *Cavalry of Jaén *Old Roussillon (four squadrons)Artillery
Commander: Marquis of Canales (23 pieces)Battle
The battle began during the afternoon, lasting until midnight. Each army had 23 pieces of artillery,Herrero 77–79 deployed in three batteries. The artillery fire began simultaneously, damaging both armies. The Marquis de Valdecañas, commanding the cavalry in the Bourbon right wing (with King Philip), began the attack. Valdecañas sent his cavalry against the allied left wing, composed of German infantry and Portuguese and Spanish cavalry under Imperial General von Frankenberg. The German infantry and Portuguese cavalry tried to stop the Bourbon charge before yielding, and the left wing was destroyed. The Spanish captured the artillery pieces, killing the Anglo-Dutch troops sent to aid the left wing. With the allied left wing defeated, the archduke's infantry advanced toward the Franco-Spanish center and drove back the Bourbon infantry. The Marquis of Toy tried to prevent losses in the center and avoid the division of the army, but most of his men were taken prisoner by the Portuguese. Although the Bourbons in the center were in difficulty, the Count of Aguilar threw his cavalry against the archduke's right wing (commanded by General Starhemberg and comprising the best grenadiers and cavalry squadrons of the allied army). The allies were unable to stop the Count of Aguilar's cavalry. The archduke's right wing was saved from disaster by support from the center, led by the Spanish general Villarroel. Starhemberg regrouped his forces, repulsed the Count of Aguilar's cavalry and charged the Bourbon left wing. After capturing the left-wing cannons, Starhemberg launched his army against the center. The Bourbon center and left wing began to retreat, and the right-wing cavalry pursued the allied left wing. The Count of Aguilar then attacked against the archduke's right wing with his dragoons. Although the German and Portuguese cavalry (under the Count of Atalaya) resisted the first charge, Aguilar's cavalry broke the allied right wing. Valdecañas' cavalry also dealt a severe blow to allied army, and Lt. Gen. Mahony andResult
Although Philip V of Spain and the Archduke Charles both claimed victory, the number of dead and wounded, the weapons abandoned by the allied army, and the strategic consequences in the war confirmed French domination. Starhemberg continued his retreat, harassed by Spanish cavalry. His army was reduced to 6,000 or 7,000 men when he reached Barcelona. The Spanish throne was finally secured for Philip when Charles left Spain in April 1711 to becomeReferences
Sources
*Albi, Julio (1992). ''La Caballería Española: Un Eco de Clarines'' Madrid: Tabapress S.A. * *Frey, Linda and Marsha (1995). ''The Treaties of the War of the Spanish Succession.'' Greenwood Publishing Group. . *Herrero, Mª Dolores (1994). ''La Artilería Española, al pie de los cañones.'' Madrid: Tabapress S.A. Madrid. *Kamen, Henry (2000). ''Felipe V, el Rey que reinó dos veces.'' Madrid: Ediciones Temas de Hoy S.A. Colección: Historia. *General references
*Mckay, Derek 1983). ''The Rise of the Great Powers (1648-1815).'' New York: Longman. . *Stanhope, Philip Henry (1832). ''History of the War of the Succession in Spain.'' London: John Murray. *Symcox, Geoffrey (1973). ''War, Diplomacy, and Imperialism (1618–1763).'' New York: Harper Torchbooks. .External links