Peninsular War and Spain's 1812 Cádiz Constitution (1808–1814)

War of Independence: Spain 1808–1814

The War of Independence. Napoleon conquered Portugal and decided to establish the Continental Blockade against England. In 1807 Godoy signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau with France, an agreement that led to the joint French and Spanish operation that invaded and occupied Portugal.

Treaty of Fontainebleau and the Invasion

The French then entered Spain with little immediate resistance, partly because their true intentions were not widely understood. The presence of French troops and political tensions led to growing unrest.

Aranjuez Mutiny and Royal Abdications

In March 1808 a popular revolt — the Aranjuez mutiny — brought down the government. King Carlos IV was forced to cede the crown to his heir, Fernando (Ferdinand). Napoleon exploited the divisions within the royal family and summoned them to Bayonne, where he coerced them to abdicate in favor of his brother, Joseph Bonaparte.

May 2, 1808: Uprising in Madrid

On May 2, 1808 the royal family left the palace to go to Bayonne, and the people of Madrid rose up against the French in an attempt to prevent their departure. The popular revolt intensified when the abdications were made public, leaving a power vacuum that the people filled by appealing to the provincial boards (juntas).

Stages of the War

Stages of the conflict can be summarized as follows:

1. Fighting War

Napoleon believed that 150,000 men would be enough to subdue Spain, but Spanish resistance stopped the French advance in Valencia, Zaragoza and Gerona. The general in command on 20/07/1808, chestnut, did capitulate to the French in dance.

2. Wrasse and the Guerrillas

By the end of 1808 the French had conquered Madrid and installed Joseph on the throne. In 1810 only Cádiz and Lisbon remained unconquered. The action of the guerrillas was very important in preventing total French control.

3. The End of the War

The guerrilla warfare prevented complete conquest. The support of the Duke of Wellington proved crucial, with key victories at Salamanca, Vitoria and San Marcial. Ultimately Napoleon had to recognize the independence of Spain by the Treaty of Valençay and release FVII (Ferdinand VII).

Cortes of Cádiz and the Constitution of 1812

The Cortes of Cádiz drafted the Cádiz Constitution of 1812, which was the only constitution formed while escaping direct French control. The Constitution of 1812 represented a major political change and established principles that limited absolute monarchy.

Political and Social Changes Enshrined

• Proclaimed national sovereignty.
• Established separation (independence) of powers.
• Declared equality of all citizens before the law.

The liberal project achieved:

• Equality of all men before the law and the abolition of aristocratic privileges.
• Regularized and centralized public finances.
• Liberalized trade and prices.

Notes: All original place names and terms have been preserved and corrected for spelling, punctuation and capitalization to improve clarity and readability, while maintaining the factual content of the original text.