Thirty Years' Wars, Portuguese Restoration War, Catalan Revolt, Franco-Spanish Wars: dorkery

dorkery

Thirty Years' Wars, Portuguese Restoration War, Catalan Revolt, Franco-Spanish Wars

May 30, 2010 18:11

This post is basically a huge "Fuck me."

A++.

With regards to the Thirty Years' Wars timeline, I've included whatever I could find regarding Spanish, Austrian (Holy Roman Empire, HRE) and French involvements.

NOT. EASY.

Anyway, all these wars and revolts happened more or less concurrently. Most of the fighting overlapped with the Thirty Years' Wars, but they also extended beyond it. This is what this ridiculous post is for.

Hop down for the combined timeline.

Battle of Rocroi 1643

So important, it deserves its own pages for further reading.

In any case, this is what happened. The battle was an important one not only in the Franco-Spanish War, but also in the Thirty Years' Wars.

Quick and Dirty Thirty Years' Wars Timeline Post-Rocroi

The Battle of Rocroi (May)
Peace negotiations begin across the board even though war is still ongoing
Fighting occurs primarily between France, Sweden and Bavaria

HRE ratifies Preliminary Treaty of Hamburg as a lead-in to the Peace of Westphalia
More fighting between France, Sweden and Bavaria

Transylvania, aided by Sweden, lays siege to Bratislava (Pressburg), contrary to its master Turkey's wishes. Turkey threatens Transylvania and peace is re-established with the HRE
HRE rejects Swedish proposals on religious issues at Westphalia (a recurring theme throughout the negotiations)

Sweden and France makes land demands
Sweden defeats HRE at Jankau
Saxony is neutralized for the rest of the war
French-Swedish Alliance; they turn the HRE flank and advance to Bavaria
HRE concedes Phillipsburg to France
HRE vs France to protect Bavaria

The Treaty of Ulm - Bavaria makes peace Sweden and France
Sweden vs HRE - Sweden takes Eger despite HRE ambush
Neapolitan revolt against the Spanish (October)

Hispano-Dutch Peace, ending the Eighty Years' Wars (January)*
End of the Neapolitan Republic, Naples rejoins Spanish Empire (April)
France inflicts crushing defeat on HRE - Battle of Zusmarhansen (May)
Sweden besieges Prague (July)
Peace of Westphalia finalized (October), with the terms favoring France

Thirty Years' War full timeline

*The independence of the Netherlands was finally recognised by the Treaty of Munster which was signed on the 30 January 1648. The terms of the Treaty stated that the navigation and trade to the East and West Indies should be maintained as indicated by the charters which were granted. All "potentates, nations and peoples" with whom the States-General and the East and West India Companies, within the limits of their charters, were in friendship and alliance, were to be included in the Treaty. The King of Spain and the States-General were respectively to remain "in possession and enjoyment of such lordships, towns, castles, fortresses, commerce and country" in the East and West Indies and Brazil and on the coasts of Africa, Asia and America as they then respectively held and possessed. In this description were specifically included the places which the Portuguese had taken from the States-General since the year 1641, as well as all places which the States-General should subsequently come to conquer and possess, without violating the Treaty.

With reference to the mention of places taken by the Portuguese from the Dutch since 1641, it should be remembered that in that year the Portuguese had severed themselves from the Crown of Spain, and were, at the date of the Treaty of Munster, regarded by the King of Spain as rebels. The object of this provision was that the Dutch should be at liberty to recapture from the Portuguese all places which the latter had acquired at their expense during the Portuguese rebellion.

Quick and Dirty Portuguese Restoration War Timeline

1641 » Stalemate
1644 » Battle of Montijo (May)
1644 » Siege of Elvas (November)

War atrocities occurred on both sides of the conflict as a result of foreign mercenaries and conscripts
Mutual destruction for both forces as a result of a largely defensive war
Rampant corruption on both sides due to dwindling finances
Fought on 3 fronts:
1. Northern front - near Galicia
2. Central front - between Portugal's Alentejo and Spain's Extremadura
3. Southern front - where Portugal's Algarve abuts Spain's Andalusia (a logical target for Portugal, but it was never the focus of a Portuguese attack, probably because the Portuguese queen, Luisa de Guzmán, was the sister of the duke of Medina Sidonia, the leading noble of Andalusia.)

Mainly consisted of skirmishes

Throughout the 1650s, 20,000 Spanish troops were stationed in Extremadura compared to its 27,000 troops in Flanders. 29% (over 6 million ducats) of Spanish defense spending was appropriated for fighting Portugal.
1656, Portugal's João IV dies leaving his wife to be regent » succession crisis and palace coup (1662)
1654, the Dutch are expelled from Brazil and Portugal treats with England

The Portuguese now had some 30,000 troops in the Alentejo-Extremadura theater, but they could not draw the Spanish into a major engagement until June 1665, when a new Spanish commander, the marquis of Caracena, took over Vila Viçosa with about 23,000 men, including recruits from Germany and Italy. The Portuguese relief column under António Luís de Meneses and Schomberg met them at Montes Claros on 17 June 1665. The Portuguese infantry and gun emplacements broke the Spanish cavalry, and the Spanish force lost over 10,000 men, including casualties and prisoners. Shortly thereafter, the Portuguese retook Vila Viçosa. These were the last major engagements of the war.
Both sides returned to skirmishing campaigns. Portugal, with the intercession of its English ally, had sought a truce, but after the Portuguese victory at Montes Claros and with the signing of a Franco-Portuguese treaty in 1667, Spain finally agreed to recognize Portugal's independence on 13 February 1668.

Franco-Portuguese Treaty 1667
Treaty of Lisbon is signed between Portugal and Spain on 13 February 1668. Spain officially recognises Portugal's independence.

The war had its roots in the discomfort generated in Catalan society by the presence of Castilian troops during the wars between France and Spain as part of the Thirty Years' War. Count-Duke Olivares, the chief minister of Philip IV, had been overusing Catalan resources in his wars against France.
Catalan peasants, who were forced to quarter Castilian troops, responded on Corpus Christi day, May 1640, with an uprising known as 'Bloody Corpus' (Catalan Corpus de Sang), under the slogans "Long live the faith of Christ!", "Long live the king of Catalunya, our lord", "Long live the land, death to bad government". This 'Bloody Corpus' which began with the death of a segador, a reaper, and led to the somewhat mysterious death of Dalmau de Queralt, the Count of Santa Coloma and Spanish viceroy of Catalonia, marked the beginning of the conflict. The irregular militia involved were known as 'Miquelets'.
Pau Claris, head of the Generalitat of Catalonia, turned the social unrest of the Catalans into a political cause and proclaimed a Catalan Republic.
The Generalitat obtained an important military victory in the Battle of Montjuïc (January 26, 1641). A little later, the death of Pau Claris created a difficult local and international situation, which resulted in the proclamation of Louis XIII of France as sovereign count of Barcelona as Lluís I de Barcelona. For the next decade the Catalans and French fought as allies, until in 1652 a Spanish offensive captured Barcelona bringing the Catalan capital under Spanish control again. Irregular resistance continued for several years afterwards, but the successful siege of Barcelona marked the end of major fighting.

May 1640 - Bloody Corpus uprising
- The war had its roots in the discomfort generated in Catalan society by the presence of Castilian troops during the wars between France and Spain. Spain overused Catalonian resources and Catalan peasants were forced to quarter Castilian troops.
- On Corpus Christi Day, the peasants staged a rebellion. It took Spain by surprise as most of the armies were fighting far away from Catalonia.
- Pau Claris, head of the Generalitat of Catalonia, turned the social unrest of the Catalans into a political cause and proclaimed a Catalan Republic.
Jan 1641 - Battle of Montjuïc, won by the Catalans. Upon Pau Claris' death, Louis XIII of France is proclaimed sovereign count of Barcelona and Catalonia allies with France for a decade.
1652 - A Spanish offensive captures Barcelona, bringing the Catalan capital under Spanish control again. Irregular resistance continued for several years afterwards, but the successful siege of Barcelona marked the end of major fighting.
In 1659 the French authorities renounced Catalonia, but held control of Roussillon, thereby leading to the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.

Battle of Orbitello
- Main naval engagement, on the coast of Tuscany, Italy.
- After a hard but inconclusive fight during which Admiral Brézé was killed, the French fleet withdrew to Toulon leaving the sea to the Spanish, who decided not to pursue them to relief Orbitello. The land forces disembarked by Count of Linhares few days later, along with another Spanish army led by Marquis of Torrecusa which had come from the Kingdom of Naples across the Papal States, defeated the besieging troops forcing them to retreat with heavy losses.
- In short: Spanish victory, French withdrawal, Ortibello relieved.

Battle of Lens
- The French army was 16,000 men (more than half were cavalry) and 18 guns. The Spanish army was larger, comprising 18,000 men (also more than half cavalry) and 38 guns. The armies drew up, but the Spanish were on high ground and Condé decided not to attack. As the French retired, the Spanish cavalry skirmished with the French rear guard and the engagement escalated until the armies were fully engaged. The Spanish infantry pushed back the French, breaking the Gardes Françaises regiment, but the superior French cavalry were able to defeat their counterparts and envelop the center.
- French victory

Battle of Arras
- French victory

Battle of Valenciennes
- On the night of 15 July just as the fortress was about to surrender, the Spanish army arrived consisting of 81 squadrons of cavalry and 27 infantry. Don Juan's army dug in about a league from the enemy, preparing to launch an offensive. Four attacks were organised:
  1. The Spanish and Irish infantry commanded by Juan José de Austria and the Marquis of Caracena.
  2. The nations under the command of the Prince of Ligne, the General leading the cavalry.
  3. Conde's troops including himself and the Duke of Wuttenberg.
  4. The new army which would be led by the Count of Marsin.
- Condé came down on Marshal's section with such vigour it surprised and destroyed the French resistance. Don Juan José de Austria stood out due to his brave action, unleashing his might on the French quarters. Turenne then repelled a false attack from the Spanish on his quarters, and went to the aid of Ferte but it was in vain, so he felt obliged to retreat as far as Quesnoy, where he reorganised his forces.
- The victory at Valenciennes contributed greatly to lifting the moral of the Spanish Tercios, producing in Europe «one of those thunderous achievements that Spain came up with in better days», bearing in mind the superiority in numbers of the French. (The French had 5,000 more than the Spanish)
- It was one of the last great Spanish victories of the XVII century, and one of only a very few defeats that Vicomte de Turenne, the French Marshal actually suffered.
- Tactical Spanish victory

Battle of the Dunes
- France allied with England the United Provinces (i.e. Dutch Republic)
- The 18,000 French supported by 3,000 troops from the English Commonwealth besieged Dunkirk's garrison of about 3,000 in May 1658.
- A Spanish army of about 15,000 men was divided in 2 corps, the Spanish Army of Flanders on the right and the small corps of French rebels, of the Fronde, on the left under the command of Condé. The Spanish corps included a force of 2,000 English/Irish Royalists - formed as the nucleus of potential army for the invasion of England by Charles II, with Charles' brother James, Duke of York, amongst its commanders - was sent to relieve the town.
- Allied victory, Spanish defeat

Treaty of Pyrennes
- France gained the territory of Roussillon and territories along its border with the Spanish Netherlands. In return, France agreed to end its support for the breakaway kingdom of Portugal in the Portuguese Restoration War.

The Battle of Rocroi (May)
Peace negotiations begin across the board even though war is still ongoing
Fighting occurs primarily between France, Sweden and Bavaria

HRE ratifies Preliminary Treaty of Hamburg as a lead-in to the Peace of Westphalia
Battle of Montijo (May) [PRW]
More fighting between France, Sweden and Bavaria

Transylvania, aided by Sweden, lays siege to Bratislava (Pressburg), contrary to its master Turkey's wishes. Turkey threatens Transylvania and peace is re-established with the HRE
HRE rejects Swedish proposals on religious issues at Westphalia (a recurring theme throughout the negotiations)

Battle of Orbitello [FSW]
Sweden and France makes land demands
Sweden defeats HRE at Jankau
Saxony is neutralized for the rest of the war
French-Swedish Alliance; they turn the HRE flank and advance to Bavaria
HRE concedes Phillipsburg to France
HRE vs France to protect Bavaria

The Treaty of Ulm - Bavaria makes peace Sweden and France
Sweden vs HRE - Sweden takes Eger despite HRE ambush
Neapolitan revolt against the Spanish (October)

Hispano-Dutch Peace, ending the Eighty Years' Wars (January)
End of the Neapolitan Republic, Naples rejoins Spanish Empire (April)
France inflicts crushing defeat on HRE - Battle of Zusmarhansen (May)
Sweden besieges Prague (July)
Battle of Lens (August) [FSW]
Peace of Westphalia finalized (October), with the terms favoring France

Spain recaptures Barcelona, ending major fighting in the Catalan Revolt

Battle of Arras [FSW]

Battle of Valenciennes [FSW]

Battle of the Dunes [FSW]

Battle of the Lines of Elvas (January) [PRW]
Treaty of Pyrennes, ending Franco-Spanish War and Catalan Revolt

Battle of Ameixial (June) [PRW]

Battle of Castelo Rodrigo (July) [PRW]

Battle of Montes Claros (June) [PRW]

Franco-Portuguese Treaty

Treaty of Lisbon declaring Portuguese independence (Feb)
War of Devolution (May)
- With the Treaty, King Philip IV of Spain (1605-1665) had to cede certain territories, and also had to consent to the marriage of his daughter Maria Theresa of Spain (1638-1683) to the young Louis XIV of France (1638-1715). Furthermore, it was agreed that with this marriage, Maria Theresa explicitly renounced all rights to her father's inheritance. As compensation, a dowry of 500 000 gold écus was promised to the Bourbon Louis XIV; this was not paid, however.
  
  When Philip IV died on 17 September 1665, the French king immediately laid claim to parts of the Spanish Netherlands: the Duchies of Brabant and Limburg, Cambrai, the marquessate of Antwerpen, the Lordship of Mechelen, Guelders, the counties of Namur, Artois and Hainaut, a third of the County of Burgundy and a quarter of the Duchy of Luxembourg. Louis XIV justified this with the fact that the promised dowry had not been paid and that the Queen's renunciation of her inheritance was therefore invalid.

Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ending War of Devolution and more or less restoring the status quo of France and Spain

Demographics
- The Army was a multinational force, drawn primarily from the various Catholic possessions of the Hapbburgs. There was a clear contemporary hierarchy as to the value of different soldiers; Spanish soldiers were the considered the best; then Italians, followed by English, Irish and Burgundian troops; then Germans, then finally local Walloons. It has been argued that the Germans in fact performed much better than they were given credit for by contemporary commanders. Despite their value on the field, Spanish troops in the Army were particularly unpopular with the local people, and at two key moments were sent out of the Netherlands to assuage local opinion.

Structure
- The Army of Flanders had been built upon the concept of the Spanish tercio, a pike-heavy infantry formation that well suited the nature of warfare in the Netherlands. The large areas of flat ground, the platteland, was criss-crossed by rivers and drainage channels, dotted by numerous towns and cities well placed to dominate the surrounding landscape, increasingly defended with polygonal fortifications. Siege warfare, rather than set-piece battles, dominated the Eighty Years' War, especially in the 16th century. Away from the major sieges, the war took on an almost guerilla style of small engagements and skirmishes, with much of both the Army of Flanders and the Dutch forces dispersed across the countryside.
- In the 1600s, the conflict gradually changed, as the Spanish-Dutch borders became smaller and more secure and the number of sieges slowly reduced. The Army of Flanders gradually changed in response to these developments in warfare. The Spanish experiences fighting the Swedish, with their more flexible, firepower-oriented tactics of open battle, resulted in a decision to alter the balance of the Flanders tercios in 1634. A new ratio of 75% musketeers to 25% pike was decided on; this delivered more firepower, but was weaker in defending against cavalry, as was demonstrated at Rocroi (1643).

Behaviour
- On campaign, the Army of Flanders were considered highly disciplined in the field, being cohesive, with good support facilities. When necessary, they could achieve significant military feats, such as their building of a bridge over the Seine to escape pursuit in 1592. By contrast, even by early modern standards the Army was considered very ill-disciplined off the field, as illustrated by a colloquial Spanish phrase in response to unruly behaviour which came rhetorically to question whether the person believed they were serving in Flanders.
- The Army of Flanders had become particularly well known for its frequent mutinies, especially during the 1570s. These mutinies, or alteraciones, stemmed from the mismatch between Spain's strategic military ambitions and her fiscal means. Spain was the only European power to be able to project military force on the scale and distance of the Army of Flanders; backed by gold and especially silver from her American colonies, Spain had huge funds available. In practice, however, the costs of such a large military force outstripped even Spain's ability to pay for it. In 1568, the defence costs for the army in Flanders amounted to 1,873,000 florins a year. By 1574, the enlarged army was costing 1,200,000 florins a month. Even with increased taxation, the Low Countries could not hope to support such a force, but funds from Castile were limited - only 300,000 florins arrived each month at the time from Spain. This underlying fiscal tension was only just manageable in normal years; in years like 1575, when King Phillip II was forced to default on his loans yet again, there was simply no money available to pay the Army of Flanders. Mutinies usually ensued - ultimately the Army of Flanders mutinied 45 times between 1572 and 1609, with the mutinies coming to have a formal character and process of their own.
- Broadly speaking, these mutinies resulted in three problems. First, the mutinies were unpredictable and frightening events for any military leader to deal with. Second, they encouraged the troops to live off the locals, extracting 'free lodgings, and encouraging theft and plunder, which drastically reduced local support for the Spanish cause. Third, the pauses in the campaigns caused by the mutinies allowed the Dutch to recover lost ground each time during the Eighty Years' Wars.

Performance
- During the opening campaigns of the Thirty Years' War, the Army of Flanders played an important role for the Imperial factions as a mobile field army and were extremely successful as they stormed across Europe. Unfortunately, Spanish advantage would be undercut by the new Franco-Dutch alliance that threatened to engulf the Spanish Netherlands in a pincer movement between her two enemies. With the French entry into the war in 1636, the Army of Flanders initially made a good showing, counter-attacking and threatening Paris in 1636. Over the next few years, however, France's military strength continued to grow and the earlier successes of the Army would be overshadowed by their defeat at the Battle of Rocroi in 1643. The French commander, Louis, duc d'Enghien, attempted to negotiate terms for surrender for the remaining Spanish infantry, but a misunderstanding led to the French troops attacking the Spanish forces with no quarter being given. Of the 18,000 strong Spanish army, 7,000 prisoners were taken and 8,000 killed, with the majority of these losses being the much prized Spanish soldiers. The destruction of so much of the Army had immediate strategic ramifications. Spain could no longer continue its planned advance on Paris, and within five weeks had begun to make the first moves towards a negotiations that would culminate in the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.
- After the end of the Thirty Years War, a financially constrained Spanish government steadily reduced the size of the Army of Flanders; this trend continued after the end of the Franco-Spanish war that continued after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Battle of the Dunes in 1658, resulting in a defeat for the Army of Flanders at the hands of the French, produced a renewed peace.

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