Battles & Campaigns · 1815
Battle of Sipe-Sipe
Sipe Sipe, Cochabamba, Bolivia
What happened
An army of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata under José Rondeau fought the royal army of Peru under Joaquín de la Pezuela. Rondeau's army had taken Cochabamba and camped on a plain near Sipe Sipe. Pezuela's larger royalist army attacked it there, and the independence army was decisively beaten and lost all its guns.
Why it matters
It was the worst defeat for the independence movements in years. Upper Peru (today's Bolivia) was lost to Buenos Aires and Spanish control returned.
What came next
Pezuela became viceroy of Peru, and Rondeau was removed from command. Upper Peru's break from Buenos Aires later led to the founding of Bolivia.
Did you know?
Pezuela was given the title Marquis of Viluma, after the battle's other name.
Timeline
- 1811Independence army defeated at Huaqui.
- 28 Nov 1815Battle of Sipe-Sipe (Viluma). The same page's text dates it 29 November.
- 1816Rondeau removed from command.