When is the Battle of Ayacucho?
Battle of Ayacucho is a national holiday in Peru on December 9th each year.
The holiday marks the date of an important battle in the Peruvian War of Independence in 1824 which freed Peru and ensured the independence of the nascent South American republics from Spain.
About the Battle of Ayacucho
Considered in Peru and neighbouring countries as the end of the battle for independence from the crown of Spain, the Battle of Ayacucho is remembered as the decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence, which secured Peruvian nationhood and ensured the same for the other emerging South American states.
This battle took place on the morning of the 9th December 1824 on a high plateau near Ayacucho, Peru. The name Ayacucho comes from the indigenous Quechua word meaning ‘corner of the dead’.
The Spanish royalist army numbering over 9000 soldiers was commanded by native Frenchman Jose de Canterac and had 10 times as many artillery pieces as their foe. The revolutionary forces, which were made up of Peruvians as well as Venezuelans, Colombians, Argentinians, and Chileans numbered about 6000 and were under the leadership of de Sucre.
It was noted that just before the battle, many officers and troops crossed over to embrace their friends and brothers in the opposing battle lines. Sucre opened the attack with an unexpected cavalry charge led by Colombian José María Córdoba, and in a short time the royalist army had been routed, resulting in almost 2,000 fatalities. The battle which lasted approximately four hours ended with the defeat of the royalists while the losses of the patriot army amounted to 310 fatalities and 709 wounded.
During the fighting, the Spanish viceroy José de la Serna e Hinojosa and his generals were taken prisoner which resulted in immediate calls for talks and terms of surrender. The terms of surrender stipulated that all Spanish forces be withdrawn from both Peru and Charcas (Bolivia); the last of them departed from Callao, the port of Lima, in January 1826.
In December 2021, with 95 votes in favour, 19 against and 2 abstentions, the plenary session of Congress approved a non-working national holiday on December 9th, effective from 2022.
The location of the Battlefield of Ayacucho has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019.
