Courtesy Prado, Madrid, Spain / The Bridgeman Art Library. “In truth, the resistance offered in Andalusia to the progress of French arms was so slight, as to lead Joseph to believe that the spirit of the people had at length been effectually humbled,” writes Thomas Hamilton in his Annals of the Peninsular Campaign. “I go because I was determined there should be no handle for it being said: ‘Since he is not in command, he will not assist,’” wrote Graham to a friend. All the circumstances of my disasters are bound up in that fatal knot.”. It appeared probable that the whole of the scattered forces of the enemy would mass themselves to defend the insurgent capital.”. Services . Boston University Libraries. A network of coast watchers kept him informed of British ships entering and leaving the harbor as well. Never one to suffer defeat lightly, Napoleon turned his obsessive organizational skills to remaking the French Army of Spain. One of Napoleon’s largest allies against Britain was Spain. The Spanish ulcer by David Gates, November 6, 2001, Da Capo edition, Paperback in English If the French had been able to cross the bay, the town would have already fallen. By a secret convention reached at Fontainebleau (Oct., 1807) Spain agreed to supp… Rather than push on, Napoleon spent two weeks issuing proclamations to reform Spain’s medieval ways, revising the tax code, abolishing religious orders, and creating a new administrative system. Meanwhile, Victor went after Graham, who was holding Barosa Ridge. A History of the Peninsular War. “The fact was that Seville loomed large before the imaginations of them all: Cádiz seemed but a secondary affair at the moment. In the name of retaliation and example-setting, towns were leveled, civilians slaughtered, and soldiers executed. The Spanish Ulcer. Trapped within the medieval stone walls, Spanish political and military factions vied for control. From there they had to march in torrential rain over fifteen miles of rocky terrain back to Tarifa. At the urging of Britain, in September 1810, the Regency convened the Cortes, a parliamentary body given responsibility for overseeing the war effort and managing Spain’s empire. “We have in our respected General a confidence which is daily on the increase,” one of his engineers wrote home. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War David Gates. Gates' Spanish Ulcer is a one-volume history of the Peninsular War waged by France in Spain from 1808-1814. Some died on the battlefield in the big war, la Guerra. The Spanish Bourbon King knew that he was unpopular and as a … This paper. On May 2, 1808, they rebelled in Madrid and became the first martyrs of their cause, igniting the people to fight the French invasion. The last that dare to struggle with the Foe. Specifications. NEH has supported a range of projects that document Napoleonic Europe, including the documentary Napoleon and scholarship on the impact of the mass mobilizations on family life and how the war altered Spain’s trade. “Each day saw the murder of several Frenchmen, and I traveled over this assassins’ countryside as warily as if it was a volcano,” recounted General Matthieu Dumas. In Napoleon Bonaparte in His Study, 1812, David presents Napoleon as a soldier, emperor, and administrator. The French and Spanish traded atrocities. Army after army was sent to Spain. It covers all operations in this complicated conflict and … (He would become the Duke of Wellington in 1814.) They needed those men and tactical help from their emperor. Graham would not be confronting Victor alone, and herein lay the problem. And still there were problems. In March 1814, Fernando ascended the Spanish throne. In November, Napoleon unleashed his wrath, shattering Spanish defenses and clearing the road to Madrid in just ten days. By taking Seville, the French gained control of two hundred cannon, immense magazines, and the only foundry in Spain. He embarked on his new career after a group of French revolutionaries defiled his dead wife’s body as he transported it back from Nice in 1792. When Graham asked if Britain could fill the needs, Wellington told him it could not. Madrid and Andalusia fell in quick succession. The Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal was the most bitterly fought contest of nineteenth-century Europe. In February 1811, Victor was ordered to send a large detachment to Portugal to bolster the French position against Wellington. One bright spot was General Arthur Wellesley’s victory at Copenhagen in 1807. Graham’s ability to work with the Spanish was tested by Spain’s broken promises to deliver adequate provisions, whether to feed troops or build fortifications. “To secure for themselves the commerce of the world, they are willing to set the continent in flames.”. After Spain aligned with France, the British navy blockaded the town, ruining its economy. It swept away Spain’s medieval administrative system in favor of a system based on provinces and municipalities. By the beginning of April, all signs pointed to the siege being a long one. Napoleon, Britain, and the Siege of Cádiz. But there was one jewel missing from his crown. The time was opportune for an attack and Wellington gave Graham his blessing. After four weeks on rough seas, Graham arrived in Cádiz in late March 1810 and was appalled. “The English are a nation of merchants,” Austrian Emperor Francis II had complained to Napoleon in 1805. An unofficial alliance between Spain and Britain had begun. In August, Wellesley and an expeditionary force of fourteen thousand men landed in Mondego Bay, marched on Lisbon, and defeated the French, ousting them from Portugal. They were right to be wary of Victor. What Napoleon had called "the Spanish ulcer" ultimately helped bring down the French empire. As William Wordsworth wrote of Britain’s predicament: Another year!—Another deadly blow! Emboldened by the British presence, Spanish troops seized the French fleet docked at Cádiz. The Spanish Ulcer... About This Item. Social. Many of the citizens felt like they were letting the enemy in. “I must make all the peoples of Europe one people and Paris the capital of the world,” declared Napoleon. “I have no doubt whatever that the enemy's force in front of Cádiz is much under-rated,” he told Graham. Britain shipped three thousand men to Cádiz and appointed Henry Wellesley, Wellington’s younger brother, as the envoy to Spain. He assumed that the Spanish would be overjoyed at the change he was bringing, not only politically, but also socially. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War: Amazon.es: Gates, Dr David: Libros en idiomas extranjeros Selecciona Tus Preferencias de Cookies Utilizamos cookies y herramientas similares para mejorar tu experiencia de compra, prestar nuestros servicios, entender cómo los utilizas para poder mejorarlos, y para mostrarte anuncios. Portugal had been allied to GB for about 100 years when this trouble kicked off. He considered Spain to still be in the Dark ages because of the dominance of the church and lack of enlightenment period ideas. As Germany occupied France, Green brought Paris to life in his superlative diaries. He also knew of la Peña’s reputation and guessed that the Spaniard wouldn’t want to fight until he could connect with his Cádiz force. Wellington, however, had nothing but praise for Graham’s actions. His force was double that of the English; but the victory, though costly, was complete, and decided by the point of the bayonet.”. Cart All. Buy The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War New Ed by Gates, Dr David (ISBN: 9780712697309) from Amazon's Book Store. La Peña may have eschewed combat, but he did not shrink from fighting for his reputation. Notice how the painting emphasizes the man in white striking a Christ-like pose. It wasn’t for lack of effort by the French. Napoleon ignored the request. See our disclaimer . As he wrote in his memoirs, “That unfortunate war destroyed me; it divided my forces, multiplied my obligations, undermined my morale. In the event, the Portugese Royal family took flight. Pro-French governors were assassinated in Badajoz, Cartagena, and Cádiz. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Download PDF. Unaware that two French divisions were closing in on the ridge, la Peña ordered Graham to withdraw and rejoin the main army, which was reassembling on the adjacent Bermeja Ridge. “This was the state of the garrison at Cádiz when the retreat of the French left us free to leave our walls, and roam through the open country.” Within days, five thousand British soldiers were marching north from Cádiz to liberate Seville. Napoleon considered the war in the Peninsula, which he ruefully called 'The Spanish Ulcer', so insignificant that he rarely bothered to bring to it his military genius, relying on his marshals instead, and simultaneously launching his disastrous Russian campaign of 1812. Spain seemed all but conquered. Lieutenant-General Samuel Whittingham, who watched Graham’s men battle the French, reported: “It would be difficult to give a just idea of the impetuosity with which the common enemy was driven back from all the heights by the English bayonets; the same enemy who had charged us with such insolence and confidence as if he had already gained the victory. The Second of May 1808 was the beginning of the popular Spanish resistance against Napoleon His command of I Corps had been key to Napoleon’s triumphs against Prussia at Saalfeld, Jena, and Friedland, earning him the accolade of marshal. Graham quickly set about correcting the situation, earning him the admiration of his men in the process. If he didn’t get one, he would have no choice but to ask for “an early morning meeting.” It took twenty-four hours, but la Peña apologized. Title: The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War: Publication Type: Book: Year of Publication: 1986: Authors: Gates, David: Number of Pages: 557: Publisher The power vacuum was filled by Manuel de Godoy, a private soldier who became a crown favorite, it was rumored, by patronizing Queen Maria Luisa’s bed. They wanted to prevent the monarchy from being dominated by a court favorite like Godoy and to introduce liberal reforms. Courtesy Chateau de Versailles, France / The Bridgeman Art Library. But Cádiz’s governor refused to surrender. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. The taciturn Scotsman demanded an apology. The 'Spanish Ulcer' had helped to kill its host.This is the first major military history of the war for half a century, by an historian steeped in the subject. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. With the French setting up siege lines across the bay, the Junta invited Britain to station troops in the city. Scam Advisory: Recent reports indicate that individuals are posing as the NEH on email and social media. SUBSCRIBE FOR HUMANITIES MAGAZINE PRINT EDITION Browse all issues Sign up for HUMANITIES Magazine newsletter. The Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil. Despite having more than two hundred and seventy thousand men—three-fifths of the empire’s total military strength—they failed. Historian Charles Esdaile argues that “the peninsular war of 1808–14 may justly be regarded as the true foundation of the Duke of Wellington’s military reputation, raising him from the level of a mere ‘sepoy general’ to the position of foremost British commander of his age.”. The French, he says, only had eyes for Seville. Napoleon considered the war in the Peninsula, which he ruefully called 'The Spanish Ulcer', so insignificant that he rarely bothered to bring to it his military genius, relying on his marshals instead, and simultaneously launching his disastrous Russian campaign of 1812. Graham had also been one of the few officers to serve with distinction at Walcheren, the disastrous expedition to seize the French fleet as it lay anchored off the Dutch island. Michael Howard of Oxford University hailed this book as "a major achievement . Wellington, now commander in chief of Britain’s peninsular forces, believed Major General Thomas Graham was just the man. The liberals came to dominate the Cortes and, inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution, they set out to reform the government. Graham did not like the idea, particularly since la Peña had a reputation for running from a fight, but decided the operation was more important than his ego. The conflict was precipitated when Portugal refused to comply with Napoleon's Continental SystemContinental System, scheme of action adopted by Napoleon I in his economic warfare with England from 1806 to 1812. When la Peña directed his men toward the coast—and toward Cádiz —Victor sprang his trap. In its own unique way, Spain had joined the liberal revolution that had engulfed Europe for two decades. The island fortress sat at one end of the Isla de León, surrounded by water on three sides. Although the French crushed the Spanish in the revolt of May 2, 1808, this provided martyrs to the people's cause which fed the flames of rebellion rather than stifling it. As with Cádiz, food became a problem, but in Victor’s case it was because Spanish peasants were hiding all the available food. . King Carlos IV was erratic and unstable, while his heir, Fernando VII, was as dumb as he was vain. The Spanish Ulcer. By David Gates. Manufacturers, suppliers and others provide what you see here, and we have not verified it. The long struggle, however, had taken its toll on the British people and the nation’s coffers. The French had over four hundred and fifty cannon trained on Isla de León, while Cádiz, home to the Royal Artillery school, had even more trained on the French. 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