Battle of Asseiceira (1834)

Miguel's army, under the command of General Guedes, had been retreating eastward before the advance of Dom Pedro's forces, and had camped in a strong position on the Heights of Asseiceira, a system of hills and valleys about four miles from Tomar. Miguel himself was at Santarém and was not involved in the ensuing battle. Pedro's general, the Duke of Terceira, advanced from Tomar on the morning of the 16th and attacked their position in three columns commanded by Colonels Queirós, Nepomuceno and Vasconcelos.

The Miguelite forces attempted to repel them with artillery bombardment and cavalry charges but the loyalist forces persisted in their attacks and eventually a charge by their own cavalry carried the heights. Many of the enemy were killed or wounded, their guns captured, and some 1400 men taken prisoner. The remainder fled towards Golegã, which was occupied by Terceira the following day. Dom Pedro (already ill with the sickness that would kill him shortly after his final victory) arrived there on the 18th from Cartaxo. Miguel rallied his forces at Évora, but his officers were unwilling to risk a final battle after nearly two years of warfare, and he was presently induced to seek terms of capitulation. The war would finally end ten days later with the signing of the Concession of Evoramonte, where Dom Miguel surrendered and abandoned his claim to the Portuguese throne, being also banished from the kingdom.

• Outline of the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834)
  

  HISTORIC BATTLES

  Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834)

  The Portuguese Civil War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession. Embroiled parties included the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese rebels, the United Kingdom, France, the Church of Rome, and Spain. View Historic Battle »

  Battle of Praia da Vitória (1829): The Miguelites attempted to disembark troops on Terceira island but were defeated by the loyalist troops who controlled a dozen small forts and artillery batteries along five kilometers of the coast.

  Battle of Tagus (1831): A French fleet attacked and subdued Portuguese fortifications at the entrance of the Tagus, with the aim to strong-arm the government of Miguel I into recognising the newly established Kingdom of the French.

  Battle of Ponte Ferreira (1832): Though technically a victory for Pedro's forces, it gave him no lasting advantage because the enemy were not pursued and were able to return in full strength, as a result of which he was besieged in Porto for an entire year.

  Siege of Porto (1832-1833): The resistance of the city of Porto and the troops of Dom Pedro made the victory of the liberal cause in the Kingdom of Portugal possible.

  Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1833): A naval squadron commanded by the British officer Charles Napier, on behalf of Dom Pedro IV, regent for the rightful Queen Maria II, defeated the navy of the usurper Dom Miguel.

  Battle of Asseiceira (1834): Miguel's army, under the command of General Guedes, had been retreating eastward before the advance of Dom Pedro's forces, and had camped in a strong position on the Heights of Asseiceira, a system of hills and valleys about four miles from Tomar.

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Liberal Wars" and "Battle of Asseiceira (1834)", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.