Battle of Alcantara, Lisbon, 1580

The invading forces were composed of Spanish, Italian and German soldiers, lead by the Duque of Alva and the Admiral D Alvaro de Baz�n, the foremost military leaders of the time.

In only two places was there effective resistance: at the fortress of S Juli�o da Barra and at Alc�ntara, at the doors of Lisbon.

The weak Portuguese forces, under the leadership of the new elected king D. ant�nio, Prior (Master) of Crato (the Hospitaliers in Portugal) were concentrated at the left banks of the Alcantara stream, especially in the Alcantara bridge near the river Tejo (Tagus).

The Duque of Alva made an all-out attack and the Portuguese rushed to the bridge, only to become under artillery fire (the battery was placed in a hill, probably near the entrance of the moder bridge 25 de Abril). At the same time the Spanish crossed the river upstream and started to envelop the Portuguese.

The Portuguese cavalry tried to stop the invaders at the bridge but was reppeled by both artillery and musquet shots. D Ant�nio also rushed to the defence "in order to win or be killed" but, badly wounded, was forced to flee. Next day he fled the country and, except for the Azores islands, Portugal became under the Spanish domination.