Battle of Villaviciosa

Battle of Villaviciosa
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession
Vendôme (left) presents the standards to Philip V of Spain (right) at Villaviciosa by Jean Alaux.
Date 11 December 1710 Location Villaviciosa de Tajuña [es], Guadalajara, Spain 40°47′11″N 2°50′11″W / 40.7864°N 2.83639°W / 40.7864; -2.83639 Result Franco-Spanish victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Bourbon Spain  France	Austria Habsburg Spain  Dutch Republic  Portugal  Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Philip V Duke of Vendôme Count of Aguilar Marquis of Valdecañas	Guido Starhemberg Antonio de Villarroel Count of Atalaia
Strength
20,000[2]	14,000[2]
Casualties and losses
2,000–3,000 dead or wounded	5,000–6,000 dead or wounded 3,000 captured

Villaviciosa de Tajuña

Madrid

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Spain

The Battle of Villaviciosa (11 December 1710) was a battle between a Franco-Spanish army led by Louis Joseph, Duke of Vendôme and Philip V of Spain^[2] and a Habsburg-allied army commanded by Austrian Guido Starhemberg. The battle took place during the War of the Spanish Succession,^[2] one day after a Franco-Spanish victory at Brihuega against a British army under James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope.^[2][3] Both Philip V of Spain and the Archduke Charles of Austria claimed victory, but the number of dead and wounded, the number of artillery and other weapons abandoned by the Allied army and the battle's strategic consequences for the war confirmed victory for Philip.^[2]

The battle was largely determined by the Spanish dragoons commanded by the Marquis of Valdecañas and the Count of Aguilar,^[4] which far exceeded the opposing forces.^[2] The Austrian forces retreated, pursued by Spanish cavalry,^[2][4] and the allied army was reduced to 6,000 or 7,000 men^[2] when it reached Barcelona (one of the few places in Spain still recognizing Charles' authority) on 6 January.^[2]