Carlos de España, 1st Conde de España (15 August 1775 – 1839), also known as Charles d'Espagnac or, from 1817, Carlos d'Espagne,. Losada, Juan Carlos

''

El País (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. It is the second-most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . is the most read newspaper in ...

''. Retrieved 16 September 2013. was a French-born Spanish general who saw distinguished service in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

, and as governor of Barcelona, was an opponent of Spanish liberals. In his letters and dispatches, Wellington refers to him as Carlos de España.

Early career

Peninsular War

He fought at the

Battle of the Gebora The Battle of the Gebora took place during the Peninsular War between Enlightenment Spain, Spanish and First French Empire, French armies on 19 February 1811, northwest of Badajoz, Spain. An outnumbered French force routed and nearly destroye ...

, and was wounded fighting under the orders of General Beresford at the

Battle of Albuera The Battle of Albuera (16 May 1811) was a battle during the Peninsular War. A mixed British, Spanish and Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French armée du Midi (Army of the South) at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about sou ...

.. Bullón de Mendoza y Gómez de Valugera, Alfonso
"Carlos de España".

Real Academia de la Historia The Royal Academy of History (, RAH) is a Spanish institution in Madrid that studies history "ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, scientific, of letters and arts, that is to say, the different branches of life, of c ...

. Retrieved 6 May 2023. Following that battle, he was promoted to field marshal. On 1 June 1811, and now a brigadier general, Carlos de España's 1st Division, part of General Francisco Javier Castaños's 5th Army, or Army of Estremadura, numbered 3,476 men present under arms. Oman, Charles (1911)
''A History of the Peninsular War'', Vol. IV, p. 637.
''Project Gutenberg''. Retrieved 6 May 2023. In March 1812, he was wounded again at the Siege of Badajoz, fighting under the orders of the then Earl of Wellington, under whose orders he also fought at

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

. At this battle however, Wellington's decisive victory over Marshal Marmont's army was tainted by Carlos de España having withdrawn, without orders and without informing Wellington, his detachment from the bridge at Alba de Tormes, thereby providing the retreating French troops with an escape route, which Wellington had counted on being blocked. Oman, Charles (1914)
''A History of the Peninsular War'', Vol. V, pp. 414–415.
''Project Gutenberg''. Retrieved 6 May 2023. Following Salamanca, Wellington appointed him governor of Madrid, city he was ordered to abandon, along with

Hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as Mountain, mountains. Hills ...

's troops, on Wellington's orders, just hours before the French advance cavalry entered the city again the following 1 November. He was again wounded at the Siege of Pamplona in 1813. He saw further action at the

Battle of Bayonne The Battle of Bayonne (14 April 1814), the last major battle of the Peninsular War, ensued when the French garrison of Bayonne led by General of Division Pierre Thouvenot launched a sortie against a besieging force of British, Portuguese, and ...

and at

Vitoria Vitoria or Vitória may refer to: People * Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546), a Spanish Renaissance theologian * Alberto Vitoria (1956–2010), Spanish footballer * Rui Vitória (born 1970), Portuguese retired footballer * Sofia Vitória ( ...

, where he was again wounded.Álvaro Garrido, José Antonio ''et al''. (2008)
''Rincones de historia española: Episodios históricos, fabulosos y desconocidos a través de los siglos'', p. 103. EDAF.
''Google Books''. Retrieved 16 September 2013.

Post-war career

He was murdered by Catalan

Carlists Carlism (; ; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty, one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855), on the Spanish throne. The ...

while crossing a bridge over the river Segre, near Organya, and his body was thrown into the river with a stone around his neck.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Espana, Charles de 1775 births 1839 deaths French emigrants to Spain Spanish generals Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars People murdered in Spain Spanish murder victims