Key Facts
- Date
- 20–22 April 1835
- Liberal force size
- 22,000 men
- Carlist force size
- 5,000 men
- Total casualties
- 700 men
- Liberal commander
- Jerónimo Valdés, Minister of War
Strategic Narrative Overview
In April 1835, Liberal Minister of War Jerónimo Valdés led a large column of 22,000 troops into the Las Amescoas region of Navarre intending to crush Carlist resistance decisively. Carlist commander Zumalacárregui, commanding only 5,000 men, exploited intimate knowledge of the mountainous terrain and employed guerrilla tactics. Carlist fighters concealed in dense foliage harassed the Liberal forces continuously, day and night, over three days of engagements.
01 / The Origins
The First Carlist War (1833–1840) erupted in Spain over the succession to the throne following the death of Ferdinand VII. Supporters of Infante Carlos opposed the regency of Maria Christina on behalf of the young Queen Isabella II. The conflict pitted Carlist traditionalists against Liberal constitutionalists, with much of the fighting concentrated in the Basque Country and Navarre where Carlist support was strongest.
03 / The Outcome
After suffering constant harassment across the mountain terrain, the Liberal forces gave way and withdrew. The engagement resulted in roughly 700 total casualties and demonstrated that a numerically superior Liberal force could be effectively checked by smaller Carlist units using guerrilla methods. The outcome bolstered Carlist morale and underscored Zumalacárregui's effectiveness as a commander in irregular warfare.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Jerónimo Valdés.
Side B
1 belligerent
Tomás de Zumalacárregui.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.