Spain's Old Regime Crisis and War of Independence (1808-1814)

The Crisis of the Old Regime in Spain (1788-1808)

• Charles IV (1788-1808) left power in the hands of Prime Minister Manuel Godoy.
• In 1807, Godoy allied with Napoleon after signing the Treaty of Fontainebleau. This pact included an agreement to invade and divide Portugal, an ally of Great Britain. Under this pretext, French troops entered the Peninsula and occupied strategic points, making it clear their intention was also to invade Spain.
• This situation caused the *Mutiny of Aranjuez* (1808), which forced Charles IV to dismiss Godoy and abdicate in favor of his son, Ferdinand VII.
• In May 1808, Charles IV and Ferdinand VII were moved to Bayonne, France. There, they abdicated in favor of Napoleon, who yielded the Spanish throne to his brother, Joseph Bonaparte.
• Joseph I imposed the *Bayonne Constitution* (*Estatuto de Bayona*), which included Enlightened reforms, such as the equality of all citizens before the law.
• Although most of the Spanish population rejected this constitution, Joseph I had some supporters. These people became known as *afrancesados*.

The Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814)

• On May 2, 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against the French occupation. Other cities were encouraged by their actions, and the war began.
• In the countryside, the fight was carried out through *guerrilla warfare*, characterized by surprise attacks on the enemy.
• In the first phase of the war, the French advance was stopped by strong resistance in cities like Girona, Zaragoza, Valencia, and Cádiz, and by the decisive Spanish victory in the **Battle of Bailén** (1808). Napoleon then entered Spain with 250,000 soldiers and recovered almost all the territory.
• From 1812 onward, Napoleon withdrew some troops from Spain to send them to Russia. An Anglo-Spanish-Portuguese army, led by the Duke of Wellington, achieved victories at Los Arapiles, Vitoria, and San Marcial. This forced the French to withdraw from Spain. In December 1813, Napoleon signed the **Treaty of Valençay**. As a result, Ferdinand VII returned to the throne.
• The war was devastating for Spain. Agriculture was abandoned, cities and industries were destroyed, and approximately half a million people died.