On May 2, 1808 (Spanish: Dos de Mayo) the people of Madrid rebelled against the occupation of the city by French troops, triggering the Peninsular War. Combatants Spain United Kingdom Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by an alliance of Spain, Portugal, and Britain against the Napoleonic French Empire. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1160x900, 160 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Peninsular War Mamluk Spanish Empire The Second of May 1808 ... The Second of May 1808: The Charge of the Mamelukes The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes, was the first in two paintings painted by Spaniard Francisco Goya, the second being the Third of May 1808. ... This article is about Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Motto: De Madrid al Cielo (From Madrid to Heaven) Location Coordinates: Country Spain Autonomous Community Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid Province Madrid Administrative Divisions 21 Neighborhoods 127 Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (PP) Area  - Land 607 km² (234. ... Combatants Spain United Kingdom Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by an alliance of Spain, Portugal, and Britain against the Napoleonic French Empire. ... Image File history File links Spain1785. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Map of the First French Empire in 1811, with the Empire in dark blue and sattelite states in light blue Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1804-1814/1815 Napoleon I Napoleon II Legislature Parliament  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house Corps législatif History  - French Consulate  - Established 18... Defensa del Parque de Artillería de Monteleón by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida depicts Pedro Velardes last stand. ... Joachim Murat, King of Naples, Marshal of France. ... Combatants Spain United Kingdom Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by an alliance of Spain, Portugal, and Britain against the Napoleonic French Empire. ... Combatants France Spain Commanders General Schwartz General Franch Strength 3,800 regulars 2,000 regulars and militia Casualties 300 dead Unknown The Battle of El Bruc (English: The Bruch) was an engagement fought between a French column and a body of Spanish volunteers and mercenaries on June 4, 1808 in... Combatants France Spain Commanders Charles de Lefebvre José de Palafox y Melzi Strength 8,500 regular infantry 1,000 cavalry 12 guns 500 regulars 6,000 militia Casualties 3,000 dead or wounded Unknown The First Siege of Saragossa (Spanish: Zaragoza) was a bloody struggle in the Peninsular War. ... Combatants France Spain Commanders Jean-Baptiste Bessières Joaquín Blake Gregorio de la Cuesta Strength 12,000 regulars 24,000 regulars and militia Casualties 1,000 dead or wounded 3,500 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Medina del Rio Seco was fought during the Peninsular War on... The Battle of Bailén was a series of clashes between the Spanish regular army— operating in conjunction with guerilla formations—under Generals Castaños and Reding and the French commanded by General Pierre Dupont, between July 18 and July 22, 1808, as a part of the Peninsular War. ... The Battle of Roliça (formerly spelt as Roleia in English) was the first battle fought by the British army during the Peninsular War, fought on August 17, 1808 near the village of Roliça in Portugal, between the British under General Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington and the... The Battle of Vimeiro was fought on August 20, 1808 and resulted the victory of the British under the Duke of Wellington against the French under General Junot. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Motto: De Madrid al Cielo (From Madrid to Heaven) Location Coordinates: Country Spain Autonomous Community Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid Province Madrid Administrative Divisions 21 Neighborhoods 127 Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (PP) Area  - Land 607 km² (234. ... Combatants Spain United Kingdom Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by an alliance of Spain, Portugal, and Britain against the Napoleonic French Empire. ...

Background

The city had been under the occupation of Napoleon's army since March 23 of the same year. King Charles IV had been forced to abdicate in favour of his son Ferdinand VII, and at the time of the uprising both were in the French city of Bayonne at the insistence of Napoleon. An attempt by the French general Joachim Murat to move the daughter and youngest son of Charles IV to Bayonne led to a popular rebellion that was harshly suppressed by French troops after hours of fierce street fighting. The uprising in Madrid, together with the subsequent proclamation as king of Napoleon's brother Joseph, provoked resistance across Spain to French rule. Napoléon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, became Napoléon I, Emperor of the French)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from 11 November 1799... Charles IV (November 11, 1748 - January 20, 1819) was King of Spain from December 14, 1788 until his abdication on March 19, 1808. ... Ferdinand VII (October 14, 1784 - September 29, 1833) was King of Spain from 1813 to 1833. ... Bayonne (French: Bayonne, pronounced ; Gascon Occitan and Basque: Baiona) is a city and commune of southwest France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Joachim Murat, King of Naples, Marshal of France. ... Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte, King of Naples, King of Spain (January 7, 1768 – July 28, 1844) was the elder brother of the French Emperor Napoleon I, who made him King of Naples (1806–1808) and King of Spain (1808–1813). ...

The Beginning of the Uprising

The spark that provoked the rebellion was the move by the French general in command of Madrid, Joaquim Murat, to send the daughter of Charles IV and the prince Francisco de Paula to the French city of Bayonne. Murat was the brother-in-law of Napoleon, and would later become king of Naples. Initially the governing council of the city refused the request from Murat, but eventually gave way after receiving a message from Ferdinand VII who was also in Bayonne at this time. Infante Francisco de Paula, Duke of Cadiz (Francisco de Paula de Borbón, Duque de Cádiz) was born on 10 March 1794 in Madrid, Spain. ...

On the 2nd May a crowd began to gather in front of the Royal Palace in Madrid. Those gathered entered the palace grounds in an attempt to prevent the removal of Francisco de Paula. General Murat sent a battalion of grenadiers from the Imperial Guard to the palace along with artillery detachments. The latter opened fire on the assembled crowd, and the rebellion began to spread to other parts of the city. East Palacio Real de Madrid North Palacio Real redirects here. ... The Imperial Guard (French:Garde impériale) was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...

Second of May, 1808: Pedro Velarde takes his last stand.

What followed was street fighting in different areas of Madrid as the poorly armed population confronted the French troops. Murat had quickly moved the majority of his troops into the city and there was heavy fighting around the Puerta del Sol and the Puerta del Toledo. General Murat imposed martial law in the city and assumed full control of the administration. Little by little the French regained control of the city, and many hundreds of people died in the fighting. The painting by the Spanish artist Goya, The Charge of the Mamelukes, portrays the street fighting that took place. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1432x914, 212 KB)The death of Pedro Velarde y Santillán during the Defensa del Parque de Artillería de Monteleón (Defence of the Monteleon Artillery Fields) by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863 - 1923). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1432x914, 212 KB)The death of Pedro Velarde y Santillán during the Defensa del Parque de Artillería de Monteleón (Defence of the Monteleon Artillery Fields) by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863 - 1923). ... Defensa del Parque de Artillería de Monteleón by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida depicts Pedro Velardes last stand. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Puerta del Sol, from left to right, the House of the Post Office, Calle Mayor and the statue of Charles III The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for Sun Gate) is one of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid. ... This article is about Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter. ... The Second of May 1808: The Charge of the Mamelukes The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes, was the first in two paintings painted by Spaniard Francisco Goya, the second being the Third of May 1808. ...

There were Spanish troops stationed in the city, but they remained confined to barracks. The only Spanish troops to disobey orders were from the artillery units at the barracks of Monteleón, who joined the uprising. Two officers of these troops, Luis Daoíz y Torres and Pedro Velarde y Santillán are still commemorated as heroes of the rebellion. Both died during the French assault of the barracks, as the rebels were reduced by vastly superior numbers. A barracks housing conscripts of Norrbottens regemente in Boden, Sweden. ... Defensa del Parque de Artillería de Monteleón by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida depicts Pedro Velardes last stand. ...

The aftermath

The repression following the crushing of the initial rebellion was harsh. Murat created a military commission on the evening of the 2nd May to be presided by General Grouchy. This commission issued death sentences to all of those captured who were bearing weapons of any kind. All public meetings were prohibited and an order was issued required all weapons to be handed in to the authorities. Hundreds of prisoners were executed the following day, a scene that has also been captured in a famous painting by Goya, The Third of May 1808. The Third of May 1808: The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid is a 1814 oil painting by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya. ...

On the same 2nd May, in the nearby town of Móstoles, the arrival of the news of the repression prompted Juan Pérez Villamil ((secretary of the Admiralty and prosecutor of the Supreme War Council) to encourage the mayors of the town, Andrés Torrejón and Simón Hernández, to sign a declaration of war calling all the Spaniards against the invaders. Móstoles is city belonging to the autonomous community of Madrid. ...

The Impact of the Uprising

The Heroes of the Second of May memorial, Madrid.

The French occupiers hoped that their rapid suppression of the uprising would demonstrate their control of Spain, however the rebellion gave considerable impetus to Spanish resistance against the French presence in the country. In the weeks that followed there were further rebellions in different parts of the country. The Second of May 1808: The Charge of the Mamelukes The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes, was the first in two paintings painted by Spaniard Francisco Goya, the second being the Third of May 1808. ...

Commemoration

The 2nd May was chosen as a public holiday for the region of Madrid. The place where the artillery barracks of Monteleón was located is now a square called the Plaza 2 de mayo, and the district surrounding the square is known as Malasaña in memory of one of the heroines of the revolt, Manuela Malasaña, who was executed by French troops in the aftermath of the revolt.

Several memorials to the heroes are located over the city.

References

• Chandler, David G. The Campaigns of Napoleon. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. ISBN 0-02-523660-1
• Gates, David. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. Da Capo Press 2001. ISBN 0-306-81083-2
• Glover, Michael. The Peninsular War 1807-1814. Penguin Books 2003. ISBN 0-141-39041-7

Notes

External links

• A Spanish language account of the events
• Napoleon and the Spanish imbroglio
• Napoleon's Total War