Fantastic War facts for kids

The Spanish–Portuguese War (1762–1763) was a conflict that happened during the larger Seven Years' War. Even though there weren't many huge battles, a lot of troops moved around. The Spanish invaders suffered heavy losses and were eventually defeated. Because of this, the war is sometimes called the Fantastic War (in Portuguese and Spanish: Guerra Fantástica).

Why the War Started

When the Seven Years' War began in 1756, Spain and Portugal stayed neutral. They had settled their disagreements in South America with a treaty in 1750. Spain's prime minister, Ricardo Wall, didn't want to join the war on France's side.

Things changed when King Ferdinand VI of Spain died in 1759. His half-brother, Charles III of Spain, became king. Charles wanted to keep Spain's power strong in Europe and its colonies. By 1761, France seemed to be losing the war against Great Britain. King Charles worried about a British victory.

In August 1761, Charles signed a special agreement called the Family Compact with France. Both countries were ruled by the Bourbon family. This agreement led to war with Great Britain in January 1762. Portugal was a close economic friend of Great Britain.

Portugal had been weakened by a terrible earthquake in 1755. Its prime minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis of Pombal, focused on rebuilding the country. He didn't pay much attention to the army. A new treaty between Spain and Portugal in 1761 cancelled the earlier 1750 agreement.

The War Begins

Spain and France decided to attack Portugal. France hoped this new fight would make Great Britain send its troops away from France.

The main part of the war happened in Europe, with a Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal on May 5, 1762. A second part of the war involved Spanish forces invading Portuguese lands in South America. The European invasion was a big defeat for Spain. The fighting in South America ended in a draw. Portugal won in northern and western Brazil, while Spain won in southern Brazil and Uruguay.

Fighting in Europe

In 1762, a large Franco-Spanish army of about 42,000 soldiers invaded Portugal. They were first led by the Marquis of Sarria and later by the Count of Aranda. They invaded Portugal in three different areas at different times: Trás-os-Montes (May–June 1762), Beira (July–November 1762), and Alentejo (November 1762).

The invaders faced strong resistance from the local people. Later, an Anglo-Portuguese army of about 15,000 men joined the fight. This army was led by the skilled commander, the Count La Lippe.

First Invasion: Trás-os-Montes

In the first invasion, the Spanish army aimed to reach Oporto, Portugal's second-largest city. They easily took over some towns and old forts in the Trás-os-Montes region. These places had no soldiers or gunpowder.

However, local fighters, called guerrillas, used the mountains to their advantage. They cut off the invaders' supplies and communication lines. They also caused many losses for the Spanish. Portuguese villagers left their homes, taking all food with them. This caused hunger among the Spanish troops.

The Spanish tried to advance towards Oporto twice. Local militia and peasants defeated the first attempt at the Battle of Douro. The second attempt was stopped in the mountains of Montalegre. Because of these failures and the arrival of Portuguese soldiers, the Spanish army had to retreat into Spain. They gave up all the places they had captured, except for Chaves. After this defeat, the Marquis of Sarria was replaced by the Count of Aranda.

During this first invasion, about 10,000 Spanish soldiers were lost. This included prisoners, deserters, and those who died from hunger, guerrilla attacks, or disease.

Spanish regular and irregular forces fighting in the mountains against a French invading army (Somosierra Pass, 1808).
In the 1762 Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal, the guerrillas and the Anglo-Portuguese army also successfully cooperated, taking advantage of the mountainous nature of Trás-os Montes and Beira Baixa.

Portugal asked for help, and 7,107 British soldiers arrived in Lisbon. These British forces helped to reorganize the Portuguese army, which had about 7,000 to 8,000 regular soldiers. The combined Anglo-Portuguese army, with 14,000 to 15,000 men, was put under the command of the Count of Lippe.

Second Invasion: Lower Beira

In the second invasion (July–November 1762), the Franco-Spanish forces captured some poorly defended Portuguese forts and towns, including Almeida. But the Anglo-Portuguese army fought back. They defeated a Spanish group trying to invade through Alentejo at the Battle of Valencia de Alcántara. They also stopped the Spanish from crossing the Tagus River at Vila Velha.

The allied army eventually stopped the Bourbon army's march towards Lisbon in the mountains near Abrantes. This area was very important because it controlled the country. The Anglo-Portuguese army used a strategy called scorched earth. This meant they worked with the local people to destroy or remove all food supplies. This starved the invaders. The guerrillas also attacked the enemy's supply lines. The invaders had to choose between staying and starving or retreating.

The Franco-Spanish army was largely destroyed. The remaining soldiers, leaving their wounded and sick behind, were chased back to Spain. The Anglo-Portuguese army and peasants pursued them. General Townshend led two movements that trapped the enemy. The first forced the Bourbons to retreat from the hills east of Abrantes to Castelo Branco. The second made them flee to Spain. The Spanish headquarters in Castelo Branco was captured by the allied army, and thousands of prisoners were taken on November 2, 1762.

Historians Mark Danley and Patrick Speelman explained that many Bourbon soldiers died because Portuguese peasants fought back fiercely. They captured and killed many deserters and retreating soldiers. The war in Portugal, and the entire Spanish war, was a disaster for them.

Third Invasion: Ouguela and Marvão

During the third Spanish attack in November 1762, the Spanish surprised two Portuguese towns, Ouguela and Marvão. But they were defeated and had to retreat again. The Anglo-Portuguese army, now stronger, advanced and took more prisoners. British Colonel Wrey led a Portuguese force into Spain and attacked the Codicera region on November 19, taking more Spanish prisoners.

With his forces ruined and morale low, Count Aranda sent a message to Count Lippe on November 24, asking for a ceasefire. It was accepted and signed on December 1, 1762.

Fighting in South America

River Plate Area

In South America, the Spanish Cevallos expedition (3,900 men) had more success. In what is now Uruguay, they captured Colónia do Sacramento (with 767 defenders). They also took two other forts: Santa Teresa (April 19, 1763) and San Miguel (April 23, 1763).

Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)

Cevallos continued to advance and won a bigger victory. He conquered most of the large region called "Continente de São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul," which is now the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Portuguese had only about 1,000 soldiers and militia there. São José do Norte and the capital, S. Pedro do Sul, were abandoned without a fight.

However, the Portuguese defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Santa Bárbara on January 1, 1763. An invading army of 500 Spanish soldiers and 2,000 Indigenous people, working with Cevallos, tried to conquer Rio Pardo. This was almost the only Portuguese territory left in Rio Grande do Sul. The Portuguese captured seven cannons, 9,000 cattle, and 5,000 horses. This large territory would later be fully retaken by the Portuguese between 1763 and 1777.

Western Brazil (Mato Grosso)

A Spanish army of 600 to 1,200 men tried to take back the territory of Mato Grosso. They surrounded the fortress of Conceição, which was the "door" to the gold-rich Mato Grosso Province. The 100 defenders received reinforcements and not only held their ground but also captured two Spanish settlements, S. Miguel and S. Martin. These settlements were important for Spanish supplies and were on the Spanish side of the Guaporé River. The Portuguese also used biological warfare. The Spanish retreated after losing half their men to hunger, disease, and desertion. The Portuguese kept control of the disputed territory.

Northern Brazil (Rio Negro, Amazonia)

The Portuguese took control of most of the Rio Negro valley. They drove the Spanish out of S. Gabriel and S. José de Maribatanas in 1763. They then built two new forts there using the Spanish cannons.

Aftermath of the War

The Treaty of Paris ended the war. It brought things back to how they were before the war between Spain and Portugal.

In Europe

Spain had to return the small cities of Almeida and Chaves to Portugal. These cities were on the border between Spain and Portugal. All the other cities and strongholds that had been captured were taken back by the Anglo-Portuguese forces as they chased the remaining Franco-Spanish troops.

In South America

The fighting between Spain and Portugal in their colonies during the Seven Years' War ended in a tactical draw. However, it turned out to be a strategic victory for Portugal in the short term. Except for the forts of Santa Teresa and San Miguel, the Spanish lost all the territory they had conquered during the war back to the Portuguese. Colonia do Sacramento was given back to Portugal by the treaty. Rio Grande do Sul was retaken from the Spanish army during a later undeclared war (1763–1777). Portugal kept all its gains, including the Rio Negro Valley and the right bank of the Guaporé River (Mato Grosso).

See also

In Spanish: Guerra Fantástica para niños