Siege of Alicante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Alicante |
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| Part of War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Grand Alliance |  France Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 John Richards |
Claude D'Asfeld |
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| Strength | |||||||
| Less than 1,000 | 10-12,000 | ||||||
The Siege of Alicante was a major military event. It took place from December 1708 to April 1709. This fight was part of a bigger conflict called the War of the Spanish Succession.
During the siege, the city of Alicante was surrounded. French and Spanish forces attacked the city. These forces were loyal to King Philip V of Spain. Inside Alicante, a group of soldiers defended the city. They were part of the Grand Alliance, led by John Richards.
The siege lasted for several months. The defending soldiers managed to hold out for a long time. They successfully delayed the attacking forces. Eventually, they agreed to surrender. The defenders were then allowed to leave safely. They sailed away on British ships. This siege is famous for a huge underground tunnel. This tunnel was filled with explosives. It was blown up under the city's defenses. This explosion killed John Richards and many of his soldiers in February 1709.
Why Alicante Was Important
Alicante is a city in Spain. It was captured by the Grand Alliance in 1706. This happened after they landed near Barcelona the year before. The Grand Alliance was a group of countries. They were fighting against France and Spain.
In 1707, forces loyal to King Philip V won a big battle. This was the Battle of Almansa. After this victory, Philip's forces started to take back cities. They wanted to reclaim the towns and cities they had lost. Alicante was one of these important places. Taking it back was a key goal for them.
The War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a huge conflict. It lasted from 1701 to 1714. The war was fought over who would be the next king of Spain. The old king, Charles II, had died without children.
Two main groups fought in this war. One group supported Philip V. He was a French prince. The other group supported Archduke Charles of Austria. Many European countries joined one side or the other. This included France, Spain, Great Britain, and Portugal. The war affected many parts of Europe.
