Loyal Lusitanian Legion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loyal Lusitanian Legion Leal Legião Lusitana
Soldier of the LLL, at the Busaco Military Museum
Active	July, 1808
Country	United Kingdom Kingdom of Portugal
Allegiance	George III of the United Kingdom John VI of Portugal
Branch	Army
Type	Light infantry and Field Artillery
Size	~3,000
Engagements	Battle of Alcantara Battle of Talavera de la Reina Battle of Busaco
Disbanded	4 May 1811
Commanders
Commanding officer	Robert Wilson

The Loyal Lusitanian Legion (LLL) was a special group of soldiers who volunteered to fight for the British Army. It was made up mostly of Portuguese who had left their home country and moved to England. They fought in the Peninsular War, a big conflict in Europe.

This Legion was started by Portuguese Army Colonels José Maria Moura and Carlos Frederico Lecor. They were living in England because the French army, led by Napoleon, had taken over Portugal. The Portuguese Ambassador in London, Chevalier de Sousa, also helped. The British government supported the idea.

The LLL was called "Loyal" to show it was different from another group, the Portuguese Legion. That other group was much larger and was forced to fight for Napoleon. The Loyal Lusitanian Legion, however, stayed loyal to Portugal and its allies.

The Legion included not only Portuguese soldiers but also British (like its leader, Colonel Robert Wilson) and German soldiers.

The LLL was formed in Plymouth, England, in July 1808. They then sailed to Oporto, Portugal, in September of the same year. From 1808 to 1811, the LLL fought against Napoleon's armies as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army. They took part in battles like Busaco (in Portugal, on September 27, 1810) and Talavera de la Reina. However, they were especially good at doing quick attacks and other special operations behind the French lines. They often worked with Portuguese and Spanish local fighters.

The Loyal Lusitanian Legion was officially ended on May 4, 1811. Its soldiers and units then joined the regular Portuguese Army. They became the 7th, 8th, and 9th battalions of caçadores, which were special light infantry units.

How the Legion Was Set Up

The Loyal Lusitanian Legion was organized like a regiment of light infantry. This means they were soldiers who moved quickly and were good at skirmishes. They also had a small artillery group with cannons.

The Legion included:

• The main staff, who managed the whole Legion.
• The 1st Battalion, LLL.
• The 2nd Battalion, LLL.
• The Artillery corps, LLL.

Each battalion had 1,000 men, divided into 10 companies. The artillery corps was a battery with six field guns and 80 men.

When the LLL was disbanded, the 1st battalion became the 7th Caçadores. The 2nd battalion became the 8th Caçadores. The remaining soldiers from the Legion formed the 9th Caçadores.

What Their Uniforms Looked Like

Since the Loyal Lusitanian Legion was a light infantry unit, their uniforms were green. This was similar to the green uniforms worn by British rifle regiments. Green was also the special color of the House of Braganza, which was the royal family of Portugal. This showed that the Legion was loyal to the Portuguese King.

See also

In Spanish: Leal Legión Lusitana para niños