Landing at Barcelona (1704) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Landing at Barcelona |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
 Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 England Dutch Republic Pro-Habsburg Spain |
 Pro-Bourbon Spain |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George Rooke Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt |
Francisco de Velasco |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 48 ships, 2,600 troops | 880 troops, 5,000 militia | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| none | none | ||||||
The Landing at Barcelona was a failed attempt by a group of countries called the Allies. In May 1704, they tried to capture the city of Barcelona in Spain. The city was defended by Spanish forces loyal to King Philip V. This event happened during a big conflict known as the War of the Spanish Succession.
Contents
Why the War Started
When King Charles II of Spain died in 1700, he had no children to take over. A French prince, Philip V, became the new King in Madrid. But not everyone agreed with this choice.
England, the Dutch Republic, the Holy Roman Empire, and Portugal wanted a different person to be King. They supported an Austrian prince named Charles III. This disagreement led to the War of the Spanish Succession.
Spain's Internal Conflict
Inside Spain, people had different ideas about who should be king. Many in Catalonia and Valencia worried about losing their local rights. They feared King Philip V would make the government too strict, like in France.
One of Philip's first decisions was to replace the Viceroy of Catalonia. A viceroy was like a governor. The old viceroy was Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt. He was German but very popular in Barcelona. He had defended the city against the French a few years earlier.
The Landing Attempt
In 1704, King Philip V still controlled most of Spain. Some important people in Catalonia who supported Prince Charles III contacted Prince George. They hoped the people of Barcelona would rise up against Philip V if the Allies showed up.
Prince George convinced the Allies to send a fleet to Barcelona. A fleet is a large group of ships.
The Fleet Arrives
Admiral George Rooke led a fleet of 30 English and 18 Dutch ships. Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt was also on board. They sailed from Lisbon to Barcelona.
When the ships appeared near the city, the people of Barcelona did not rise up as expected. Prince George then landed about 1,200 British and 400 Dutch soldiers. They landed near the Besòs river. About 1,000 armed Catalans joined them. But even this landing did not cause an uprising inside the city.
Retreat and New Plans
The Allies soon learned that a larger French fleet was coming. They had no choice but to get back on their ships and sail away. They returned to Lisbon.
On their way back, they managed to capture Gibraltar on August 3. Several hundred Catalans who had joined the Allies went south with the fleet. They fought with the Allies at Gibraltar. About 350 of them later settled near Gibraltar. This place is now called Catalan Bay because of them.
What Happened Next
The Allies tried to take Barcelona again one year later. This second attempt, known as the Siege of Barcelona (1705), was successful in October 1705.
Barcelona remained loyal to King Charles III throughout the war. However, it was eventually conquered by Philip V's forces in 1714.
Images for kids
-
A robot, representing the Kiddle encyclopedia.
See also
In Spanish: Desembarco de Barcelona para niños
