BAILEN or BAYLEN, a town of southern Spain, in the province of Jaen. Pop. (1930) 9,554. Bailen is probably the an cient Baecula, where the Romans, under P. Cornelius Scipio the elder, signally defeated the Carthaginians in 209 and 206 B.C. In its neighbourhood, also, in 1212, was fought the great battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, in which, according to the ancient chron iclers, the Castilians under Alphonso VIII., slew 200,000 Moors, and themselves only lost 25 men.
Bailen, Battle of, 1808.—Dupont, invading Andalusia with 20,000 men, found his communications with Madrid through the Sierra Morena threatened by guerillas (see PENINSULAR WAR). Hearing that Castanos was approaching from Seville with 30,000, Dupont took post behind the Guadalquivir, his right on the Seville road at Andujar, his left 15 miles away at Mengibar, whilst the divisions of Vedel and Gobert lay at Bailen, five miles behind Mengibar. Castanos demonstrated in front at Andujar and sent the divisions of Reding and Coupigny to cross the river at Mengibar; this was easily stopped by Vedel moving up from Bai len. Dupont, who throughout regarded Andujar as the point of importance, both in defence, and as a bridge-head for future offen sive operations, ordered Vedel to bring his main body thither; whereupon Reding crossed at Mengibar and defeated Gobert's weak division before Bailen. Gobert himself fell, his successor retired through Bailen along the Madrid road to Guarroman, whilst Reding withdrew behind the Guadalquivir. Hurrying back, Vedel found Bailen deserted and assumed that the Spaniards had followed Dupont northwards. He in turn followed, leaving an ever widening gap between himself and Dupont. Into this gap stepped Reding and Coupigny with 17,000 men. Dupont at last decided to abandon Andujar and fall back upon Bailen, where he hoped to join Vedel; instead he found Reding and Coupigny on the hills before Bailen. He at once attacked, July 19, 1808, but his col umn was badly organized and encumbered by a huge baggage train. After I I unsuccessful attacks, lasting from dawn to noon, Dupont heard the signal guns of Castanos army following in his rear. He was trapped in a valley between two Spanish forces, his men exhausted and maddened by thirst. Had Vedel, who heard the firing hurried south again, he would equally have entrapped Reding and Coupigny between himself and Dupont, but Vedel unaccount ably tarried and Dupont in despair surrendered, Vedel's forces being included in the capitulation. The capture of 18,000 French regulars (2,000 were killed) by a not greatly superior Spanish force consisting largely of peasants was a stunning blow to French prestige.