Editing Peninsular War (section)

===Third Portuguese campaign===
{{further|Lines of Torres Vedras}}
[[File:1000 reis Manuel 1910 - Peninsula War.png|thumb|[[Silver coin]]: 1000 reis [[Manuel II of Portugal]], 1910 – commemorating the Peninsular War]]

[[File:FortOlheiros1.jpg|thumb|right|alt=View of gun emplacements|[[Fort of Olheiros]], site of the [[Battle of Sobral]].]]

{{Location map+ |Portugal |relief=1 |float=right |width=304 |caption=Peninsular war: Portugal <br>[[File:Brown pog.svg|12px|link=]]1807 
 [[File:Red pog.svg|12px|link=]]1808 [[File:Orange pog.svg|12px|link=]]1809 [[File:Blue pog.svg|12px|link=]]1810 [[File:Green pog.svg|12px|link=]]1811 |places=
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=38.73 |long=-9.15 |label=[[Invasion of Portugal (1807)|Lisbon]] |mark=Brown pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=38.57 |long=-7.91 |label=[[Battle of Évora (1808)|Évora]] |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=39.31 |long=-9.18 |label=[[Battle of Roliça|Roliça]] |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=39.18 |long=-9.32 |label=[[Battle of Vimeiro|Vimeiro]] |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=41.74  |long=-7.47 |label=[[Siege of Chaves|Chaves]] |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=41.54  |long=-8.42 |label=[[Battle of Braga (1809)|Braga]] |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=41.03  |long=-8.58 |label='''Grijó''' |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=41.16  |long=-8.62 |label=[[Second Battle of Porto|Porto]] |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=40.73 |long=-6.91 |label=[[Siege of Almeida (1810)|Almeida]] |mark=Blue pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=40.33 |long=-8.33 |label=[[Battle of Bussaco|Bussaco]] |mark=Blue pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=39.01 |long=-9.09 |label=[[Battle of Sobral|Sobral]] |mark=Blue pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=41.11 |long=-7.93 |label=[[Combat of Padrões de Teixeira|Teixeira]] |mark=Blue pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=38.91 |long=-9.26 |label=[[Lines of Torres Vedras|TorresVedras]] |mark=Blue pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=39.78 |long=-8.58 |label=[[Battle of Pombal|Pombal]] |mark=Green pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=40.05 |long=-8.63 |label=[[Battle of Redinha|Redinha]] |mark=Green pog.svg |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=40.35 |long=-7.08 |label=[[Battle of Sabugal|Sabugal]] |mark=Green pog.svg |position=right |marksize=12}}
  {{location map~ |Portugal |lat=40.58 |long=-6.82 |label=[[Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro|FuentesDeOñoro]] |mark=Green pog.svg |marksize=12}}
}}
Convinced by intelligence that a new French assault on Portugal was imminent, Wellington created a powerful defensive position near Lisbon, to which he could fall back if necessary.{{sfn|Esdaile|2003|p=217}}{{sfn|Grehan|2015}}{{full citation needed|date=September 2015}} To protect the city, he ordered the construction of the [[Lines of Torres Vedras]]—three strong lines of mutually supporting forts, [[blockhouse]]s, [[redoubt]]s, and [[ravelin]]s with fortified artillery positions{{mdash}}under the supervision of [[Sir Richard Fletcher, 1st Baronet|Sir Richard Fletcher]]. The various parts of the lines communicated with each other by [[Flag semaphore|semaphore]], allowing immediate response to any threat. The work began in the autumn of 1809 and the main defences were finished just in time one year later. To further hamper the enemy, the areas in front of the lines were subjected to a [[scorched earth]] policy: they were denuded of food, forage and shelter. 200,000 inhabitants of neighbouring districts were relocated inside the lines. Wellington exploited the facts that the French could conquer Portugal only by conquering Lisbon, and that they could in practice reach Lisbon only from the north. Until these changes occurred the Portuguese administration was free to resist British influence, [[William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford|Beresford]]'s position being rendered tolerable by the firm support of the [[Minister of War]], [[Miguel de Pereira Forjaz]].{{sfn|Esdaile|2003|p=313}}

As a prelude to invasion, Ney took the Spanish fortified town of [[Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo (1810)|Ciudad Rodrigo]] after a siege lasting from 26 April to 9 July 1810. The French re-invaded Portugal with an army of around 65,000, led by [[Andre Masséna|Marshal Masséna]], and forced Wellington back through Almeida to Busaco.{{sfn|Southey|1828d|p=440}} At the [[Battle of the Côa]] the French drove back [[Robert Crauford]]'s [[Light Division]] after which Masséna moved to attack the held British position on the heights of [[Bussaco]]{{mdash}}a {{Convert|10|miles|km|adj=on}}-long ridge{{mdash}}resulting in the [[Battle of Buçaco]] on 27 September. Suffering heavy casualties, the French failed to dislodge the Anglo-Portuguese army. Masséna outmaneuvered Wellington after the battle, who steadily fell back to the prepared positions in the Lines.{{sfn|Esdaile|2003|p=327}} Wellington manned the fortifications with "secondary troops"{{mdash}}25,000 Portuguese militia, 8,000 Spaniards and 2,500 British [[Royal Marines]] and [[Royal Artillery|Royal Artillerymen]]—keeping his main field army of British and Portuguese regulars dispersed to meet a French assault on any point of the Lines.{{sfn|Weller|1962|p=144}}

Masséna's Army of Portugal concentrated around [[Sobral de Monte Agraço|Sobral]] in preparation to attack. After a fierce skirmish on 14 October in which the strength of the Lines became apparent, the French dug themselves in rather than launch a full-scale assault and Masséna's men began to suffer from the acute shortages in the region.{{sfn|Gates|2001|pp=32–33}} In late October, after holding his starving army before Lisbon for a month, Masséna fell back to a position between [[Santarém, Portugal|Santarém]] and [[Rio Maior]].{{sfn|Weller|1962|pp=145–146}}