Battles & Campaigns · 1809
Battle of Ocaña
Ocaña, Toledo, Spain
What happened
A French army under Marshal Soult, with King Joseph Bonaparte, fought a Spanish army under Juan Carlos Aréizaga. The Spanish advanced on Madrid. At Ocaña, French artillery and infantry struck the Spanish centre while French cavalry broke the Spanish right. The Spanish infantry gave way, and French troops cut the army in two.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It destroyed the only Spanish army able to defend southern Spain. The French could now invade Andalusia.
What came next
A week later another Spanish army lost at Alba de Tormes. Wellington began to worry about a French invasion of Portugal.
Did you know?
The day before, one of the largest cavalry battles of the Peninsular War was fought nearby.
Timeline
- 19 November 1809Battle of Ocaña.
- 28 November 1809Battle of Alba de Tormes.