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I'm sick because I see that some people make fun about the spanish military history and that's because spanish defeats like the Spanish Armada (the one time that when our navy lost and all the world know it) have been exagerated, so to equilibrate the balance I'll present you a fey Spanish Victories
The Battle of Cerignola
In 1503 France and Spain were fighting for the Kingdom of Naples.
The count of Guisa comanded 9500 french soldiers with 26 pieces of artillery, against him Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, "The Great Captain" commanded 9000 spaniards and 13 pieces of artillery. The battle lasted 1 hour, the french suffered 4000 deaths, the spaniards only 100, Guisa died and the Kingdom of Naples is for Spain
The Battle of Biocca in 1522
Franco-Swiss Army: 19000 men
Spanish Army: 18000 men
French-Siwss losses: 3000 swiss pikemans killed
Spanish losses: 1 spanish soldier kicked by a mule
The Battle of Pavia
In 1525 France and Spain were again in war and a French army of 39000 men with 53 cannons commanded by Francis I of France invaded the north of Italy and Sieged Pavia defended by 6000 Spaniards under the command of Antonio de Leyva, then Fernando the Avalos arrived with an army of 24300 Spanish, German and Italian soldiers to rescue the city.
At the end of the battle 8000 French soldiers and 5000 German mercenaries were killed, the Spanish-Imperial only suffered 1500 losses.
The king Francis I of France was captured and it was imprisioned in Spain for one year
Carlos, Rey Emperador - Francisco I es apresado en Pavía
More Spanish victories against France in the 16 century are the Battle of St Quintin 1557 and the Battle of Gravelines 1558, when Philip II of Spain ordered to the Spanish army an invasion of France, the French lost and Henry II of France surrendered to Philip II of Spiain
The Battle of Glemboux in 1578
Spain: 17000 men
Dutch rebels: 25000 men
Spanish losses: 20 men dead and wounded
Dutch losses: 10000 men dead, wounded and captured
The English Armada 1589
Ok all people know about the Spanish Armada 1588 however the Counter-Armada is really unknown
In 1589 England wanted to give a final strike to Spain, and to do that prepared a fleet of 24000 English soldiers in more than 150 ships (bigger than the Spanish Armada), the fleet landed in A Coruna and here the English Standard bearer was killed by the heroine Maria Pita and the English ran away from A Coruna. The English also atacked Lisbon to separate Portugal from Spain (United since 1580) but they completely failed too. English looses: 15000 men dead or captured,40 ships sunk or captured
Islands Voyage 1597
Elisabeth I of England wanted to capture the Spanish treasure fleet and atack the Azores Islands, and to do that, she sent an expedition of 20000 Anglo-Dutch men in 120-150 ships, the expedition ended in a completely failure and with huge naval and economic losses for England.
The Naval Battle of Cape Celidonia 1616
Spain: 5 galleons and 1 patache, 1600 men
Othoman Empire: 55 galleys, 12000 soldiers
Spanish losses: 34 killed, 94 wounded, no ship lost
Othoman losses 10 galleys sunk, 23 galleys damaged, 3200 killed
The Naval Battle of Cape Corvo 1619
Spain: 8 galleys
Othoman Empire: 10 galleys
Spanish losses: 6 killed, 30 wounded, no ship lost
Othoman losses: 7 galleys captured, 400 killed, 600 prisioners,1200 slaves freed
The Siege of Breda 1624-1625
In 1590 the Dutch rebels captured Breda one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, also from Breda it can be controled the land acces to the rebel province Zeeland. For the reconquest of Breda, Ambrosio Spinola sieged Breda in August of 1624 with an army of almost 40000 men, 10 months later Breda surrendered
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Velazquez-The_Surrender_of_Breda.jpg
The Battle of Nordlingen 1634, great victory over Sweden
Battle of La Gudiña 1709, outnumbered victory over an anglo-portuguese arny that neutralized the treat in the portuguese fronter during the War of the Spanish Succesion
Battle of Cartagena de Indias 1741, greatest defeat of the Royal Navy and the British Army
Spain: 3000 men (2400 spaniards, 600 native americans) and 6 ships
Britain: 27000 men, almost 200 ships and 2700 pieces of artillery
Spanish losses: 800 dead and wounded
British losses: 18000 British died more than 50 ships lost and 4000 wonded
Melilla siege 1774
Spaniards Forces: 5.000 Spaniards
British and Morocco forces: 40.000 moors supplied by England and British artillerymen
Result: Spaniards resisted 100 days the attack until Melilla was relieved. After this defeat the Sultain supplicated the Spanish king for peace
Battle of the Cape of Santa Maria 1780 the greatest capture over the British
Spanish and French forces:
27 Spanish ships of the line
4 Spanish frigates
2 Spanish lesser vessels
9 French ships of the line
1 French frigate
British forces:
36 frigates
10 bergantine ships
6 packet-boats
Total: 55 vessels
1350 sailors
1357 infantry officials and soldiers
286 civilians
80.000 muskets
294 cannons
3.000 gunpowder barrels
Equipment, provisions, clothes, uniforms, etc. for many infantry regiments in America.
1.000.000 of pounds in gold.
Spanish loses: none.
British losses: Everybody and everything captured with almost no resistance (the British surrendered soon) except for 3 ships (where the British admiral fled).
The greater logistic disaster for the Royal Navy in their whole history. Also a financial disaster and great economic losses.
Battle of Pensacola 1781, really important victory of the American Revolution, Bernardo de Galvez the Spanish commander of that battle paradated with Washington in the 4 of July, he is an honorary US citizen
British Atack to Tenerife 1797, Nelson worst defeat
4000 British soldiers in 10 ships comanded by Horatio Nelson, attacked Santa Cruz de Tenerife defended by 1700 Spaniards.
The Spaniards defeated the British and Nelson lost an arm (this battle was the worst memory of Nelson)
English losses: 200 dead 300 prisioners, 123 wounded
The English withdrew 3 days after having initiated the attack
Battle of Bailen 1808
First defeat of the French Imperial Army in land, 18000 french soldiers prisioners
Battle of El Caney 1898
Spain: 550 men
United States of America: 6700 men, 4 guns and 4 machine guns
Spanish losses: 470
US losses: 1519
Also the Americans were impresed of the corauge of the Spaniards, The American general Herbert Howland said that:
"The valor of the Spaniards is magnificent, while the pomegranates exploded over the village or exploded against the stone fort, while the hail of lead swept through the trenches seeking every loincloth, every crevice, every corner, the soldiers of that incomparable Vara de Rey, quietly and deliberately, continued for hours in their trenches, unloading after discharge against the American attackers, their numbers decreasing and decreasing, their trenches were full of dead and wounded, but with a determination and a value beyond Of all compliment, resisted the attacks and, for 8 hours, kept at bay more than 10 times their number, of American troops as brave as never toured a battlefield ... "
Battle of Krasny Bor 1943
The Blue Division (Spanish volunteers): 4500 men
URRS: 44000 soldiers, 100 tanks, 800 guns of 187 mm , 2 bateries of mortars, Katyusha battery of 156 mm
Spanish losses: 1127 killed, 1135 wounded, 300 prisioners, 90 men dissapeared
Soviet losses: 11000 killed, 5000 wounded
Well thats it, I hope you enjoyed it
The Battle of Cerignola
In 1503 France and Spain were fighting for the Kingdom of Naples.
The count of Guisa comanded 9500 french soldiers with 26 pieces of artillery, against him Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, "The Great Captain" commanded 9000 spaniards and 13 pieces of artillery. The battle lasted 1 hour, the french suffered 4000 deaths, the spaniards only 100, Guisa died and the Kingdom of Naples is for Spain
The Battle of Biocca in 1522
Franco-Swiss Army: 19000 men
Spanish Army: 18000 men
French-Siwss losses: 3000 swiss pikemans killed
Spanish losses: 1 spanish soldier kicked by a mule
The Battle of Pavia
In 1525 France and Spain were again in war and a French army of 39000 men with 53 cannons commanded by Francis I of France invaded the north of Italy and Sieged Pavia defended by 6000 Spaniards under the command of Antonio de Leyva, then Fernando the Avalos arrived with an army of 24300 Spanish, German and Italian soldiers to rescue the city.
At the end of the battle 8000 French soldiers and 5000 German mercenaries were killed, the Spanish-Imperial only suffered 1500 losses.
The king Francis I of France was captured and it was imprisioned in Spain for one year
Carlos, Rey Emperador - Francisco I es apresado en Pavía
More Spanish victories against France in the 16 century are the Battle of St Quintin 1557 and the Battle of Gravelines 1558, when Philip II of Spain ordered to the Spanish army an invasion of France, the French lost and Henry II of France surrendered to Philip II of Spiain
The Battle of Glemboux in 1578
Spain: 17000 men
Dutch rebels: 25000 men
Spanish losses: 20 men dead and wounded
Dutch losses: 10000 men dead, wounded and captured
The English Armada 1589
Ok all people know about the Spanish Armada 1588 however the Counter-Armada is really unknown
In 1589 England wanted to give a final strike to Spain, and to do that prepared a fleet of 24000 English soldiers in more than 150 ships (bigger than the Spanish Armada), the fleet landed in A Coruna and here the English Standard bearer was killed by the heroine Maria Pita and the English ran away from A Coruna. The English also atacked Lisbon to separate Portugal from Spain (United since 1580) but they completely failed too. English looses: 15000 men dead or captured,40 ships sunk or captured
Islands Voyage 1597
Elisabeth I of England wanted to capture the Spanish treasure fleet and atack the Azores Islands, and to do that, she sent an expedition of 20000 Anglo-Dutch men in 120-150 ships, the expedition ended in a completely failure and with huge naval and economic losses for England.
The Naval Battle of Cape Celidonia 1616
Spain: 5 galleons and 1 patache, 1600 men
Othoman Empire: 55 galleys, 12000 soldiers
Spanish losses: 34 killed, 94 wounded, no ship lost
Othoman losses 10 galleys sunk, 23 galleys damaged, 3200 killed
The Naval Battle of Cape Corvo 1619
Spain: 8 galleys
Othoman Empire: 10 galleys
Spanish losses: 6 killed, 30 wounded, no ship lost
Othoman losses: 7 galleys captured, 400 killed, 600 prisioners,1200 slaves freed
The Siege of Breda 1624-1625
In 1590 the Dutch rebels captured Breda one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, also from Breda it can be controled the land acces to the rebel province Zeeland. For the reconquest of Breda, Ambrosio Spinola sieged Breda in August of 1624 with an army of almost 40000 men, 10 months later Breda surrendered
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Velazquez-The_Surrender_of_Breda.jpg
The Battle of Nordlingen 1634, great victory over Sweden
Battle of La Gudiña 1709, outnumbered victory over an anglo-portuguese arny that neutralized the treat in the portuguese fronter during the War of the Spanish Succesion
Battle of Cartagena de Indias 1741, greatest defeat of the Royal Navy and the British Army
Spain: 3000 men (2400 spaniards, 600 native americans) and 6 ships
Britain: 27000 men, almost 200 ships and 2700 pieces of artillery
Spanish losses: 800 dead and wounded
British losses: 18000 British died more than 50 ships lost and 4000 wonded
Melilla siege 1774
Spaniards Forces: 5.000 Spaniards
British and Morocco forces: 40.000 moors supplied by England and British artillerymen
Result: Spaniards resisted 100 days the attack until Melilla was relieved. After this defeat the Sultain supplicated the Spanish king for peace
Battle of the Cape of Santa Maria 1780 the greatest capture over the British
Spanish and French forces:
27 Spanish ships of the line
4 Spanish frigates
2 Spanish lesser vessels
9 French ships of the line
1 French frigate
British forces:
36 frigates
10 bergantine ships
6 packet-boats
Total: 55 vessels
1350 sailors
1357 infantry officials and soldiers
286 civilians
80.000 muskets
294 cannons
3.000 gunpowder barrels
Equipment, provisions, clothes, uniforms, etc. for many infantry regiments in America.
1.000.000 of pounds in gold.
Spanish loses: none.
British losses: Everybody and everything captured with almost no resistance (the British surrendered soon) except for 3 ships (where the British admiral fled).
The greater logistic disaster for the Royal Navy in their whole history. Also a financial disaster and great economic losses.
Battle of Pensacola 1781, really important victory of the American Revolution, Bernardo de Galvez the Spanish commander of that battle paradated with Washington in the 4 of July, he is an honorary US citizen
British Atack to Tenerife 1797, Nelson worst defeat
4000 British soldiers in 10 ships comanded by Horatio Nelson, attacked Santa Cruz de Tenerife defended by 1700 Spaniards.
The Spaniards defeated the British and Nelson lost an arm (this battle was the worst memory of Nelson)
English losses: 200 dead 300 prisioners, 123 wounded
The English withdrew 3 days after having initiated the attack
Battle of Bailen 1808
First defeat of the French Imperial Army in land, 18000 french soldiers prisioners
Battle of El Caney 1898
Spain: 550 men
United States of America: 6700 men, 4 guns and 4 machine guns
Spanish losses: 470
US losses: 1519
Also the Americans were impresed of the corauge of the Spaniards, The American general Herbert Howland said that:
"The valor of the Spaniards is magnificent, while the pomegranates exploded over the village or exploded against the stone fort, while the hail of lead swept through the trenches seeking every loincloth, every crevice, every corner, the soldiers of that incomparable Vara de Rey, quietly and deliberately, continued for hours in their trenches, unloading after discharge against the American attackers, their numbers decreasing and decreasing, their trenches were full of dead and wounded, but with a determination and a value beyond Of all compliment, resisted the attacks and, for 8 hours, kept at bay more than 10 times their number, of American troops as brave as never toured a battlefield ... "
Battle of Krasny Bor 1943
The Blue Division (Spanish volunteers): 4500 men
URRS: 44000 soldiers, 100 tanks, 800 guns of 187 mm , 2 bateries of mortars, Katyusha battery of 156 mm
Spanish losses: 1127 killed, 1135 wounded, 300 prisioners, 90 men dissapeared
Soviet losses: 11000 killed, 5000 wounded
Well thats it, I hope you enjoyed it
