Qualla: Battle of Somosierra https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra en-us © 2026 Bendyline Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:21:18 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_res/siteimages/rsslogo.png Qualla: Battle of Somosierra https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra Battle of Somosierra: Introduction https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra/ The legend says the true battle cry was not the official Vive l'Empereur but something far more Polish: Naprzod psiekrwie, Cesarz patrzy -- Forward dammit, the Emperor is watching. On the morning of November 30, 1808, at the Somosierra mountain pass sixty miles north of Madrid, 125 Polish light cavalrymen of Napoleon's Imperial Guard launched one of the most audacious charges in military history -- uphill, through a narrow defile, against four batteries totaling sixteen cannons. Whether Napoleon intended them to take only the first battery or all four has been debated for two centuries. It did not matter. Once the horses reached full speed under fire, there was no stopping.

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]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/e/z/m/3/battle-of-somosierra-wp/ezm3-battle-of-somosierra-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full Battle of Somosierra: The Last Gate to Madrid https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra/ By late November 1808, Napoleon's Grande Armee had shattered both wings of Spain's popular army. To complete his reconquest, the Emperor advanced on Madrid with 40,000 men. General Benito de San Juan assembled a patchwork force of about 9,000 troops -- militia, reservists, and ba...

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]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/e/z/m/3/battle-of-somosierra-wp/ezm3-battle-of-somosierra-the-last-gate-to-madrid.mp3 0:06 2 full Battle of Somosierra: The Charge Nobody Expected to Survive https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra/ Napoleon's infantry advanced directly into the pass on November 30, exchanging musket volleys and making slow progress toward the Spanish guns. Impatient and unable to easily outflank the defenders with infantry, Napoleon ordered his Polish Chevau-legers escort squadron to charge...

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]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/e/z/m/3/battle-of-somosierra-wp/ezm3-battle-of-somosierra-the-charge-nobody-expected-to-survive.mp3 0:06 3 full Battle of Somosierra: Smoke, Confusion, and Collapse https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra/ The Spanish artillerymen fought to the death rather than abandon their guns. But the militia defending the slopes between the batteries could not see clearly through the powder smoke. What they saw -- or thought they saw -- was cavalry taking the artillery positions with apparent...

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]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/e/z/m/3/battle-of-somosierra-wp/ezm3-battle-of-somosierra-smoke-confusion-and-collapse.mp3 0:06 4 full Battle of Somosierra: Glory Claimed, Glory Disputed https://qualla.com/battle-of-somosierra/ Madrid fell on December 4, after a brief and futile defense by 2,500 regulars and 20,000 civilians. In his official bulletins, Napoleon placed all emphasis on the Polish charge, though the victory at Somosierra was actually the result of combined infantry and cavalry action, with...

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]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/e/z/m/3/battle-of-somosierra-wp/ezm3-battle-of-somosierra-glory-claimed-glory-disputed.mp3 0:06 5 full