Battle of Ramales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Ramales
Part of First Carlist War
Date 12 May 1839 Location Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria, Spain 43°15′22.72″N 3°27′51.90″W / 43.2563111°N 3.4644167°W / 43.2563111; -3.4644167 Result Decisive Liberal victory, end of the First Carlist War
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
Rafael Maroto	Baldomero Espartero
Casualties and losses
988	835

The Battle of Ramales was an important fight during the First Carlist War in Spain. It happened on May 12, 1839, in a place called Ramales in Cantabria. The battle was between two main groups: the Liberals, led by Baldomero Espartero, and the Carlists, led by Rafael Maroto. This battle was a big win for the Liberals and helped bring the war to an end.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The battle was part of the First Carlist War. This war was about who should rule Spain.

The Carlists

The Carlists supported Infante Carlos. He was the brother of the previous king, Ferdinand VII. The Carlists believed that Carlos should be the king because of traditional rules about who inherits the throne.

The Liberals

The Liberals, also called Isabelinos or Cristinos, supported Isabella II. She was the daughter of King Ferdinand VII. Her mother, Maria Christina, was ruling for her because Isabella was too young. The Liberals wanted a more modern government for Spain.

The Battle Begins

At the start of the battle, the Liberal army had twice as many soldiers as the Carlists. By the end, they had four times as many. This happened partly because the Carlist commander, Rafael Maroto, kept many of his soldiers in reserve. He also told the defenders of a fort called Guardamino to leave their posts. Some people later wondered if Maroto had secretly helped his opponent, Espartero.

Attacking Ramales

The Liberal commander, Espartero, ordered his generals to attack the Carlist positions. Leopoldo O'Donnell was told to attack the Carlists on the Mazo heights. Meanwhile, Ramón Castañeda was sent to attack the Carlists at a place called Peña del Moro.

The town of Ramales itself was heavily attacked by Liberal cannons. The Liberals finally took the town after a tough fight. A small group of 27 Carlist soldiers were hiding in a nearby cave. They fought bravely, but the Liberals managed to defeat them.

The Cave Fight

There are different stories about how the Carlists in the cave were defeated. Some say a Liberal fighter named Juan Ruiz Gutierrez, known as Cobanes, threw straw into the cave and set it on fire. This forced the Carlist soldiers out. Other stories say the Liberals used cannons for seven hours, or even special weapons called Congreve rockets, to force them out.

After the Battle

The town of Ramales was captured by the Liberals, but it was badly damaged. Both the retreating Carlists and the occupying Liberals caused destruction.

After this important victory, Ramales was renamed Ramales de La Victoria. This means "Ramales of the Victory." The Liberal commander, Baldomero Espartero, was also given a special title: Duque de La Victoria (Duke of La Victoria).

For the Carlists, losing Ramales was a major setback. They had to leave the Carranza valley and lost a metal foundry (a place where metal is melted and shaped) in Guriezo. This defeat also meant they could no longer use the Cantabrian region as a base to try and invade other parts of Spain, like Asturias and Galicia.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Ramales para niños