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Spanish Nationalism in the Struggle Against Napoleon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2009

Edward J. Goodman
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Extract

On the second of May in the year 1808, an event took place in Madrid which was to be of momentous consequence not only in the history of Spain but of revolutionary and Napoleonic France as well. As the last of the Spanish royalty departed from the capital for Bayonne and exile, outraged feelings gave way to an armed uprising against French rule. The revolt was speedily crushed by Murat's troops, but despite the grave restrictions imposed by his order of the day, Spain refused to be quieted. Juan Pérez Villamil, fiscal of the Supreme Council of War, issued a call to arms: “The country is in danger. Madrid is perishing, a victim of French perfidy. Spaniards, hasten to save her. May 2, 1808.” The response was immediate; irregular bands of troops sprang up, mob violence was visited upon those accused of being afrancesados (that is, pro-French), and many officials paid with their lives for their apathy in organizing the resistance. Everywhere was heard the cry of the patriots, “i Viva Fernando VII y mueran los franceses!” A few months later the regular Spanish armies were to administer to the troops of imperial France their first defeat. At last the principle of nationalism, so long a vital force in the success of the French revolution and Napoleon, had been turned against France.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Review of Politics , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , July 1958 , pp. 330 - 346
Copyright
Copyright © University of Notre Dame 1958

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References

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19 (Sevilla, 1809).

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22 This was made quite evident when the Cortes, on the proposal of the Mexican deputy Mejía, assumed the style of “Majesty,” leaving the Regency to be called simply “Highness.”

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29 It is interesting to note that radicalism was strongest among the substitute deputies (suplentes). The Catalan delegation, for example, which contained the largest number of regular deputies, was the stronghold of conservatism.

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32 On the military situation see the Diario, I, 161, 391–392, 416–418, 532–536Google Scholar; IV, 2727; V, 4000; also Villanueva, , op. cit., pp. 154–170, 257–258, 358Google Scholar, and the Semanario Patriótico for 01 24, 1811.Google Scholar

33 This large number is somewhat deceiving, since many lasted for but a few issues, and most of them had such a small circulation as to be relatively unimportant; yet they do illustrate the many and varying shades of public opinion in Spain at the time.

34 Pp. 17, 55–56.

35 Diario de las Sesiones, IV, 2799.Google Scholar

36 No. 35, Dec. 6, 1810, pp. 58–59.

37 Op. cit., II, vii.

38 One of these plazas still survives in St. Augustine, Florida.