Battle of Villaviciosa The Battle of Villaviciosa took place on December 10 , 1710 , between the Franco - Spanish army led by Louis Joseph , Duke of Vendôme and Philip V of Spain and the Habsburg - Allied army commanded by the Austrian Guido Starhemberg during the War of the Spanish Succession , one day after the decisive Franco - Spanish victory at Brihuega against the British army under James Stanhope . Philip V and the Archduke Charles claimed the victory , but the number of dead and wounded , the pieces of artillery and other weapons abandoned by the Allied army , and the strategic consequences in the war , confirmed the decisive victory for Philip V of Spain . The battle was determined in great part by the crucial role of the Spanish squadrons of cavalry and " Dragoons " commanded by the Marquis of Valdecañas and the Count of Aguilar , which far exceeded the enemies armies . Finally , the Imperial - Austrian general was compelled to continue his retreat , harassed at every step by the Spanish cavalry . His army was reduced to 6 , 000 or 7 , 000 men when he reached Barcelona on January 6 , almost the only place in Spain , which still recognised the authority of Charles . Prelude . After the victories in the Battle of Almenara ( July 27 ) , and the Battle of Saragossa ( August 20 ) , the allies supporting Archduke Charles captured Madrid for the second time , and on 21 September the Archduke Charles entered Madrid . The invasion of 1710 was a repetition of the invasion of 1706 . The 23 , 000 men of the Allied army were reduced by the military actions at Almenara and Saragossa , and in the constant skirmishes with the Spanish - Bourbon militia . The allied troops were absolutely incapable of occupying the two Castiles . The position of the allies at Madrid was dangerous . On 9 November they evacuated the city , and began their retreat to Catalonia , closely pursued by the Spanish cavalry of the Marquis of Valdecañas . The Archduke left the army with 2 , 000 cavalry , and hurried back to Barcelona . The rest of the army marched in two detachments . General Guido Starhemberg with the main body of 12 , 000 men , was a day ' s march ahead of the British troops , 5 , 000 men , under Lord Stanhope . The British force was surprised and decisively defeated at Brihuega on December 9 , 1710 . The British troops were taken prisoners , including Stanhope , who finally surrendered . When General Starhemberg was informed of the attack on the British column , moved his troops to help Stanhope ' s army , unaware that he had capitulated . In the morning the next day , December 10 , was found the Franco - Spanish army waiting in the plain of Villaviciosa . Compared to the 14 , 000 soldiers of the Austrian general , the Duke of Vendome was deployed in battle order about 20 , 000 soldiers , among whom was King Philip V of Spain himself , and other troops of the Duke who had joined in the morning . Both armies deployed in two lines , as was the custom of the time , on two parallel heights . Deployment of the Bourbon army . FIRST LINE < br > Right Wing < br > Commander : Marquis of Valdecañas ( Philip V of Spain participated in the battle in the cavalry squadrons of the right wing ) . < br > Cavalry squadrons : Center < br > Commander : Count of Torres . < br > Infantry battalions : Left Wing < br > Commander : Count of Aguilar ( The future Duke of Montemar participated in the battle under the Count of Aguilar as " Field Marshal " ) . < br > Cavalry squadrons : SECOND LINE < br > Right Wing < br > Commander : Count of Merode ( Subordinate to the Marquis of Valdecañas ) . < br > Cavalry squadrons : Center < br > Commander : Lieutenant - General Pedro de Zúñiga . < br > Infantry battalions : Left Wing < br > Commander : Lieutenant - General Navamorquende ( Subordinate to the Count of Aguilar ) . < br > Cavalry squadrons : ARTILLERY < br > Commander : Marquis of Canales ( 23 pieces of artillery ) . The battle began afternoon and lasted until midnight . Both armies possessed same amount of artillery , 23 pieces each , and they both were deployed in the same way : in 3 batteries . The fire of the artillery began at the same time and the both armies were damaged . The Marquis de Valdecañas under the command of the cavalry in the Bourbon right wing began the attack , where was present King Philip V , and sent his cavalry against the enemy left wing , composed of German infantry , and Portuguese and Spanish cavalry , under the Imperial general von Frankemberg . The German infantry , with the help of the Portuguese cavalry , tried to stop the Bourbon charge , but finally relented , and the left wing was completely destroyed . The Spanish captured the pieces of artillery and massacred the Anglo - Dutch troops that were sent to help the left wing . With the allied left wing destroyed , the Archduke ' s infantry advanced toward the Franco - Spanish center and drove back the Bourbon infantry . The Marquis of Toy went to try to prevent the decrease in the center and avoid the division in two of the army , but most were taken prisoners by the Portuguese soldiers . While the center Bourbon was in serious difficulties , the Count of Aguilar threw their cavalry against the right wing of the Archduke , commanded by the general himself Starhemberg , formed by the brightest grenadiers and cavalry squadrons of the allied army . The charge was unstoppable , and the Allies were unable to contain the cavalry of the Count of Aguilar . The right wing of the Archduke was saved from disaster by the support of the allied center , led by the Spanish general Villarroel . General Starhemberg regrouped and reorganized its forces , and finally rejected the cavalry of the Count of Aguilar , and charged against the Bourbon left wing . The allies captured the cannons of the left wing and immediately Starhemberg launched his army against the center . The Bourbon center and left wing began to retreat , and the right wing cavalry was occupied in the pursuit of the enemy , in the allied left wing . Then , the Count of Aguilar attacked with his cavalry and " Dragoons " against the right wing of the Archduke . The German and Portuguese cavalry under the command of the Count of Atalaya , resisted the first charge , but finally the cavalry of Aguilar broke the lines of the right wing enemy . At the same time reached the cavalry of Valdecañas , and caused a severe blow to allied army , and the Lt . Gen . Mahony and the " Field Marshal " Amezaga with their troops charged from the right wing . General Starhemberg was not impressed by the burden of Bourbon commanders Mahony and Amezaga , and launched three charges of cavalry against them . In the fighting , Field Marshal Amezaga injured in the face . Finally , Starhemberg forces retreated to a nearby forest to escape the Franco - Spanish cavalry , and the allied forces began to withdraw in the cover of night . Consequences . Philip V of Spain and the Archduke Charles claimed the victory , but the number of dead and wounded , the pieces of artillery and other weapons abandoned by the Allied army , and the strategic consequences in the war , confirmed the decisive victory obtained by Philip V of Spain . Starhemberg was compelled to continue his retreat , harassed at every step by the Spanish cavalry . His army was reduced to 6 , 000 or 7 , 000 men when he reached Barcelona on January 6 , almost the only place in Spain , which still recognised the authority of Charles . The battle for the Spanish throne was finally secured for Philip V of Spain , when Archduke Charles left Spain in April 1711 , to become Holy Roman Emperor , after the death of his older brother .