# Charge at Somosierra (1808)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1808-charge-at-somosierra
Location: Somosierra
Categories: battle

Polish light cavalry of the Imperial Guard charged up the Somosierra pass in Spain and captured Spanish batteries, opening the road to Madrid for Napoleon. Within the broader Napoleonic & Congress Poland period: Poles fought beside Napoleon in hope of restoring their state, gaining the Duchy of Warsaw. After 1815 the Congress Kingdom of Poland enjoyed a constitution under the Russian tsar until the November Uprising. At this point in the timeline (30 November 1808), the governing authority was Frederick Augustus I (Duke of Warsaw). King of Saxony appointed by Napoleon as Duke of Warsaw; grandson of Augustus III. Charge at Somosierra mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Charge at Somosierra mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed.

Ruler at the time: [Frederick Augustus I](https://poland-history.com/rulers/frederick-augustus-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Battle of Somosierra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Somosierra)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Charge at Somosierra](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Charge+at+Somosierra)
- [Wikipedia — Congress Poland (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Poland)