Siege of Villafranca (1744)

Siege of Villafranca
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession
Date14 – 27 April 1744
Location
Result Franco-Spanish victory[1]
Belligerents
Spain Kingdom of Spain
 Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia
 Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Spain Infante Philip
Kingdom of France Prince of Conti
Kingdom of Sardinia Vittorio Francesco Filippo of Savoy (POW)
Kingdom of Great Britain Thomas Mathews
Strength
30,000 8,000
Casualties and losses
2,820 casualties 1,500 dead or wounded
1,830 captured

The siege of Villafranca took place between 14 and 27 April 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession. The armies of Spain and France advancing towards the Kingdom of Sardinia and attacked the entrenched positions in the Villafranca pass, defended by Anglo-Sardinian forces. The Franco-Spanish attacks were not very successful, but the defenders, due to the high losses suffered during the attacks, were forced to abandon the port of Villafranca with a large part of their forces. The small garrison that remained in the place surrendered on 27 April.

  1. ^ A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, Vol. II, ed. Spencer C. Tucker, (ABC-CLIO, 2010), 743.