Madrid uprising. Madrid uprising May 2, 1808 in Madrid

20.02.2024

date -May 3 Place Madrid, Bottom line The uprising is brutally suppressed, but unrest spreads throughout Spain, and the Spanish War of Independence begins. Opponents

Commanders

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Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid(Spanish) Dos de Mayo) - an uprising of the inhabitants of Madrid against the occupation of the city by the troops of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, which served as a prelude to a protracted guerrilla war.

Prerequisites

The beginning and course of the uprising

The spark that ignited the rebels was the attempt of the French Marshal Murat to send the daughter and youngest son of Charles IV, Francisco de Paula, to Bayonne. Initially, the city's ruling council refused to comply with Murat's demand, but eventually agreed after receiving a letter from Ferdinand VII, who was in Bayonne.

News of the uprising in Madrid, arriving on the same day of May 2 in the nearby town of Móstoles, prompted Juan Pérez Villamil (Spanish)Russian, the Secretary of the Admiralty and the Prosecutor of the Supreme Military Council, and the leaders (alcaldes) of the town sign a declaration of war calling on the Spaniards to fight to expel the occupiers. After the name of the town, this document was called the Declaration of the Alcaldes of Mostoles. (Spanish)Russian.

The French occupiers hoped that their swift and brutal repression would show the population that they were the masters of Spain, but in fact the uprising gave a strong impetus to the resistance. In the following weeks and months, the number of armed actions against the French began to increase. May 2 is dated as the beginning

1814 El dos de mayo de 1808 en Madrid. Prado Museum, Madrid.

The Madrid Uprising of 1808 was a popular uprising against the French occupiers on May 2, which marked the beginning of the national liberation struggle of the Spaniards for their independence and the Spanish-French War of 1808-1814. It took place under monarchist slogans in defense of the ruling Bourbon dynasty against the Bonapartist usurpers.

Napoleon I, trying to take possession of the Iberian peninsula, under the pretext of strengthening the French army in Portugal, with which France was at war, at the end of 1807 - beginning of 1808 sent his troops to Spain. On March 23, 1808, a detachment of the imperial guard led by Joachim Murat entered Madrid.

The occupation of a large part of Spain by French troops caused sharp discontent among the people, which led to a crisis in palace circles. The insignificant king Charles IV abdicated power. His son Ferdinand VII was elevated to the throne. However, Napoleon I did not recognize the new king and, deciding to seize the Spanish throne, summoned Charles IV and Ferdinand VII to France, supposedly to settle the issue of succession to the throne.

A rumor spread in Madrid that Murat intended to take out of Spain the last heir of the king, Infanta (Prince) Francisco de Paula, the younger brother of Ferdinand VII. This was the reason for the uprising.

On May 2, a crowd began to gather in front of the Royal Palace in Madrid. Those gathered entered the building to prevent the expulsion of Francisco de Paula. Murat sent a battalion of grenadiers from the imperial guard and artillery crews. Artillery opened fire on the assembled crowd, and the uprising began to spread to other parts of the city.

The Spanish troops present in the city, in accordance with the orders received, remained in the barracks. The only unit that joined the rebels were artillerymen from the Monteleon barracks.

The commanders of this unit, who led the rebels, captains Pedro Velarde and Luis Daois, are still considered heroes of the uprising. Both died during French attacks on the barracks. Fierce battles in Puerta del Sol, near Puerta Toledo, in the location of the artillery park, continued on May 2 and on the night of May 3.

Death of Captain Pedro Velarde while defending the Monteleon barracks. Artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida.

« The inhabitants of Madrid, who allowed themselves to be led astray, indulged in rebellion and murder. French blood was shed. This requires revenge. All those arrested during the riot with weapons in their hands will be shot».

All public gatherings were prohibited and an order was issued to hand over weapons to the French authorities. Hundreds of captured citizens were executed on the night of May 3, a scene depicted in Goya's painting The Third of May 1808 in Madrid.

The French occupiers hoped that their swift and brutal repression would show the population that they were the masters of Spain, but in fact the uprising gave a strong impetus to the resistance.

News of the uprising in Madrid, arriving on the same day of May 2 in the nearby town of Móstoles, prompted Juan Pérez Villamil, Secretary of the Admiralty and Prosecutor of the Supreme Military Council, and the leaders (alcades) of the town to sign a declaration of war, calling on the Spaniards to fight for expulsion of the occupiers. After the name of the town, this document was called the “Declaration of the Alcades of Mostoles.”

The Madrid uprising shook the whole country and gave impetus to popular uprisings in other areas, which developed into a guerrilla war against the invaders.

May 2 went down in the history of Spain as the beginning of the struggle of the Spanish people for their freedom and national independence.

May 2 is considered a holiday in the capital region. The site of the Monteleón barracks is now the site of Plaza Dos de Mayo (2 May Square). The surrounding neighborhoods are called the Malasaña district, named after the teenage girl Manuela Malasaña, who died during the suppression of the uprising.

More paintings:
1. Uprising of May 2, 1808. Artist Manuel Castellano.

2. Death of Daois and Velarde in the Monteleon artillery barracks. Artist Leonardo Alensa.

3. Death of Velarde on May 2, 1808. Artist Manuel Castellano.

4. The bodies of Luis Daois and Pedro Velarde. Artist Jose Nino y Tudo.

5. Death of Manuela Malasaña. Artist Eugenio Alvarez Dumont. Manuela Malasaña Oñoro (Spanish: Manuela Malasaña, Madrid, March 10, 1791 - Madrid, May 2, 1808) - one of the victims of the Madrid Uprising. She died during the suppression of the uprising by Napoleonic troops who occupied the Spanish capital. She is revered as a folk heroine. The circumstances of Manuela's death are not entirely clear. According to one version, she participated in the battles in the Artillery de Monteleón park (Spanish: Parque de Artillería de Monteleón, located in the square that is today called Second May Square (Spanish: Plaza del 2 de Mayo). Manuela helped bring gunpowder and ammunition to the defenders of the park, who were under the command of officers Luis Daoíz (Spanish: Luis Daoíz) and Pedro Velarde (Spanish: Pedro Velarde).According to another version, she was in her sewing workshop, away from the fighting, when French soldiers entered the workshop to search The soldiers allegedly tried to rape Manuela, and when she grabbed the scissors (which were her working tool), they accused her of concealing a weapon and executed her.

Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid. 1814 Canvas, oil. 268 × 347 cm Prado Museum, Madrid K: Paintings of 1814

"Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid"(Spanish) El dos de mayo de 1808 en Madrid ) - a painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya, painted together with the painting “The Third of May 1808 in Madrid” in the spring-summer of 1814 for the arrival of King Ferdinand VII. Both works were most likely commissioned by the Supreme Council of the Regency, which provided financial assistance to Goya.

In the painting, the artist depicted an episode that happened on the morning of May 2, 1808, when Spanish patriots attacked the Mamluks and dragoons who served in Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, leading the youngest Infanta Francisco de Paula out of the royal palace. The composition, in which there is no single center, conveys the energy of the crowd and the intensity of the battle, and the color palette emphasizes the cruelty of what is happening.

During the bombardment of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War, the Republican government decided to evacuate the Prado foundations. The truck transporting Goya's works was involved in an accident and the "Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid" was badly damaged. There were cuts on the painting, and some parts of the canvas were lost. After restoration, some of the damage along the left edge was left unrepaired to serve as a reminder to viewers of the Civil War. Only during the second restoration in 2008 was the painting completely restored.

Sources

Guide to the Prado. - pp. 182-183. - ISBN 978-84-8480-188-7.
Hughes R. Goya. - New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. - ISBN 0-3945-8028-1.

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Excerpt characterizing the Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid (picture)

Anna Pavlovna Scherer, like others, showed Pierre the change that had occurred in the public view of him.
Previously, Pierre, in the presence of Anna Pavlovna, constantly felt that what he was saying was indecent, tactless, and not what was needed; that his speeches, which seem smart to him while he prepares them in his imagination, become stupid as soon as he speaks loudly, and that, on the contrary, the stupidest speeches of Hippolytus come out smart and sweet. Now everything he said came out charmant. If even Anna Pavlovna did not say this, then he saw that she wanted to say it, and she only, in respect of his modesty, refrained from doing so.
At the beginning of the winter from 1805 to 1806, Pierre received from Anna Pavlovna the usual pink note with an invitation, which added: “Vous trouverez chez moi la belle Helene, qu"on ne se lasse jamais de voir.” [I will have a beautiful Helene , which you will never get tired of admiring.]
Reading this passage, Pierre felt for the first time that some kind of connection had formed between him and Helene, recognized by other people, and this thought at the same time frightened him, as if an obligation was being imposed on him that he could not keep. and together he liked it as a funny suggestion.
Anna Pavlovna's evening was the same as the first, only the novelty that Anna Pavlovna treated her guests to was now not Mortemart, but a diplomat who had arrived from Berlin and brought the latest details about the stay of Emperor Alexander in Potsdam and how the two highest each other swore there in an indissoluble alliance to defend the just cause against the enemy of the human race. Pierre was received by Anna Pavlovna with a tinge of sadness, apparently related to the fresh loss that befell the young man, to the death of Count Bezukhy (everyone constantly considered it their duty to assure Pierre that he was very upset by the death of his father, whom he hardly knew) - and sadness exactly the same as the highest sadness that was expressed at the mention of the august Empress Maria Feodorovna. Pierre felt flattered by this. Anna Pavlovna, with her usual skill, arranged circles in her living room. The large circle, where Prince Vasily and the generals were, used a diplomat. Another mug was at the tea table. Pierre wanted to join the first, but Anna Pavlovna, who was in the irritated state of a commander on the battlefield, when thousands of new brilliant thoughts come that you barely have time to put into execution, Anna Pavlovna, seeing Pierre, touched his sleeve with her finger.

The Madrid Uprising of 1808, a popular uprising against the French occupiers on May 2-3, which marked the beginning of the Spanish Revolution and the Spanish-French War of 1808-1814. Napoleon I, seeking to take possession of the Iberian Peninsula, under the pretext of strengthening the French army in Portugal, with which France was at war, at the end of 1807 and beginning of 1808 he brought his troops into Spain. In March 1808, a detachment of the imperial guard led by I. Murat entered Madrid. French occupation troops means that parts of Spain caused sharp discontent among the people. masses, which led to a crisis in palace circles. King Charles IV of Spain abdicated power. His son Ferdinand VII was elevated to the throne. However, Napoleon I did not recognize the new king and, deciding to capture Spain. throne, summoned Charles IV and Ferdinand VII to France, ostensibly to settle the issue of succession to the throne. A rumor spread in Madrid that Murat intended to take the last heir of the king, Infanta (Prince) Francisco, out of Spain. This was the reason for the uprising. On May 2, led by the patriotic officers Daons and Velarde, the population of Madrid, armed with guns, knives and stones, shouted “Death to the French!” opposed 25 thousand. French garrison. Fierce battles on the square. Puerta del Sol, near Puerto Toledo, in the location of the artillery park, continued on May 2 and on the night of May 3. Having suppressed the uprising, the occupiers brutally dealt with the population of Madrid. The Madrid uprising shook the whole country and served as an impetus for the people. protests in other areas, which grew into a broad national liberation movement against the invaders. May 2 went down in Spanish history as the beginning of the Spanish people's struggle for national independence.

Materials from the Soviet Military Encyclopedia in 8 volumes, volume 5 were used.

The Madrid Uprising of May 2, 1808 was an armed uprising of the population of Madrid against the French occupiers, which marked the beginning of the Spanish Revolution of 1808-1814. The reason for the uprising was the attempt of Marshal Murat to take the last representative of the royal house, the Infanta Don Francisco, out of Spain on the morning of May 2. The population of Madrid, armed with guns taken from the enemy, knives, and sticks, fought against the 25,000-strong French garrison. The most intense battles took place in Puerta del Sol, at Puerta Toledo, as well as in the Artillery Park, where the heroic struggle of the masses was led by Captains Daois and Velarde, who showed special courage, along with whom national heroes Lieutenant Jacinto Ruiz and Clara del Rey fell on the battlefield . The higher nobility and royal officials refused to support the uprising. It was suppressed by the invaders. troops, after which mass repressions and executions began. The Madrid uprising shook the country; May 2, 1808 went down in Spanish history as the national day of the Spanish people's struggle for freedom and national independence.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 8, KOSSALA – MALTA. 1965.

Causes of the uprising

The political course of the favorite, said the emperor, even before the Jena seemed to me a little suspicious. I could see that he was absolutely suspicious if my ambassador there had been a smart person and kept me informed of what was happening in Spain. But they served me poorly. I was amazed when I encountered opposition in the Spanish government to which I was not accustomed, and I began to be wary; this change even prompted me to strive to settle the differences that had arisen between us and Prussia, whereas if not for this, I would have most readily picked up the gauntlet that the Prussian court threw at me so inopportunely for him. I clearly saw that the Spanish nation was a little dissatisfied, but I thought that only their pride was offended, and I hoped to give them satisfaction later; I admit, I was far from thinking that a declaration of war on me would come from the favorite. I thought he had the best advisers.

“I could not create illusions about the plans of this new enemy,” said the emperor, “but I pretended that I did not see them. The successes I have just achieved could not have come at a more opportune time for me. Being a more skillful politician than Godoy, I myself gave him the opportunity to present exhaustive explanations and consider me satisfied; I promised myself to take advantage of this to take revenge with a bang at the first suitable opportunity, or at least to deprive the Spanish court of the opportunity to create difficulties for me another time. This incident opened my eyes. The Prince of Peace could have made me turn gray on the eve of the Jena, but the day after the Jena I was already the master of the situation. At one point I considered the Spaniards more decisive than they are, and thought that they had fooled my ambassador by the nose, but this anxiety was short-lived. The only time Godoy showed energy, he played a more fatal role for Spain than during those years. for many years, when he showed weakness and meanness, publicly dirtying his master with this meanness. He did not think that when a person of his type draws a sword against a sovereign, he must win or die, for if kings forgive each other mutual insults, then they cannot and should not show the same leniency towards their subjects. He should have understood that there could be no forgiveness for a person who, like him, has no roots in the country; neither common sense nor political considerations will allow forgiveness. He sacrificed Spain to remain the favorite, and Spain sacrificed herself to take revenge on him and those whom she wrongly considered to be his supporters. Revolutions are born from widespread rumors and hostile sentiments among the people. After the first gun shot, no explanations are possible: passions flare up, and since people are unable to come to an agreement, they kill each other.

The Emperor repeated once again that it was precisely these sentiments in Spain that almost forced him to make peace in Berlin and even provide Prussia with good conditions. If the officer who brought the message about the surrender of Magdeburg had arrived an hour later, then peace would have been signed.

According to the emperor, Godoy (for the most part he called him by this name), having learned that the emperor had won a victory over the Prussians, did everything to rub him in about the meaning of the famous proclamation; he pretended, as the emperor jokingly noted, that it was directed against the Turkish Sultan or the Moroccan king.

We fooled each other all the more easily,” added the emperor, “because each of us was equally interested in being fooled.” Seeing that I was inclined to help his sovereign arrange his fate, Godoy supported the plans I had outlined. I did not think of overthrowing Charles IV; I only wanted, during the war with England, to ensure the security that I needed in order to monitor the implementation of measures that could force England to peace. Izquierdo was in Paris a secret agent of the Prince of Peace and an intermediary in correspondence between Charles IV and me. As a confidant of the favorite, he was in very close relations with Talleyrand and Murat. For the most part, the negotiations took place without the knowledge of the Spanish ministry and the Spanish ambassador. On our part, Champagny did not interfere too obviously in them either. However, he was useful to me; he is an honest man, very diligent and completely devoted to me. The Spanish king was quite willing to profit from the remains of Portugal, and his favorite wanted - in the event of the king's death - to be able to escape from Ferdinand's place in the independent state created for him. Pursued by the contempt of the nation and the envy of the grandees, having no other support than the favor of the king and queen, which he could lose at any moment, he signed everything I wanted. Murat and Talleyrand, especially the first, were privy to all his fears and hopes. Intoxicated with vanity, he thought that I could forget his behavior, since then it was to my advantage to provide him with a number of advantages. In his blindness, he forgot that his appeal was composed only because he considered me a castaway. If you are a rogue, then don’t be a fool too! Frias, whom the Prince of Peace then sent to Paris and who was supposed to justify the prince before me, and also convey to me, along with the king’s congratulations on my victories, Godoy’s apologies and regrets for what had happened, was only an ostentatious figure; Izquierdo alone was privy to the secrets of the matter. In Madrid they did not understand that the duality of Frias's mission deprived his congratulations of any value, clothing them in a livery of embarrassment and even fear. However, I did not show anything, since it was primarily important to me that Spain and Portugal join the measures agreed upon at Tilsit, the purpose of which was to further spread the continental system. Embarrassed by its attitude towards me, the Madrid cabinet decided that it would put everything right if it joined the system with complete readiness. It was more difficult to subjugate Portugal, a country that was under unconditional English influence. If she refused, she would have to be forced, and for this it would be necessary to act in agreement with Spain. In this state of affairs, for the safety of the troops which I would send to Portugal, and also for the implementation of the continental system, it was important to occupy several points in Spain. Murat certainly kept the enemies of France at bay, but he did not defeat them. The favorite enjoyed such influence over the king that one could not hope to open the eyes of this gullible old man, and it was necessary to negotiate with Godoy himself in order to achieve the closure of the entire European coast to England. Since the Lisbon court did not want to comply, the Gironde Observation Corps was mobilized, supposedly formed to protect our coast from any encroachment and to fight smuggling. Sending Junot to Spain required the conclusion of a certain agreement in the interests of Spain itself. Duroc signed the treaty worked out by Talleyrand and Izquierdo. The treaty gave Spain, the King of Etruria, and the Prince of Peace half of Portugal, and retained the other half as collateral for exchange at the conclusion of peace with England; this world has always been my main goal. Spanish troops were to act with us in Portugal and guard the coast, while the Marquis of La Romana and O'Farril, at the head of other Spanish corps, were to act in the north and in Tuscany, in order to definitely emphasize in the eyes of Europe the complete agreement between us. Austria was was in a favorable mood. England could no longer create illusions for herself. At last she had to see how her goods were everywhere rejected and the whole of Europe treated her as an enemy. This time everything contributed to the success of my projects, and it seemed that my main the goal achieved. The negotiations were so well kept secret, and military preparations - even in Madrid - were carried out under such good leadership that no one knew anything. The vainglorious Prince of Peace, who cared only about obtaining the crown in Portuguese territory, forced Charles IV to sign everything.

Essentially, the emperor continued, Spain benefited from this agreement. The old king, delighted with the idea of conquering Portugal and becoming emperor, decided that this title made him a great man, as if a new title could charm his subjects more than the old one, and as if to be called emperor meant acquiring the genius and energy necessary for that to revive and defend your beautiful empire. In the depths of our souls we all thought that we had done a useful thing, since the Spanish pompousness should have felt satisfaction, but we were deceived. While negotiations were underway at Fontainebleau, Ferdinand, who was impatient to ascend the throne, plotted against his father. He was looking for support and thought that he would find it if he turned to me with a request to give him one of Josephine’s relatives as his wife. To explain this request, which his father did not know about, he stated that he wanted to make him the favorite’s son-in-law. The mystery of this step and the whole situation outraged me. I did not answer him and even scolded my ambassador, whom I for a moment suspected of having a hand in this matter. Far from any thought of any change in Spain, I did everything possible to instill sound ideas in the Lisbon court. Talleyrand, who believed that the result of these measures would be peace with England, sent Lima (the Portuguese envoy in Paris) to Lisbon; but the Lisbon court spent several days on all sorts of subterfuges and did not want to understand anything. It was therefore necessary to sign the treaty at Fontainebleau, if only in order to avoid any cause for disagreement with Spain before the occupation of Portugal. Then it was very important for me to maintain good relations with Spain. My entire political system depended on this agreement. Talleyrand, who knew my affairs well and negotiated with Izquierdo, can confirm this to you. I was far from any guesses about those scandalous events that then tainted Spain and forced us to look at the matter differently. I went to Italy, sending you to St. Petersburg, and in the meantime the son’s attempt against his father, discord between them and palace intrigues had already changed the situation in many ways. In the end, Ferdinand's ambition took matters to the extreme. All ties were broken, and all good morals were insulted. In this situation, a definite decision had to be made, since Spain, which in the person of the king-father and his favorite was on my side, was now, by the force of things and as a result of the intrigue that deprived Charles IV of the path in favor of his son, ready to turn against me, unless I become Ferdinand's accomplice. But such a role contradicted my principles and was unworthy of me. At the same time, I could not be deceived about the consequences of this coup, and I did not hesitate to make sure that the court, torn apart by disgusting intrigues, would sacrifice the real interests of the country and its relations with us if I, taking into account only the interests of the moment, took the side of Charles IV. I have always been disgusted with pursuing petty politics. Perhaps the correct policy on my part would have been to help Ferdinand, who at that moment apparently represented the Spanish nation, but this would have meant betraying the king, since everyone knew that his son and Duke Infantado was driven by a thirst for power on the throne . Hatred for the favorite served as a pretext to justify their ambition. The interests of Spain played no role in this matter, which was nothing more than a palace intrigue. To interfere in this intrigue would mean for me to become an accomplice in the vile betrayal of a son to his father. I picked up the crown of France, which was lying in a puddle. I raised her to the pinnacle of glory, and after that I could not contribute to the desecration of the scepter of Spain and the sacred authority of the king and father. The state of affairs was such that if I spoke in favor of the legitimate authority of the father against the usurping actions of the son, then my statement would go against the will of the Spanish nation and would bring upon France the hatred of the Spaniards. Such a decision, contrary to my interests, could, moreover, give no other result than the continuation of unrest, since the government of Charles IV had lost all respect. I could not take on the role of supporting Godoy against this proud nation. Determined to save and revive her if I were forced to interfere in her affairs, I decided for the time being to content myself with waiting. I was content with the role of observer. Although, in essence, I should not have provided political patronage to the court that threatened me when it thought that I was in trouble, I nevertheless explained to Charles IV its position. But the intrigues of the Prince of Asturias and the favorite, whose interests were so sharply opposed, were an obstacle to any way out of the situation. It did not take me long to come to the conviction that they and the entire nation would be a victim of the current situation. Ferdinand, who had approached me with a request to marry him, now begged me to provide him with protection; the king asked me to protect him; As for the favorite, he signed up for everything in advance, just to save his authority and maintain his influence. A dishonest minister and a worthless citizen - he thought only of himself. I did not want to get dirty by interfering in these intrigues, and continued to maintain great reserve, not wanting to ratify the treaty concluded by Duroc at Fontainebleau until the situation was clarified. Meanwhile, Junot's army occupied Portugal, and the Lisbon court abandoned it and went to Brazil; this forced me to try new combinations. The events that took place at the Spanish court made me more than ever unwilling to interfere in these scandalous feuds. I thought it best to leave them to sort out their own dirty laundry and give them Portugal, thus removing them beyond the Ebro; this would guarantee to me that the government would support the measures taken against England, and would place the Basque provinces into our hands. Essentially, Spain benefited from such a change, which was entirely in keeping with its interests. A good defensive and offensive treaty, in connection with the situation which it created for us and for them, turned Spain into a real ally, but stupidity, fear and discord between father and son led to the fact that nothing was achieved. Perhaps also I showed too clearly to Izquierdo, when he left for Madrid to set things right, my reluctance to interfere in their feuds and my contempt for Godoy and all their intrigues. Doubting that I would want to support him, the old king was frightened and was ready to go to America; but they did not have the courage to make an energetic decision. They chose to stay to compete with each other and put daggers in the hands of their subjects. I was completely uninvolved in these events, which were contrary to my interests. I sent more troops to Spain. than I intended, because in any case I did not want to allow events to turn against us, and fear of the favorite and English intrigues, which were already intertwined with the intrigues of Ferdinand, could lead to this. Murat, who commanded the army, did only stupid things and misled me.

The emperor went on to say that “Spanish affairs can only be explained by a confluence of circumstances that could not have been foreseen.” These events were very unpleasant for him and forced him to act contrary to his intentions. There was no way to take into account in advance the extraordinary stupidity and weakness that Charles IV showed, or the criminal vanity and duplicity of Ferdinand, evil and at the same time pitiful.

The emperor added that Ferdinand came to Bayonne on the advice of the Toledo archdeacon Escoyic, who thought in this way to deliver Ferdinand both his wife and the kingdom at once; the old king also came to Bayonne of his own free will. The Emperor told me several times that he had openly talked with the Spaniards who had arrived in Bayonne even before Ferdinand’s arrival and did not hide his opinion about him from them; Thus, it was entirely up to those who arrived before Ferdinand to warn him, and only up to him to turn back.

According to the emperor, even after Ferdinand’s arrival he remained indecisive for a long time; then he saw that things had taken a bad turn and now everyone would explain events in his own way in order to justify himself, and he would be reproached for this matter, as he is reproached for everything that ends in failure, although he was guided exclusively by those considerations that, in his mature opinion, reflections seemed to him consistent with the interests of both the Spanish nation and France. He repeated again that it was impossible to imagine how blind and stupid the advisers who enjoyed the confidence of the king and his son were, and to what extent Murat was carried away by the Prince of Peace, for whom he interceded in every possible way. It is also impossible to imagine to what extent the Queen Mother’s hatred of her son and the son’s hatred of his mother and father reached. His parents considered him capable of anything, even trying to poison them, as the queen once told the emperor. Most of all, she and the king were afraid of falling into his hands; because of this they left Spain, fearing his return there, and because of this they always refused to return to Spain themselves.

All of them, the emperor said, endlessly told him about their grievances against each other. It got to the point that sometimes he blushed for them and tried to break off the conversation so as not to become dirty himself by listening to so many nasty things; everyone was busy only with themselves; In none of them did he ever notice any thought devoted to the interests of Spain.

The Emperor then told me about Eskoykitz, who was obsessed with only one idea - to marry Ferdinand in Bayonne.

“This is a petty intriguer,” said the emperor. - However, I would have acted quite expediently if I had a hand in this project, since at that moment Ferdinand was the idol of the Spaniards. But then they would not fail to say that I incited him to everything and was an accomplice in his conspiracy; I preferred anything but this. I had to choose between three possible solutions in this matter, I chose the one that was suggested to me by the interests of the well-being of Spain, as well as by our interests. As for the other two possible solutions, one of them turned me into an accomplice in the crime, and the other into an accomplice in the humiliation of a nation that wanted to shake off the shame of the last reign. I could not hesitate in my choice, and these considerations did not allow me to send Charles and Ferdinand to Spain, as my interests dictated to me. Ferdinand would soon have completely exhausted the enthusiasm with which the nation treated him, and the return of his father would have humiliated him too much, and within six months he would have called on me for help. But Champapies and Marais thought that they needed to take advantage of the moment when events were ripe and when it was especially easy to make a change, since Charles and Ferdinand had completely discredited themselves in Bayonne even in the eyes of the Spaniards who were most loyal to them. Murat told me tales that misled me. I wanted to alleviate the ills of this country; I made a mistake. If I had followed my first instinct, I would have sent the king and his son home. Spain would now be at my feet. I was deceived, or rather, events deceived all human forethought. Was it possible to foresee that Murat would only do stupid things, and Dupont would resort to meanness? Someday the Spaniards will regret the constitution I gave them; she would revive their country. The reason for the uprising in Spain was Dupont's greed, his selfishness, his desire to preserve his ill-gotten fortune at all costs. Everything was ruined by the capitulation at Baylen. In order to save his wagons loaded with looted goods, Dupont condemned the soldiers, his compatriots, to the shame of an unprecedented capitulation, which made such a sad impression on the Spanish people, and to the shame of exposing the blasphemous looting of churches, which Dupont allowed to hide his own thefts. Agreeing to inspect the soldiers' backpacks on the condition that his own luggage was inviolable, he personally signed his dishonor on the pages of history. Baylen is the Kavdinsky gorge of our history. The sight of objects stolen from churches served as a signal for an uprising; the instigators took advantage of this to incite the superstitious people to revenge.

Literature:

Kudryavtsev A.E. Spanish Revolution 1808-1814. - “Scientist.” zap. Leningr. state ped. Institute", 1939, vol. 22, p. 5-44;

The World History. T. 6. M., 1959, p. 105.

On May 2, residents and guests of the Spanish capital celebrate Madrid Day in memory of the uprising of the city's inhabitants and its liberation in 1808 from occupation by Napoleon's troops.

The uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid (Spanish: Dos de Mayo) was an uprising of the inhabitants of Madrid against the occupation of the city by the troops of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, which served as a prelude to a protracted guerrilla war. The city of Madrid was occupied by Napoleon's troops on March 23 1808 of the year. King Charles IV was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Ferdinand VII, but Napoleon lured both to French territory and took them under arrest in the city of Bayonne. An attempt by the commander of the French troops, Joachim Murat, to also take the daughter and youngest son of Charles IV out of the country led to a popular uprising in Madrid, which was suppressed after several hours of fierce street fighting. The brutal suppression of the uprising and the subsequent proclamation of Napoleon's brother Joseph as king of Spain led to the spread of unrest throughout Spain. The spark that ignited the rebels was the attempt of the French Marshal Murat to send the daughter and youngest son of Charles IV, Francisco de Paula, to Bayonne. Initially, the city's ruling council refused to comply with Murat's demand, but eventually agreed after receiving a letter from Ferdinand VII, who was in Bayonne.

Poorly armed townspeople engaged in street fighting with French troops. Murat declared martial law and brought most of his troops into the city, and fierce fighting began around Puerta del Sol and Puerta de Toledo. The city's civil administration was dissolved. Gradually, French troops established control over the city, hundreds of residents died in the battles. The ferocity of the fighting was transmitted to Goya's painting "The Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid". The Spanish troops present in the city, in accordance with the orders received, remained in the barracks. The only unit that joined the rebels were the artillerymen from the Monteleón barracks. The commanders of this unit, Pedro Velarde and Luis Daois, are still considered heroes of the uprising. Both died during French attacks on the barracks.

In the picture "Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid" the artist depicted an episode that happened in the morning when Spanish patriots attacked the Mamluks and dragoons who served in Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, leading the youngest infante Francisco de Paula out of the royal palace. The composition, in which there is no single center, conveys the energy of the crowd and the intensity of the battle, and the color palette emphasizes the cruelty of what is happening.

During the bombing of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War, the Republican government decided to evacuate the Prado foundations. The truck transporting Goya's works was involved in an accident and the "Uprising of May 2, 1808 in Madrid" was badly damaged. There were cuts on the painting, and some parts of the canvas were lost. After restoration, some of the damage along the left edge was left unrepaired to serve as a reminder to viewers of the Civil War. Only during the second restoration in 2008 was the painting completely restored.

The suppression of the uprising was followed by severe repression. On the evening of May 2, Murat created a military tribunal under the chairmanship of General Grouchy. The tribunal imposed death sentences on everyone captured with weapons in their hands. In an order issued on the same day, Murat wrote: “The inhabitants of Madrid, who allowed themselves to be led to the wrong path, indulged in rebellion and murder. French blood was shed. This requires revenge. All those arrested during the riot with weapons in their hands will be shot.” All public gatherings were prohibited and an order was issued to hand over weapons to the French authorities. Hundreds of captured townspeople were executed on the night of May 3, this scene is reflected in the painting Goya "The Third of May 1808 in Madrid."

News of the uprising in Madrid, arriving that same day, May 2, in the nearby town of Móstoles, prompted Juan Pérez Villamil, Secretary of the Admiralty and Prosecutor of the Supreme Military Council, and the leaders (alcades) of the city to sign a declaration of war, calling on the Spaniards to fight for expulsion of the occupiers. This document was named after the town « Declarations of alcades of Mostoles ».

Several buildings have been erected in Madrid monuments heroes of the uprising, including "Monument to those who fell for Spain" and monument "To the heroes of May 2, 1808."

According to established tradition, the center of May 2 celebrations in Madrid becomes the capital Malasaña area, where various events, concerts, dance shows, and theatrical performances take place.

Acquainted with Program of events you can follow the link: https://somosmalasana.elperiodico.com/fiestas-2-de-mayo/

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