Juan Carlos de Aréizaga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Carlos Aréizaga
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| Born | 17 January 1756 Fuenterrabía, Guipúzcoa |
| Died | 18 March 1820 (aged 64) Tolosa, Guipúzcoa |
| Allegiance |  Spain |
| Battles/wars | |
Juan Carlos Aréizaga y Alduncín (1756–1820) was a Spanish military leader. He played a part in several wars, including the important Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces. While he was known for being brave, many historians felt he wasn't the best general.
One historian, Charles Oman, thought Aréizaga made some very risky choices during the Battle of Ocaña. He believed Aréizaga's leadership at Ocaña was a mix of being too daring and then hesitating.
Contents
Early Military Life
Juan Carlos Aréizaga started his military career as a cadet. This is like a student training to become an officer. In 1775, he fought in the Invasion of Algiers. During this battle, he was seriously hurt.
Later, in 1790, he became a captain. He helped defend a city called Oran. He stayed there until 1791. Aréizaga then retired from the army as a colonel in 1805.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
When the Peninsular War began, Aréizaga quickly joined the fight. This war was when Spain, with help from Britain and Portugal, fought against France and Napoleon. Aréizaga gathered troops and offered his help to General Castaños.
After a defeat at the Battle of Tudela, Aréizaga was given command of an Infantry division. He was promoted to brigadier in March 1809. He then raised more troops and was promoted again to field marshal in May.
Victories and Defeats
Aréizaga was given command of a division in General Joaquín Blake's army. His division won an important victory at the Battle of Alcañiz. For this success, he was promoted to lieutenant general.
However, things changed quickly. He was defeated at the Battle of María in June. Just three days later, he lost again at the Battle of Belchite. After these defeats, he became the governor of Lérida for a short time. In October, he took command of a new army called the Army of the Centre.
The Battle of Ocaña
The Spanish government wanted to push the French out of Madrid. They planned a big attack using several armies, including Aréizaga's. However, this plan went against the advice of the British general, Wellington.
Aréizaga led his new army into the Battle of Ocaña. It was a terrible defeat for the Spanish. About 4,000 Spanish soldiers were killed or wounded. Around 14,000 were taken prisoner. The Spanish also lost many flags and cannons.
After this huge loss, Aréizaga offered to resign. His resignation was not accepted at first. He had to retreat, and the French army was able to move into southern Spain. This forced the Spanish government to leave their capital city, Seville, and move to Cádiz.
In January 1810, Aréizaga handed over his command to General Blake.
Later War Service
Aréizaga became the governor of Cartagena in August 1810. He stayed in this role for several months. He was later investigated for the defeat at Ocaña. After a long investigation, he was ordered to return to Cádiz. He then served in Algeciras before being appointed a member of the Cortes, which was like a parliament. However, this appointment was canceled because of the ongoing investigation into the Ocaña defeat.
After the War
When King Fernando VII returned to the throne in 1814, Aréizaga's luck changed. He was appointed captain general of Guipúzcoa. In the same month, the case against him for the Ocaña defeat was finally dropped. He continued to serve as governor until he passed away in 1820.
During a period known as the Hundred Days, Aréizaga was also given command of a special observation army. He held this command until June 1815.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Carlos de Aréizaga para niños
