The siege of Fuenterrabía of 1638 took place in June – September 1638, between Spain and France during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...

and the

Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659) Franco-Spanish War may refer to any war between France and Spain, including: {{disambig France–Spain military relations ...

. The French army commanded by Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, Bernard de La Valette, Duke d'Épernon and Henri d'Escoubleau de Sourdis composed of 27,000 men and several warships besieged the city for two months, firing 16,000 shells into the walled city, leaving only 300 survivors, most of them women and children. The city was virtually destroyed, but nevertheless did not surrender. On 7 September, the Spanish army led by Juan Alfonso Enríquez de Cabrera, 9th Admiral of Castile, relieved the city and defeated the French forces. The raising of the siege is celebrated annually on 8 September in a parade, known as ''Alarde''. After the French disaster of Fuenterrabía (Hondarribia), Henri d'Escoubleau de Sourdis attempted to blame the defeat on Bernard de La Valette, Duke d'Épernon, who had refused to lead the attack, believing that it would fail. For the successful resistance, the city received the title of ''«Muy noble, muy leal, muy valerosa y muy siempre fiel».''

References

* *Geoffrey Parker, ''Spain and the War, The Thirty Years' War'' London Routledge (1984).
Hondarribia: El Sitio de 1638. ''Auñamendi Entziklopedia''

Notes

External links

Las fortificaciones de Fuenterrabía ante el Sitio de 1638.
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Clave historial con que se abre la puerta a la historia eclesiástica y política, 1742.
Official Website
Information available in Spanish language, Spanish,

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous c ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Siege Of Fuenterrabia (1638)

Fuenterrabía Hondarribia ( eu, Hondarribia; es, Fuenterrabía; french: Fontarrabie) is a town situated on the west shore of Bidasoa river's mouth, in Gipuzkoa, in Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain. The border town is situated on a ...

Fuenterrabia (1638) Fuenterrabia (1638)

1638 in Spain