As we know Napoleon I conquered all of Barcelona however, didn't find a Decent reason why. I didn't read about any oppressed French minorities so, did he conquer it so he could vacation there?
As we know Napoleon I conquered all of Barcelona however, didn't find a Decent reason why. I didn't read about any oppressed French minorities so, did he conquer it so he could vacation there?
As we know Napoleon I conquered all of Barcelona however, didn't find a Decent reason why. I didn't read about any oppressed French minorities so, did he conquer it so he could vacation there?
In 1789, at the start of the French Revolutionary War, Spain was allied with Great Britain against the new French government and in support of the French Royal family, who were related to the King of Spain.
At the start of Bonaparte's war in 1794, Spain became his ally and entered the war against Britain. You may recall that the fleets which met at Trafalgar in 1805 comprised French and Spanish against the British Navy. In the Pacific, Spanish fleets attacked British East India Company vessels and settlements. There are various theories over this change of heart in Spain, but a likely explanation was Bonaparte's promise to help Spain acquire British colonial territories in India, the Pacific and the Caribbean. In effect, help regain the glory that had been Spain's in earlier centuries.
By 1808, two features became obvious to Bonaparte:
1. The Spanish royal family and government was weak and unable to sustain the sort of continental system he had in mind for Europe.
2. Portugal, adjacent to Spain, had been an ally of England (before Kingdom of Great Britain existed or the United Kingdom) since 1492, and could provide safe harbours in the Atlantic and close to Gibraltar. Therefore, it was his intention to make Portugal untenable as a neutral state and to make the threat via Spain. So he had to invade his ally, which he did with an enormous army and considerable brutality.
Thereby, Spain became an armed ally of the United Kingdom once more, until the French were expelled, and remained so for many years into the 19th century. Not a clever move by Bonaparte but also very confusing for British Admirals and Generals over the 15 year period. There were instances where British and Spanish fleets and armies met in combat, or else at friendly junkets, because the news hadn't reached them about Spain's latest change of side.
On the whole, Bonaparte was right about the Spanish government: ineffective, indecisive and lacking in leadership. It was left to two British generals, John Moore and Arthur Wellesley [later the Duke of Wellington], to throw the French out of Spain.
He didn't have to invade his ally. The Spanish government was quite prepared to go along with the invasion of Portugal, and even after Godoy fell from power he could have installed Ferdinand as King and invaded Portugal anyway.1. The Spanish royal family and government was weak and unable to sustain the sort of continental system he had in mind for Europe.
2. Portugal, adjacent to Spain, had been an ally of England (before Kingdom of Great Britain existed or the United Kingdom) since 1492, and could provide safe harbours in the Atlantic and close to Gibraltar. Therefore, it was his intention to make Portugal untenable as a neutral state and to make the threat via Spain. So he had to invade his ally, which he did with an enormous army and considerable brutality.
The English term for people like Godoy is simply favourite.1793-1795, but that's obviously just a typo.
Spain was more or less forced. Godoy, the vain...I don't know the exact term in English for ''favourites that are the prime minister, not like Churchill but like Buckhingham'' was the one pushing for the alliance, for a mix of reasons (obtaining glory on the battlefield against easier targets than the French....securing the southern third of Portgual as an independant principalty)
''Competency'' and ''Jospeh Bonaparte'' don't go in the same sentence.
(Altough, it should be noted that Joseph lost whatever authority he could ever had when Napoleon made clear that the brother was just supposed to do what Paris ordered)
And people from Spain, quite naturally, would have accepted any ruler...that was not blatantly obyeying orders for foreigners. Especially French orders.
Felipe V was as foreigner as Jospeh, but his subjects accepted him well enough.