Battle of Montjuïc (1641)

The Battle of Montjuïc took place on 26 January 1641 during the Reapers' War. A Spanish force under Pedro Fajardo launched an attack on the Catalan army led by Francesc de Tamarit, with French cavalry support.

Battle of Montjuïc (1641)
Part of Reapers' War and the
Franco-Spanish War (1635–59)

Battle of Montjuïc
Date26 January 1641
Location
Result Franco-Catalan victory.
Belligerents
Principality of Catalonia
Kingdom of France
Habsburg Spain
Commanders and leaders
Francesc de Tamarit
Henri de Serignan
George Stewart
Pedro Fajardo
Strength
6,000 23,000
Casualties and losses
50 300-1,500

The Catalan rebels had taken up position on the heights of Montjuïc which dominated the city of Barcelona. The Spanish launched several concerted attempts to capture Montjuïc Castle, but were continually repulsed. Finally a large force of Catalan rebels counter-attacked from the direction of Barcelona. Large numbers of Spanish troops were killed and the remainder had to withdraw to Tarragona along the coast. The Spanish force had recently massacred hundreds of rebels who had tried to surrender at Cambrils.

Amongst those killed at the battle was John O'Neill, the exiled Earl of Tyrone, who was serving with an Irish regiment in the Spanish army.

Spanish troops in red, Catalans in blue

Bibliography

  • Elliott, John (1963). The revolt of the Catalans: a study in the decline of Spain (1598–1640). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-27890-2.
  • Serra, Eva. La guerra dels segadors. Ed. Bruguera (Barcelona, 1966)


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