On This Day

Battle of Almansa; Franco-Spanish forces defeat British and Portuguese

The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was fought between an army loyal to Philip V of Spain, Bourbon claimant to the Spanish throne, and one supporting his Habsburg rival, Archduke Charles of Austria. The result was a decisive Bourbon victory that reclaimed most of eastern Spain for Philip.

The Bourbon army was commanded by the Duke of Berwick, illegitimate son of James II of England, while Habsburg forces were led by Henri de Massue, Earl of Galway, an exiled French Huguenot. This makes it "probably the only battle in history in which the English forces were commanded by a Frenchman, the French by an Englishman."

Historical Significance

The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Events Before

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    Battle at Fraustadt: Swedish army beats Russia and Saxon forces, one of Swedish's Greatest victories in the Great Northern War

  2. Vienna's Wiener Stadtbank established

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  3. Tekle Haymanot I takes the throne as Emperor of Ethiopia, upon the retirement and/or abdication of his father, Iyasu I,

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  4. Emperor Jozef I becomes monarch of Cologne and Bavaria

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  5. Benjamin Franklin is born

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Events After

  1. Future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (32) marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (16) at the church of Sa

    Future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (32) marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (16) at the church of Santa María del Mar, Barcelona

  2. Great Northern War: Charles XII of Sweden stops his march to conquer Moscow outside Smolensk, the turning point in the w

    Great Northern War: Charles XII of Sweden stops his march to conquer Moscow outside Smolensk, the turning point in the war

  3. Spanish treasure fleet led by the San José and loaded with gold, sinks after a British squadron attacks off the coast of

    Spanish treasure fleet led by the San José and loaded with gold, sinks after a British squadron attacks off the coast of Colombia (rediscovered in 2015)

  4. Slave revolt in Newton, Long Island NY results in 11 deaths

    Slave revolt in Newton, Long Island NY results in 11 deaths

  5. James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, attempts to land at Firth of Forth, Scotland, but is turned away by the Br

    James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, attempts to land at Firth of Forth, Scotland, but is turned away by the British Royal Navy

More from the 1700s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 25, 1707?
The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was fought between an army loyal to Philip V of Spain, Bourbon claimant to the Spanish throne, and one supporting his Habsburg rival, Archduke Charles of Austria. The result was a decisive Bourbon victory that reclaimed most of eastern Spain for Philip.
Why is Battle of Almansa; Franco-Spanish forces defeat British and Portuguese significant?
The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

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