Question 1

Why did the Spanish people rebel against the French army if they were originally allies?

Accepted Answer

The rebellion was triggered by a sense of betrayal and economic desperation. Although the Treaty of Fontainebleau officially allowed French troops to enter Spain to attack Portugal, Napoleon sent far more soldiers than agreed upon—about 250,000—and began occupying strategic Spanish cities like Barcelona and Pamplona. Tensions boiled over due to food shortages caused by bad harvests and the burden of feeding the French troops, combined with the "kidnapping" of the Spanish royal family in Bayonne, where Napoleon forced them to abdicate in favor of his brother, Joseph I.

Question 2

What was the "Guerrilla" warfare and why was it so effective against Napoleon?

Accepted Answer

Guerrilla warfare was a form of irregular combat invented by common Spanish people—such as peasants, shepherds, and even local priests—because the regular Spanish army had been largely defeated. These small groups used their superior knowledge of the local terrain to launch quick, surprise attacks on French patrols and supply lines before vanishing. This forced Napoleon to keep thousands of soldiers occupied just to protect communications, leading him to eventually describe the "Spanish ulcer" as a primary cause of his empire's downfall.

Question 3

What made the Constitution of 1812, also known as "La Pepa," so revolutionary?

Accepted Answer

Promulgated in Cádiz while the rest of the country was occupied, this constitution shifted the source of power from the King to the Nation (National Sovereignty). It established a division of powers, universal male suffrage (albeit indirect), and equality before the law, effectively ending the absolute power of the monarchy and the privileges of the nobility. It also abolished the Inquisition and established freedom of the press, serving as a progressive model for future democratic movements in Europe and the Americas.

Question 4

How did the war in mainland Spain lead to the independence of Spanish colonies in America?

Accepted Answer

The war created a power vacuum that forced American colonies to establish their own local governing boards (Juntas), similar to those in Spain. While these boards initially claimed loyalty to King Fernando VII, the experience of self-governance and the refusal of the Spanish Cortes in Cádiz to grant the colonies equal representation or trade freedom fueled the desire for total independence. Many "liberators," such as José de San Martín, actually gained their military experience fighting against the French in Spain before returning to America to lead revolutionary armies against the Spanish Crown.

Question 5

What happened when King Fernando VII returned to Spain after the war?

Accepted Answer

Despite the Spanish people fighting for years in his name and the liberals creating a modern constitution for his return, Fernando VII betrayed these efforts. Upon returning in 1814, he issued a decree declaring the Constitution of 1812 null and void and restored absolute monarchy. He initiated a brutal period of repression, imprisoning or exiling the liberals who had protected his throne, which led to a century of political instability and internal conflict between those who wanted progress and those who wanted to maintain the old regime.

Guerra de la Independencia: El pueblo que desafió a Napoleón

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