Crisis of the Bourbon Monarchy and the War of Independence
1. Crisis of the Bourbon Monarchy: The War of Independence
1.1 The Crisis of the Monarchy of Charles IV (1788-1808)
In the early nineteenth century, the monarchy of Charles IV was deeply tarnished. The reasons lay in a crisis of governance, with the key figures being the king, his wife Maria Luisa of Parma, and, above all, the valido Manuel Godoy.
To tackle the financial crisis generated by the continuous wars with France and the UK, Godoy ordered the confiscation of Church properties in 1798. This action, coupled with an ineffective tax system, worsened the royal treasury deficit.
Another source of discontent was the subordination of Spanish foreign policy to the needs of Napoleon’s France. One of the most serious consequences of this submission was the defeat at Trafalgar in 1805, which resulted in the destruction of a significant part of the Spanish armada. An agreement with France, the Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1807, allowed the entry of French troops to occupy the kingdom of Portugal, with the intention of dividing it between the French and Spanish crowns.
In early 1808, in accordance with that treaty, French troops entered Spain. But popular discontent grew. In this context, Prince Ferdinand, son of Charles IV, gathered opposition from many privileged sectors against Godoy and promoted the Mutiny of Aranjuez (March 1808), which brought about the dismissal of Godoy and the abdication of Charles IV in favor of his son, Ferdinand.
That same year, Napoleon, taking advantage of the rift between Charles IV and Ferdinand VII, managed in Bayonne to have both abdicate in his favor. He then appointed his brother Joseph King of Spain (Abdications of Bayonne).
1.2 The War of Independence
On May 2, 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against French troops. The French army, under General Murat, strongly suppressed the popular uprising.
In rebellious localities, Provincial Juntas were formed; these were local governments of a popular character in the fight against the invader. It soon became necessary to unify the disparate efforts to give more effectiveness to the anti-French rebellion. To that end, representatives of the Provincial Juntas met in Aranjuez, constituting the Central Junta, chaired by the Count of Floridablanca, who assumed leadership of the war and the government of the country.
The government of the Central Junta was the only one recognized by most of the Spanish. However, a minority welcomed Joseph Bonaparte, who ruled the country under the Constitution of Bayonne.
The Development of the War
In July 1808, Spanish troops defeated the French army at the Battle of Bailén, which led King Joseph I to leave Madrid and the withdrawal of French troops north of the peninsula.
However, the French victory at Ocaña in October 1809 and the southward advance allowed Napoleon to occupy nearly all of Spain; only Cádiz and areas in the east of the peninsula remained free, although these would also fall later.
The situation changed after 1812, when a large contingent of British troops under the Duke of Wellington arrived in Spain, and the Anglo-Spanish army launched an offensive. During the years 1812 and 1813, the French were defeated at Arapiles (Salamanca), Vitoria, and San Marcial. In addition, the mobilization for the Russian campaign forced the emperor to withdraw troops from Spain and focus on other parts of Europe.
Finally, Joseph I left Spain. The Emperor and Ferdinand signed the Treaty of Valençay (December 1813), by which Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne without any conditions.