page_title: Spanish invasion of Portugal (1762)
section_title: Second invasion of Portugal (Beira)
hierarchical_section_title: Spanish invasion of Portugal (1762) / Invasions / Second invasion of Portugal (Beira)
caption_attribution_description: Former province of Beira Baixa, Portugal Created by User:Brian Boru in September 2005, based on a map created by Jorge Candeias.
context_page_description: The Spanish invasion of Portugal between 5 May and 24 November 1762 was a main military episode of the wider Seven Years' War, where Spain and France were heavily defeated by the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance. It initially involved the forces of Spain and Portugal, before the French and British intervened in the conflict on the side of their respective allies. The war was also strongly marked by a national guerrilla warfare in the mountainous country, cutting off supplies from Spain, and a hostile peasantry that enforced a scorched earth policy as the invading armies approached, leaving the invaders starving and short of military supplies.
  During the first invasion, 22,000 Spaniards commanded by Nicolás de Carvajal, Marquis of Sarria, entered the Province of Alto Trás-os-Montes having Oporto as their ultimate goal. After occupying some fortresses they were confronted with a national uprising. Taking advantage of the mountainous terrain, the guerrilla bands inflicted heavy losses on the invaders and practically cut off their communication lines with Spain, causing a shortage of essential supplies.
context_section_description: After being defeated in the province of Trás-os-Montes, Sarria's shattered army returned into Spain by Ciudad Rodrigo and gathered with the centre's army. Here, the two Spanish corps were joined by a French army of 12,000 men, led by Prince de Beauvau, putting the total number of the Bourbon invaders at 42,000 men.
caption: The Province of Lower Beira was particularly devastated during the second Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal (July–November, 1762). A self-destructive scorched earth strategy was the price of the Portuguese victory.[80]
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