Joseph I's Reign and the Spanish War of Independence

The Reign of Joseph I and the Spanish War of Independence

Historical Context and Primary Source

This political text is a primary source: a letter from Joseph I to Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, published in a government gazette in 1809. The document originates from the reign of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, coinciding with the onset of the Spanish War of Independence.

Precursors to Conflict: Godoy's Era

Manuel Godoy's Rise and Early Challenges

Charles IV brought Manuel Godoy to power. Godoy, of humble origin, lacked the confidence of the court nobility.

Foreign Policy and Internal Strife

The execution of French monarch Louis XVI prompted Charles IV to declare war on France. Spanish troops suffered defeats, leading to the Peace of Basel (1795) with the French. Subsequently, Spanish politics vacillated between fear of France and attempts at alliance to avoid conflicts, which ultimately led to confrontation with the British and the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where Spain lost most of its fleet. This period also saw a real estate crisis and significant national debt. Godoy attempted comprehensive reforms, but faced strong opposition from the nobility and clergy. Taxes on farmers further fueled popular discontent.

Escalation to War: 1807-1808

The Treaty of Fontainebleau and French Entry

Matters worsened when Godoy signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1807, allowing French troops to enter Spain.

The Aranjuez Mutiny and Royal Abdications

On March 18, 1808, riots erupted in Aranjuez, where the royal family was residing. The mutiny led to the persecution of Godoy and the forced abdication of Charles IV. Godoy sought Napoleon's help, which Napoleon used as a pretext to invade Spain.

Joseph Bonaparte's Reign in Spain

The Bayonne Abdications and Joseph I's Ascension

Charles IV and his son, Ferdinand VII, were summoned to Bayonne by Napoleon. There, both abdicated, and Napoleon named his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as the new King of Spain.

The Bayonne Statute and Napoleonic Reforms

Joseph I immediately convened courts to dismantle the Old Regime. The new Bayonne Statute recognized tax law and granted Spaniards equal access to public office. King Joseph I initiated reforms aimed at ending the Old Regime. These focused mainly on:

• Land disentailment
• Abolition of seignorialism and primogeniture
• Untying of Church lands (manos muertas)

The Spark of Resistance: May 2nd Uprising

The Madrid Revolt and its Repression

The Spanish population offered little support to the new government, which was perceived as foreign and maintained by force. French troops were aggressive, alienating the populace from the new monarch. On May 2, 1808, as preparations were made for the departure of the royal family (believed to be taking Ferdinand VII, who was thought to be kidnapped, to Bayonne), a crowd gathered at the palace to prevent it. The revolt was harshly repressed by troops under General Murat.

Formation of Local and Provincial Juntas

However, this event served as an example for the rest of the country, and populations across regions like Galicia, Castile, Catalonia, Aragon, and Andalusia rose against the French. Initially, local juntas formed, channeling popular agitation against the French and expressing loyalty to Ferdinand VII. These then coalesced into organized provincial juntas, which declared war on Napoleon with British support.

The Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814)

The Supreme Central Junta and Early Battles

In September 1808, representatives from various juntas met in Aranjuez to form the Supreme Central Junta, tasked with leading the national struggle. The war initially seemed easy for the French, but cities like Zaragoza and Tarragona endured prolonged sieges with immense resistance. The Spanish victory at Bailén (1808) forced Joseph I to temporarily abandon Madrid and seek Napoleon's aid.

Guerrilla Warfare and the War's Conclusion

Napoleon returned, and after four weeks, Joseph was reinstated. However, the Spanish army, unable to organize conventionally, adopted effective guerrilla warfare tactics. In 1812, as Napoleon diverted troops for his Russian campaign, Spanish forces, aided by the British, decisively defeated the French, finally ending the war.