The Battle of Ciudad Real was fought on 27 March 1809 and resulted in a French victory under General Sebastiani against the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

under General Conde de Cartojal.

Background

The Spanish campaign in early 1809 started with the Battle of Uclés.

Battle

French 4th Corps (with attached Polish division under general Valance) had to cross the bridge over the

Guadiana The Guadiana River (, also , , ), or Odiana, is an international river defining a long stretch of the Portugal-Spain border, separating Extremadura and Andalusia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). The river's basin extends from the ...

River which was defended by the Spanish corps of Count Urbina Cartaojal. Polish lancers of the Legion of the Vistula under colonel

Jan Konopka Jan Konopka (1777 in Skołodycze near Słonim – 12 December 1814 in Warsaw) was a lieutenant in the Kościuszko Uprising, captain of the Polish Legions in Italy, regiment commander in the Legion of the Vistula, as well as general of the Fre ...

charged through the bridge taking it by surprise, then outflanked Spanish infantry and attacked it from behind as the main French and Polish forces crossed the bridge, and attacked the Spanish front lines. The battle was over when undisciplined Spanish soldiers dispersed, and began to retreat in the direction of Santa Cruz. Józef Rudnicki, adjutant-major of the 4th Infantry Regiment of the Legion, described the battle in his diaries (spelling according to the original): ''"as soon as the French regiments of the 4th Corps met our division, we rushed immediately toward the Consuegra and Ciudad Real, before of which town we found the Spanish corps, waiting for us on good positions. We were outnumbered, but thanks to the rational orders of the general Sebastiani, in some od four hours on 27 March 1809 the Spaniards were defeated and dispersed. They were retreating in chaos toward Almagro, where the

Order of Calatrava The Order of Calatrava ( es, Orden de Calatrava, pt, Ordem de Calatrava) was one of the four Spanish military orders and the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Orde ...

has its home, and toward the

Santa Cruz de Mudela Santa Cruz de Mudela is a municipality of the Spanish Province of Ciudad Real located in the southeastern corner of the autonomous community Castilla–La Mancha. Geography Santa Cruz de Mudela has a Mediterranean–Continental climate that cons ...

, and even further, into the Sierramorena Mountains."''

Results

The Spanish corps lost some 2000 men killed or wounded and many more were taken prisoner. After the battle the count of Cartojal was deprived of command for incompetency, and replaced by general Venegas, hero of the

Spanish War of Independence The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain, ...

, and later the viceroy of New Spain.

Aftermath

The Spanish campaign in early 1809 proceeded with the first Madrid offensive in the Battle of Medellín.

Notes

References

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External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ciudad-Real 1809 Conflicts in 1809 Battles of the Napoleonic Wars Battles in Castilla–La Mancha Battles involving Spain 1809 in Spain 1809 in France March 1809 events History of the province of Ciudad Real