Cincomarzada

The Cincomarzada was a failed Carlist attempt to conquer the city of Zaragoza on 5 March 1838. Nowadays it is a popular holiday in Zaragoza commemorating the heroic behaviour of the citizens during the First Carlist War.

== Background == Zaragoza held a very strategic position, garrisoned by a good amount of liberal troops. As the Carlist army was supposedly far away, most of the garrison soldiers were sent away in February 1838 to strengthen an army that had to fight against Basilio Garcia's expedition, who was trying to reach the Maestrazgo and join with Cabrera from La Mancha. When Cabrera heard that Zaragoza was almost defenceless, he sent Juan Cabañero y Esponera to seize the city with 2800 infantry and 300 cavalry. He simply wanted to plunder the city, as those men were not enough to keep Zaragoza for long in Carlist hands.