May 26th, 1644 - The Battle of Montijo

Conflict: Portuguese Restoration War

Combatants: Portuguese vs. Spanish

Location: Spain

Outcome: Portuguese victory

Despite gaining independence from Spanish rule in 1640, Spain would spend nearly thirty years attempting to regain control of Portugal. In 1644, with the support of the British and French thrones, a Portuguese army invaded Spain. On May 26th, General Mathias d'Albuquerque engaged Spanish troops under the command of Phillip IV. The success of this campaign ensured over a decade of peace for Portugal.

Batalha do Montijo Tilework at Military Museum by RickMorais, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0> , via Wikimedia Commons

Points of Interest:

• Spain renewed its aggression toward Portugal in 1656.

• In 1668, King of Charles II of Spain officially recognized Portuguese independence.

Mathias D'Albuquerque by Francisco Pastor Muntó

Phillip IV in Army Dress by Diego Velázquez

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Sources:

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.