Battle of Alcântara (1580) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Battle of Alcântara

Part of the War of the Portuguese Succession

Engraving of the Battle of Alcântara (1580).

Date	25 August 1580
Location	Alcântara (Lisbon), Portugal
Result	Victory for Philip II

Belligerents

Supporters of António Prior of Crato

Supporters of Philip II

Commanders and leaders

Prior of Crato

Count of Vimioso

Duke of Alba

Sancho d'Avila

Strength

8,000 infantry
500 cavalry
30 guns

13,000 infantry
1,800 cavalry
22 guns

Casualties and losses

4,000 dead or captured

500 dead or wounded

The Battle of Alcântara was a big fight that happened on 25 August 1580. It took place near a small stream called Alcântara, close to Lisbon, Portugal. This battle was a major win for King Philip II of Spain, who was from the House of Habsburg. He defeated Dom António, Prior of Crato, who also wanted to be the King of Portugal.

Why the Battle Happened
- Portugal's Succession Problem
- Dom António's Army
The Battle Itself
What Happened Next
- Dom António's Retreat
- The Iberian Union
Images for kids
See also

Why the Battle Happened

Portugal's Succession Problem

In 1578, the King of Portugal, Sebastian of Portugal, died. He had no children. His great-uncle was very old and also had no children. This created a big problem for Portugal: who would be the next king? This is called a succession crisis.

Many people claimed they should be the new king. One of them was King Philip II of Spain. In June 1580, a large Spanish army invaded Portugal. This army had about 40,000 soldiers. Half of them were hired fighters from Germany and Italy. Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba led this powerful army.

Dom António's Army

Two years before, in 1578, the Portuguese army had suffered a huge loss. This happened at the Battle of Ksar El Kebir. Many Portuguese soldiers and nobles died or were captured.

Dom António, who wanted to be king, did not have much support. Most of the remaining Portuguese nobles and church leaders chose to support Philip II instead. So, Dom António had to gather an army of his own. His army was mostly made up of local farmers and townspeople. He also had about 3,000 African slaves who fought for him. They were promised their freedom if they helped him win.

The Battle Itself

Spanish Advance

The Duke of Alba's Spanish army faced little resistance at first. In July, they landed their troops near Cascais, which is west of Lisbon. By the middle of August, the Duke was only 10 kilometers away from the city.

The Fight at Alcântara

West of the small Alcântara stream, the Spanish army met Dom António's Portuguese forces. Dom António, a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal, had already declared himself King António I. His main helper was Francisco de Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso.

The battle was very intense. It ended with a clear victory for the Spanish army. They won both on land and at sea.

Lisbon Captured

Just two days after the battle, the Duke of Alba took control of Lisbon. On March 25, 1581, Philip of Spain was crowned the new King of Portugal. He became known as Philip I of Portugal.

What Happened Next

Dom António's Retreat

After the defeat, Dom António's army was badly hurt. They tried to escape towards Porto to gather more troops. However, Spanish forces, led by Don Sancho d'Avila, completely destroyed his remaining army in Porto.

By the end of 1580, most of Portugal was under Spanish control. There were two more battles fought over who would rule Portugal. These battles happened in the Azores in 1582 and 1583.

The Iberian Union

Spain and Portugal then became united under one ruler for the next 60 years. This was called a personal union of the crowns. It meant they had the same king, but Portugal still kept its own laws and government. This period, from 1580 to 1640, is known as the Iberian Union.

Battle of Alcântara (1580) facts for kids

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