Fort of Casa

Last updated
Fort of Casa
Forte da Casa
Forte da Casa, Vila Franca de Xira in  Portugal
FortedaCasa1.jpg
Coordinates 38°52′28″N9°03′24″W / 38.87444°N 9.05667°W / 38.87444; -9.05667
TypeFort
Site information
Open to
the public		Yes, including an interpretation centre
ConditionPreserved and restored. Public park.
Site history
Built1809-10
Built by Duke of Wellington
FateUnused in battle
Garrison information
Garrison340

The Fort of Casa was the most easterly of the forts and redoubts built in 1809-10 during the Peninsular War on the second line of the three defensive Lines of Torres Vedras aimed at protecting the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. It is situated in the town of Forte da Casa, in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira, in the Lisbon District. [1]

Contents

History

Following the Treaty of Fontainebleau signed between France and Spain in October 1807, which provided for the invasion and subsequent division of Portuguese territory into three kingdoms, French troops under the command of General Junot entered Portugal, which requested support from the British. In July 1808 troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington, at the time known as Arthur Wellesley, landed in Portugal and defeated French troops at the Battles of Roliça and Vimeiro. This forced Junot to negotiate the Convention of Cintra, which led to the evacuation of the French army from Portugal. In March 1809, Marshal Soult led a new French expedition that advanced south to the city of Porto before being repulsed by Portuguese-British troops and forced to withdraw. [2] [3] [4]

The threat of a further invasion by the French led Wellington, on 20 October 1809, to order the secret construction of defensive lines in order to protect Lisbon from Napoléon Bonaparte's troops led by Marechal Masséna. [5] A total of 152 military installations were constructed and they were each given a number. [3] The Fort of Casa was Number 38 and it was originally named “Da Caza” by the Portuguese Major Brandão de Sousa. It had a star-shaped layout and, like most other forts of the Lines, it was built with a dry moat and equipped with a magazine. In 1810 it was garrisoned by around 340 soldiers, with five cannon. At an altitude of just 41 metres and close to the River Tagus it was given the task, together with the higher forts of Portela Grande and Portela Pequena, of potentially impeding the progress of the French army along two main roads. However, Masséna’s troops were repulsed by the first line of defence at Sobral de Monte Agraço and the Fort of Casa never saw action. [1] [4] [6]

The present day

The fort was excavated in 2008 and 2010 and the ruins are now incorporated into a small urban park. The site also contains a Lines of Torres Vedras “Interpretation Centre”, one of several in the region. The Centre informs visitors about the construction of the two northerly lines of Torres Vedras, the relation of the fort with other military works, and on the impact of the French invasion and construction of the forts on the people of the area. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Lines of Torres Vedras were lines of forts and other military defences built in secrecy to defend Lisbon during the Peninsular War. Named after the nearby town of Torres Vedras, they were ordered by Arthur Wellesley, Viscount Wellington, constructed by Colonel Richard Fletcher and his Portuguese workers between November 1809 and September 1810, and used to stop Marshal Masséna's 1810 offensive. The Lines were declared a National Heritage by the Portuguese Government in March 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vila Franca de Xira</span> City and municipality in Lisbon, Portugal

Vila Franca de Xira is a city and municipality in the Lisbon District in Portugal. The population in 2021 was 137,659, in an area of 318.19 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forte da Casa</span> Town in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal

Forte da Casa is a town and former civil parish in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal. Since 2013, it is part of the civil parish Póvoa de Santa Iria e Forte da Casa. Its population in 2011 was 11,056 in an area of 3.96 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Zambujal</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Zambujal, also referred to as the Fort of Casas Velhas, is located near the town of Zambujal-Casas Velhas, in the parish of Carvoeira, municipality of Mafra, Lisbon District, Portugal. Constructed in 1809–10, at 102 metres above sea level, it was one of the forts and other military works built by British and Portuguese troops to protect Lisbon from French forces, forming part of the Second Line of defence of the so-called Lines of Torres Vedras. Each work was given a number and Zambujal was No. 95.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Feira</span> 19th Century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Feira, also known as the Fort of Malveira, is located at an altitude of 226 metres, above the town of Malveira, in the municipality of Mafra, in Lisbon District, Portugal. It was built in 1809-10 as part of the Lines of Torres Vedras, three lines of forts and redoubts designed to protect Lisbon against French troops. The fort was reopened to the public in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Mosqueiro</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Mosqueiro, also known as the Redoubt of Mosqueiro, is one of a group of fortifications in Portugal that made up the Lines of Torres Vedras, which were designed to protect the capital, Lisbon, from possible invasion by French troops during the Peninsular War. It is situated near Bucelas in the Loures municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Ribas</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Ribas, also known as the Redoubt of Ribas and the Redoubt of Freixial Alto, is one of a group of fortifications in Portugal that made up the second of the three defensive Lines of Torres Vedras, between the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus, which were designed to protect the capital, Lisbon, from possible invasion by French troops during the Peninsular War. It was designed for a garrison of 300 soldiers, with three or four cannon. The fort is situated near the town of Bucelas in the Lisbon District of Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of São Vicente</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of São Vicente is located in the town and municipality of Torres Vedras, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. In 1809 it was the first of 152 forts, redoubts and other defences to be developed as part of three defensive lines between the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus that were designed by the Duke of Wellington to protect the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, from possible invasion by French troops during the Peninsular War. These came to be known as the Lines of Torres Vedras. Together with the Fort of Alqueidão, it is considered the most important fortress of those constructed for the Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Olheiros</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Olheiros was a small fort in the town and municipality of Torres Vedras, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. Situated at 105 metres above sea level, it was the most northerly of all the forts and other military facilities built in 1809-10 under the orders of the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsular War, and commonly known as the Lines of Torres Vedras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonel Trindade Municipal Museum</span> Archaeological and historical museum, Portugal

The Leonel Trindade Municipal Museum is an archaeological and historical museum in the town and municipality of Torres Vedras, Lisbon District, Portugal. It is located in a former convent on the southern edge of the city centre. In addition to an extensive archaeological section dating back to late- Palaeolithic times, the museum contains works of art from local churches as well as an exhibition relating to the Lines of Torres Vedras, defensive lines constructed under the orders of the British Duke of Wellington to defend against French invasion during the Peninsular war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forts of Serra da Aguieira</span> 19th-century forts in Portugal

The Forts of Serra da Aguieira were three forts constructed within 100 metres of each other as part of the second line of defence of the so-called Lines of Torres Vedras, which were constructed by Anglo-Portuguese forces in 1810 in order to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from possible invasion by the French during the Peninsular War. The forts are situated in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. From north to south the three forts are the Fort of Aguieira, the Fort of Portela Grande, and the Fort of Portela Pequena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Arpim</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Arpim is in the parish of Bucelas in the municipality of Loures, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. It was constructed during the Peninsular War, forming part of the first of three defensive Lines of Torres Vedras aimed at protecting Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, from French invasion. The fort, which never saw battle, has been restored and can be visited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Subserra</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Subserra, also known as the Fort of Alhandra, is situated at 142 metres above sea level close to Alhandra in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira in the Lisbon District of Portugal. Together with other smaller redoubts and batteries that also had the Subserra name, it was built during the Peninsular War (1807–14) as part of the first line of defence of the Lines of Torres Vedras planned by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington to protect the Portuguese capital of Lisbon and, if necessary, his own retreat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Alqueidão</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Alqueidão, also known as Forte Grande, is located about 2 kilometres south of the parish of Sobral de Monte Agraço, in the municipality of Sobral de Monte Agraço, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. It was one of the first and one of the largest of 152 military works known as the Lines of Torres Vedras that were built in 1809-10 to defend Lisbon during the Peninsular War (1807–14). The fort played a major role in stopping the advance of Napoleonic troops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forts of Ajuda</span> 19th-century forts in Portugal

The Forts of Ajuda are located in the parish of Bucelas, in the municipality of Loures in the Lisbon District of Portugal. Just a short distance apart, the Forts of Ajuda Grande (Big) and Ajuda Pequeno (Small) were built in 1810 as part of the Lines of Torres Vedras, which were defensive lines to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from invasion by the French during the Peninsular War (1807–14).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Carvalha</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Carvalha is located in the parish of São Tiago dos Velhos, at the highest point of the municipality of Arruda dos Vinhos, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. It was built in 1809-10 as part of the first of the three Lines of Torres Vedras, which were defensive lines to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from invasion by the French during the Peninsular War (1807–14) or, in the event of defeat, to safely embark a retreating British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Cego</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Cego is located in the municipality of Arruda dos Vinhos, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. It is also known as the Fort of Saint Sebastian. The fort was built in 1809-10 as part of the first of the three Lines of Torres Vedras, which were defensive lines to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from invasion by the French during the Peninsular War (1807–14) or, in the event of defeat, to safely embark a retreating British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Feiteira</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Feiteira is located in the municipality of Torres Vedras, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. Construction of the fort began in 1810 as part of the first of the three Lines of Torres Vedras, which were defensive lines to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from invasion by the French during the Peninsular War (1807–14) or, in the event of defeat, to protect the embarkation of a retreating British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort of Archeira</span> 19th-century fort in Portugal

The Fort of Archeira is located in the municipality of Torres Vedras, in the Lisbon District of Portugal. It is also today known as the Furadouro Redoubt and was called the “Cheira” at the time of construction. Construction began in 1810 as part of the first of the three Lines of Torres Vedras, which were defensive lines to protect the Portuguese capital Lisbon from invasion by the French during the Peninsular War (1807–14) or, in the event of defeat, to protect the embarkation of a retreating British Army.

References

  1. 1 2 "ROTEIRO Nº4 - A ROTA HISTÓRICA DAS LINHAS DE TORRES" (PDF). Museu Municipal Vila Franca de Xira. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Noivo, Marco António do Carmo Gomes (February 2010). A 1ª E A 2ª LINHAS DE TORRES: A VALORIZAÇÃO DO PATRIMÓNIO E O TURISMO CULTURAL. Lisbon: University of Lisbon.
  3. 1 2 Norris, A. H.; Bremner, R. W. (1986). The Lines of Torres Vedras. Lisbon: British Historical Society, Portugal. p. 54.
  4. 1 2 "Forte da Casa / Reduto da Serra da Albueira". SIPA: Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitetónico. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "À descoberta dos antigos fortes das Linhas de Torres no Forte da Casa". O Mirante. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "Fort Casa". Association for the Historical and Tourist Development of the Lines of Torres Vedras (RHLT). Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Rota Histórica das Linhas de Torres – Visitas e Percursos". Câmara Municipal de Vila Franca de Xira. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.