Évora, Battle of

The Battle of Évora (July 29, 1808) sees an Imperial French division under Louis Henri Loison attack a combined Portuguese-Spanish force led by Francisco de Paula Leite de Sousa.

Encountering Leite's smaller body of soldiers outside Évora, the French easily brus them aside and go on to storm the city, which is held by poorly armed townsmen and militia.

The French butcher the Portuguese defenders and brutally sack the town.

The hated Loison is known among the Portuguese as the Maneta (One-Hand), because of his amputated arm.

From savage acts such as those committed at Évora, the saying ir para o Maneta (going to the One-Hand) appears and is still used today in Portugal as a metaphor for "dying".

The clash occurs during the Peninsular War, phase of the Napoleonic Wars. Évora is located about 110 kilometers (sixty-eight miles) east of Lisbon.

In November 1807, a French army led by Jean-Andoche Junot mounted a successful Invasion of Portugal supported by allied Spanish troops.

For several months, the Frenchare able to maintain themselves.

However, the Spanish Dos de Mayo Uprising against the French in May 1808 is quickly followed by a Portuguese revolt.

Abandoning the north and south regions of the country, the French concentrate their forces to hold central Portugal

Junot sends Loison east to relieve the garrison of Elvas Fortress.

After defeating the Portuguese-Spanish force at Évora, Loison reaches Elvas. but he is soon recalled to help repel a British army under Sir Arthur Wellesley that lands on the coast north of Lisbon.

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