Battle of Mayals facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mayals
Part of the First Carlist War
Date 10 April 1834 Location Catalonia, Spain 41°21′57″N 0°30′19″E / 41.365833°N 0.505278°E / 41.365833; 0.505278 Result Liberal victory
Belligerents
Carlists	Liberals
Commanders and leaders
Manuel Carnicer Griñón Ramon Cabrera José Miralles Joaquin Quílez	José Carratalá Manuel Breton Agustín Nogueras
Casualties and losses
approx. 300 dead, 700 captured	approx. 100 dead

The Battle of Mayals was an important fight in a war called the First Carlist War. It happened on April 10, 1834, in Catalonia, Spain. This battle was between two groups: the Carlists, led by Manuel Carnicer Griñón, and the Liberals, led by José Carratalá. The Liberals won, which made it harder for the Carlists to gain power in that area early in the war.

Why the Battle of Mayals Happened

Manuel Carnicer was the leader of the Carlists in a region called Aragon. He was moving his soldiers toward Tarragona to help Carlist supporters there. These supporters were trying to start a rebellion.

Meanwhile, José Carratalá, a general for the Royal forces (Liberals), gathered his troops to stop Carnicer. He was joined by soldiers from Tortosa and local fighters from Reus and other towns.

Carnicer's main goal was to control the area. He wanted to create a clear path between Carlist supporters in Catalonia and another region called the Maestrazgo. This connection would allow the two Carlist groups to work together.

How the Battle of Mayals Unfolded

Carnicer placed his soldiers on top of the hills next to the town of Mayals. Ramon Cabrera led the front part of the Carlist forces. José Miralles was in charge of the left side, supported by cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Joaquin Quílez commanded the right side.

General Carratalá arranged his Liberal troops to match the Carlist setup. The Liberal soldiers started firing first. Local fighters from Porrera, Falcet, and Flix led this attack. Snipers from Tortosa also joined in.

The Carlists fired back, and fighting spread across the field. Carratalá then sent more soldiers to strengthen his front line. Carnicer, however, could not do the same. This caused his line of soldiers to bend inward toward the center.

Manuel Breton, a Liberal commander, then led a cavalry charge. His horsemen attacked the Carlist right side. The Carlist cavalry supporting Quílez could not stop them. Because of this, the Carlist cavalry scattered, and their right side broke apart. Carnicer himself tried to fight off the Liberal cavalry with his rifle. But it was too late. The collapse of his right flank meant his forces were defeated.

What Happened After the Battle

Many soldiers died in the Battle of Mayals. However, the biggest loss for the Carlists was that their rebellion could not spread further in Catalonia. A historian named Antonio Pirala studied secret Carlist letters. He believed that if Carnicer had won at Mayals, more than 20,000 men would have joined the Carlist cause.

After the battle, Carnicer's forces were much smaller, with only about 100 soldiers left. He then marched with these remaining troops toward the Maestrazgo region.