Battle of Artaza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Artaza
Part of First Carlist War
The Battle of Artaza
Date 20–22 April 1835 Location Artaza (Améscoa Baja), Navarre, Spain Result Carlist victory
Belligerents
Carlists supporting Infante Carlos of Spain	Liberals (Isabelinos or Cristinos) supporting Isabella II of Spain and her regent mother Maria Christina
Commanders and leaders
Tomás de Zumalacárregui	Jerónimo Valdés
Strength
5,000	22,000

The Battle of Artaza was an important fight that happened from April 20 to 22, 1835. It took place during the First Carlist War, a big conflict in Spain. This battle showed how a smaller, clever army could win against a much larger one.

What Was the First Carlist War?

The First Carlist War (1833-1840) was a civil war in Spain. It was fought between two main groups:

• The Carlists: These were people who supported Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. He was the brother of the previous king, Ferdinand VII. The Carlists believed that Carlos should be the next king because, by old Spanish law, women could not rule. They wanted to keep traditional ways of life.
• The Liberals (also called Isabelinos or Cristinos): These people supported Isabella II of Spain. She was the daughter of King Ferdinand VII. Her mother, Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, ruled for her because Isabella was too young. The Liberals wanted more modern ideas for Spain, like a government with a constitution.

This war was a fight over who should rule Spain and what kind of government the country should have.

The Battle Begins

The battle happened in a place called Las Amescoas in Navarre, Spain. Jerónimo Valdés, who was the Minister of War for the Liberals, arrived with a huge army of 22,000 soldiers. His goal was to completely defeat the Carlist forces once and for all.

The Carlist leader was Tomás de Zumalacárregui. He had a much smaller army, only about 5,000 men. Even though he had fewer soldiers, Zumalacárregui had two big advantages:

• He knew the local area very well.
• He was an expert in guerrilla tactics.

Guerrilla Tactics

Guerrilla tactics are a type of warfare where a smaller group uses surprise attacks and ambushes. They avoid big, open battles. Instead, they hide, use the land to their advantage, and strike quickly. Then, they disappear before the enemy can fight back properly. This is very effective when you are outnumbered.

The Fight at Artaza

Valdés's large Liberal army tried to move up the mountains in the Artaza area. But the Carlists, led by Zumalacárregui, were hidden. They used the thick trees and plants to stay out of sight.

The Carlists began to attack the Liberal troops day and night. They would ambush them, harass them, and then melt back into the landscape. This constant pressure wore down the Liberal soldiers. They couldn't see their enemy clearly, and they were always on edge.

After two days of these attacks, the Liberal army, despite its size, started to give up. They couldn't fight an enemy they couldn't find. Eventually, Valdés's troops had to retreat.

Outcome

The Battle of Artaza was a big victory for the Carlists. Even though they had far fewer soldiers, their knowledge of the land and their clever guerrilla tactics helped them win. The Liberal army suffered about 700 casualties (soldiers killed or wounded). This battle showed that the Carlists were a strong force and that the war would not be easy for the Liberals to win.

Images for kids

• 

  Fields of Artaza in Améscoa Baja seen from Zudaire.

See also

In Spanish: Acción de Artaza para niños