Battle of Vilanova

The Battle of Vilanova took place on September 17, 1658 during the Restoration War, apart from the fortress of Sao Luis de Gonzaga, south of Tui, on the south bank of the River Minho instead. A Spanish army led by Rodrigo Pimentel, Marquis of Viana was offset by the Portuguese military, led by João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 2nd Earl of Castelo Melhor. The Spaniards were victorious, and in the next few months they conquered Monção, Salvaterra de Miño and other Portuguese Continued

The Spanish army left Pontevedra on September 6, and after it the Miño river crossed by a pontoon bridge, they invaded Portuguese territory on September 12. On 17 September, a Portuguese army approached with an infantry of 5,500 men and a cavalry of 500 horsemen under João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, Count of Castelo Melhor, a troop of Spaniards. The Count of Peñalba was sent to check the field in the instruction of eight cavalry squadrons. The squadrons were led by Don Francisco de la Cueva, don Francisco Taboada, don Álvaro de Anaya, don Francisco Marcos de Velasco, don Antonio de mocoso, don Andrés de Robles and don Pedro Niño. They were accompanied by eight departments of Tercios. Meantime Teniente Maestro de Campo General Don Francisco Buzo ordered to skirmish in command of 400 musketeers with the Portuguese.