Battle of Villaviciosa
| Battle of Villaviciosa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
Vendôme (left) presents the standards to Philip V of Spain (right) at Villaviciosa by Jean Alaux. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
Bourbon Spain France |
Austria Habsburg Spain Dutch Republic Portugal Great Britain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Philip V Duke of Vendôme Count of Aguilar Marquis of Valdecañas |
Guido Starhemberg Antoni de Villarroel Count of Atalaia | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 20,000 | 14,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2,000–3,000 dead or wounded |
5,000–6,000 dead or wounded 3,000 captured | ||||||
The Battle of Villaviciosa (11 December 1710) was a battle between a Franco-Spanish army led by Louis Joseph, Duke of Vendôme and Philip V of Spain and a Grand Alliance army commanded by Austrian General Guido Starhemberg. The battle took place during the War of the Spanish Succession, one day after a Vendôme's army overran a smaller British force under James Stanhope at Brihuega. Both Philip V of Spain and the Archduke Charles of Austria claimed victory, but the number of dead and wounded, the number of artillery and other weapons abandoned by the Allied army and the battle's strategic consequences for the war confirmed victory for Philip.
The battle was largely determined by the Spanish dragoons commanded by the Marquis of Valdecañas and the Count of Aguilar, which far exceeded the opposing forces. The Austrian forces retreated, pursued by Spanish cavalry, and the allied army was reduced to 6,000 or 7,000 men when it reached Barcelona (one of the few places in Spain still recognizing Charles' authority) on 6 January.