siege 4th siege took place july october portuguese restoration war attempt huge portuguese army command governor capture spanish city headquarters fortifications essentially medieval considered vulnerable portuguese attacked times war gathered army advanced city poorly defended spanish troops command duke looked principally survival spanish relief expedition mounted portuguese forces launched direct assault town hoping initially capture key fort days unsuccessful attack portuguese abandoned plan began build wall instead try city plans received boost captured large spanish defensive installation outside fort unable use platform successfully siege lasted months time portuguese troops died mainly plague deserted arrival relief army king philip spain favorite don october lifted siege portuguese commander stripped rank imprisoned failure taking advantage failure invaded portugal besieged main defensive system portugal portuguese army besieged took refuge suffering second catastrophic plague small relief army improvised portuguese inflicted crushing defeat spanish army decisive battle january way portuguese independence granted spanish reached military advantage secondary war background death portugal spanish launched portuguese territory mainly second opened force portuguese divide forces recently reinforced veterans war france commanded duke san german appointed duke general artillery second command laid siege portuguese town soldiers cannons occupied town despite desperate attempt count military governor launching surprise attack spanish town fell spanish hands shortly dismissed command replaced easily managed retake following months spanish garrisons considerably diminished order troops face french armies encouraged successes promised portuguese queen capture town headquarters important spanish fortress near portuguese frontier count suggested offensive north conquer city easier mild climate coast suggested strategically beneficial secure province queen ministers preferred plan given command army consisting infantry cavalry troops train cannons mortars gathered main fortress second command recently appointed general friend enemy court cause friction spanish fortress town time garrisoned infantry cavalry soldiers military governor fortress command army belonged duke san german retreated loss briefly attempted retake infantry led don don cavalry duke artillery don brother new spain defenses town consisted essentially old medieval wall dating period reinforced outbreak war newly built siege preliminary maneuvers portuguese army left fortress july arrived outside following day company cavalry troops commanded confronted near bridge river spanish cavalry party led duke units retreated inflicting losses bloody fight spanish seeking protection walls town arrived shortly main portuguese army artillery large number supply wagons brought seeing strength portuguese army duke san german hastily sent message calling help despite longstanding danger portuguese attack situation spanish force garrison suffered lack ammunition supplies soldiers dressed practically nude civilian population town trained weapon duke san german soldiers civilians work fortifications storing food portuguese proceeded prepare field assault fortress decided war council senior officers attack fort san key point defenses fort built covered river guarding access city quickly strengthened spanish protected duke cavalry widened trenches connected fort san garrison strengthened day strongly defended communication road portuguese assault thoroughly prepared plan portuguese squadrons block entrance bridge fort san fort turn attacked given task cutting communication lines river distracting minor forts nearby cavalry regiments deployed expectation fierce spanish resistance assault costly failure days prolonged action defenders led virtually wiped regiment fire ordered withdrawal attempted portuguese general convinced taking assault changed strategy began town order try completely spanish reinforcing defensive fortifications extensive works mainly built medieval towers outlying forts strengthened aim portuguese works forcing build larger line forts star fort able accommodate infantry built artillery proof portuguese built bridge river united portuguese quarters del allowed troops cross river having reinforced north fortified bridge river built arc del located near river abandoned spanish garrison shortly built portuguese cover construction line tried occupy del hill near del repelled spanish garrison build line given strategic importance del nearby hill improvised star fortification italian general built leaving fort vulnerable instructed count occupy portuguese cavalry dispatched aim passed las easily overran convent small spanish garrison promptly surrendered portuguese began build fort old known located convent fort continued spanish occupation fort preventing completion line capture priority count assisted engineers planned assault fortification june ineffective bombardment gun battery place try breach portuguese cavalry covered ranks ordered attack advance difficult presence fences field portuguese battalions head attack surprised spanish cavalry duke general don followed duke san german spanish order try counter portuguese assault brother irish officer commander fort managed reach fort ordered reinforce vanguard battalions portuguese cavalry sent action general wounded captured spanish counter attack repelled fort finally surrendered bombardment capture fort san allowed portuguese complete works consisted continuous line little forts able garrison soldiers spanish continued strengthening defenses southwestern section wall fortified erected meters gate santa maria significant action took place period ambush near spanish supply convoy sent sorties garrison try portuguese works night attack spanish duke portuguese section cost infantry horses august san german abandoned town cavalry soldiers broke lines near quarter portuguese reaching shortly san german replaced command spanish concentrated efforts defense large garrisoned infantry cavalry portuguese artillery fire del late august news formation relief army spain favorite reached portuguese camp increasing pressure bring siege conclusion unfortunately damage caused bombardment spanish positions minor heat disease portuguese army relief duke las suggested lead relief company philip favourite feared queen austria given government country absence king having military experience offered lead relief army force consisted infantry cavalry little infantry cavalry reach mid october appearance compelled abandon siege buildings del set fire bridge river destroyed portuguese army retreated having lost men killed battle dead disease aftermath spanish relief army arrived entered acclaimed town monarchy portugal queen imprisoned failure capture news setback portuguese arrived northern frontier spanish army commanded governor entered portuguese territory early september defeating portuguese army led battle spanish forces proceeded following months capture portuguese strongholds decided attack portugal advice duke san german advanced portuguese fortress reached spanish army october siege begun fortifications ensure safety scale assault supported heavy guns enabled defenders withstand considerable attack time allow portuguese relief army firstly later count january clock morning portuguese attacked spanish trenches battle initial stages duke spanish generals effort collect troops recover lost ground time portuguese forces managed break lines spanish retreated great loss initial army men infantry men plus horsemen managed reach artillery men firearms correspondence captured portuguese army besieged shortly bringing events region circle failed city signing treaty ended war france recovery portugal main objective
Siege of Badajoz (1658)