Battle of Ayacucho

Battle of Ayacucho
	Part of the Peruvian War of Independence
	; The Battle of Ayacucho, Antonio Herrera Toro
Date	9 December 1824
Location	Quinua, Huamanga, Peru
Result	Patriot Forces victory; Capitulation of the Royal Army of Peru under command of Viceroy la Serna (siege of the bastions of Chiloé and Callao are extended until 1826); Consolidation of the independence of the Peruvian Republic;
Belligerents
Patriots:; Peru; Gran Colombia	Royalists:; Spanish Empire; Viceroyalty of Peru; Governorate of Chiloé;
Commanders and leaders
Antonio de Sucre; Agustín Gamarra	José la Serna ; José de Canterac
Strength
5,780–8,500	6,906–9,310
Casualties and losses
979 killed and wounded	2,500 killed and wounded ; 2,000–3,000 captured

The Battle of Ayacucho (Spanish: Batalla de Ayacucho, IPA: [baˈtaʎa ðe aʝaˈkutʃo]) was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. This battle secured the independence of Peru and ensured independence for the rest of belligerent South American states. In Peru it is considered the end of the Spanish American wars of independence in this country, although the campaign of Antonio José de Sucre continued through 1825 in Upper Peru and the siege of the fortresses Chiloé and Callao eventually ended in 1826.

At the end of 1824, Royalists still had control of most of the south of Peru as well as of the Real Felipe fortress in the port of Callao. On 9 December 1824, the Battle of Ayacucho (Battle of La Quinua) took place between Royalist and Independentist forces at Pampa de Ayacucho (or Quinua), a few kilometers from Ayacucho, near the town of Quinua. Independentist forces were led by Simón Bolívar's lieutenant Antonio José de Sucre. Viceroy José de la Serna was wounded, and after the battle second commander-in-chief José de Canterac signed the final capitulation of the Royalist army.

The modern Peruvian Army celebrates the anniversary of this battle.