Marquis of Campoverde facts for kids

Luis González Torres de Navarra Castro, known as the 5th Marquis of Campoverde, was a Spanish military leader. He fought during the Peninsular War, a big conflict in Spain.

Many historians, both Spanish and British, have criticized his leadership. They especially point to his role in the fall of Tarragona in June 1811.

The Peninsular War: A Time of Conflict

The Peninsular War was a major conflict in Spain and Portugal. It happened when France, led by Napoleon, invaded these countries. Many Spanish people fought back against the French army.

Early Battles and Command Changes

Campoverde took part in the Battle of Mollet in January 1810. Later, in October 1810, his troops were involved in the Combat of Cardona. Here, Campoverde's division, along with local fighters called somatenes, defended the town of Cardona, its castle, and nearby hills. The French and Italian forces attacked but were forced to retreat.

The captain general of Catalonia, O'Donnell, was injured in the Battle of La Bisbal. He had to leave his command. According to military rules, General Iranzo should have taken over. However, Campoverde and his supporters started a rebellion in Reus. They declared him the temporary captain general of Catalonia. This made him the commander-in-chief of the Army of Catalonia. Later that month, his troops lost a battle at Battle of El Pla in January 1811.

Trying to Lift the Siege of Figueras

On May 3, 1811, Campoverde tried to help the city of Figueras. The city was under siege by French forces. His attempt to lift the siege was not successful.

A local newspaper, the Diario de Manresa, reported on this event. It suggested that some Spanish soldiers, called cuirassiers, had not done their duty well. This made the cuirassiers very angry. A group of them from the 1st Army of Spain reacted strongly. They destroyed the newspaper's printing press. They also burned all the copies of the paper in the city's main square. They then damaged the house of the priest who published the newspaper. The priest had to run away to the mountains for safety. He eventually reached the monastery of Montserrat. This was where the local government, called the Junta, had its headquarters. He asked for protection there.

The Siege of Tarragona: A Difficult Time

At the end of May 1811, Campoverde was given command of Tarragona. The city was already in its third week of being besieged by French forces led by Suchet. The commander of Tarragona, Juan de Contreras, repeatedly asked Campoverde for help.

Historian Oman wrote about this time. He noted that between June 16 and June 24, 1811, the siege was at its most critical point. Campoverde had 11,000 soldiers with him. However, his actions had no effect on the siege. He kept sending messages to Contreras, promising to help soon. On June 20, he even told Contreras to send Sarsfield out of the city. Sarsfield was supposed to take command of his old division in a battle that was about to start. But this battle never happened. Campoverde avoided getting close to Suchet's forces. He stayed hidden in the hills many miles away. He only sent small groups of soldiers to attack distant French outposts. This kind of action could not help the city of Tarragona.

Later War Years

In early July 1812, Campoverde gave up his command. General Luis Lacy took over from him.

Life After the War

Campoverde was promoted to lieutenant general in 1815. In 1819, he was arrested by Captain general Francisco Eguía. He was put in prison due to political accusations. He was released from prison in 1820. This happened when a new period of liberal government, called the Trienio Liberal, began. After his release, he was appointed captain general of Granada.

See also

In Spanish: Luis González-Torres de Navarra y Castro para niños