Battle of Oriola (1521)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Battle of Oriola (Orihuela) – 30 August 1521

The battle took place in Orihuela, Valencia, during the Revolt of the Brotherhoods. It pitted the Agermanados, mainly artisan guilds, against royalist forces led by Pedro Fajardo y Chacón, Marqués de los Vélez. The Agermanados were divided between moderates and radicals, which weakened their forces. Rebels’ commanders were Micar Bocanegra, Fray Miquel Garcia, and Pere Palomares; royalists were commanded by Pedro Fajardo and Pero Maza de Lizana. About 7,000 rebel infantry faced roughly 5,500 royalist troops. The battle ended in a royalist victory, with around 2,000 Agermanados killed. In the crackdown that followed, about 40 Agermanado leaders were executed and Orihuela was plundered. The defeat dealt a severe blow to the Revolt and brought much of southern Valencia under royalist control.