Camino Torres and the War of Independence

[alansykes]

Anybody interested in what the anglo-saxons call the Peninsular War will find much to see on the Camino Torres. It starts near the battlefield of Arapiles/Salamanca (1812) - which walkers on the Vía de la Plata cross on the way into Salamanca. A few days later you arrive at Ciudad Rodrigo, which Napoleon's troops stormed after a 3 month siege in 1810, and was recaptured by Wellington a couple of years later. The battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (1811), which Wellington and Masséna both claimed as a victory, led to the allied recapture of the Portuguese border town of Almeida - which had first been captured by the French in 1810. Further into Portugal, the camino passes through Braga, where Soult inflicted a defeat on the Portuguese in 1809.

 

[mspath]

The Peninsular War also had an impact on the Camino Frances near Roncesvalles and Pamplona.
Although Napoleon Bonaparte himself never was on this route the French troops were successful at the Battle of Roncesvalles 25 July 1813 against the British led by Wellington. Read more here of this event in the Peninsular war 1808/1814 and check out the map of the battle.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Also, the castle in Burgos on the hill above the the cathedral was sieged.
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.342800,-3.707200&z=17&t=h
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Burgos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_Burgos

 

[VNwalking]

I had to go look at this to educate myself about the basics:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsular_War

Be warned: it's one heck of a rabbit-hole, if you have any interest in history.
(Before I walked the Camino I was blissfully ignorant of Spanish history. But little by little there is more understanding of the painful complexities of Spanish history.)

 

[KinkyOne]

I had to go look at this to educate myself about the basics:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsular_War

Be warned: it's one heck of a rabbit-hole, if you have any interest in history.
(Before I walked the Camino I was blissfully ignorant of Spanish history. But little by little there is more understanding of the painful complexities of Spanish history.)

If that's so than you really don't want to go into medieval history of the peninsula

 

[VNwalking]

Too late, K1, too late.

 

[KinkyOne]

Too late, K1, too late.

Waaay too late...
Twisted, believe me, I'm much into history but can't remember all those kings etc. and moorish governors, no way I can do that

 

[amsimoes]

We Portuguese, have not forgotten the Treaty of Fontaineblau, where the French and the Spanish agreed to divide Portugal into three parts.
With the help of the British, Portugal was able to react to the troops of Napoleon and Spain.
Thank you Britain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Fontainebleau_(1807)

 

[rappahannock_rev]

In re the Camino and the Peninsular War -- don't forget the battle of Sahagun, and Moore's famous retreat to the sea, which made a dreadful mess of Cacabelos and Villafranca del Bierzo.

 

[Kanga]

When I read these histories, I shudder at the numbers killed. Imagine the reaction today.

 

[jbear]

recapture of the Portuguese border town of Almeida - which had first been captured by the French in 1810.

Some pictures I took of Almeida, the fortress and town.