march 1808
31st
18th and 19th
The Mutiny of Aranjuez: destitution of Godoy, forced abdication of Charles IV and Fernando VII placed on the throne.
april 1808
10th to the 25th
Fernando VII and Charles IV leave Madrid for Bayonne (France) accompanied by their respective courts.
may 1808
Cadiz declares war on Napoleon.
june 1808
6th
Napoleon issues a Decree renouncing the Spanish crown in favour of his brother, Joseph, King of Naples.
9th
In Cadiz, Tomás de Morla orders an attack on the French squadron.
20
th
2nd
The people of Madrid rebel against the French. By the 22nd of May, the uprising has spread throughout the whole of Spain.
3rd
The French army suppresses the Madrid uprising. Firing squads conduct executions at the Moncloa.
28th and 29th
The people of Cadiz rebel, demanding a declaration of war and the surrender of the French squadron anchored in the bay since the Battle of Trafalgar. Assassination of Francisco de Solano, governor of Cadiz, replaced by Tomás de Morla.
Publication of the Bayonne Constitution.
july 1808
september 1808
january 1809
25th
The Supreme Central and Governing Council of the Kingdom is established in Aranjuez.
december 1808
1 and 2 st
nd
The Supreme Central Council abandons Aranjuez.
17 and 18 th
th
The Supreme Central Council relocates to Seville and the session opens.
9th
Alliance and treaty with England to fight against Napoleon.
22nd
The Supreme Central Council issues a Decree recognising the American territories as an integral part of the kingdom and summoning their representatives to form part of the Council.
april 1809
The Supreme Central Council issues a Decree announcing the restoration of the Spanish Parliament.
may 1809
22
nd
A Decree is issued by which the commission responsible for organising the Spanish Parliament is empowered to decide on representation of the American territories.
october 1809 7th
18th
27th
4th
A Decree is issued convening the Spanish Parliament.
january 1810
13
th
The Supreme Central Council issues a Decree announcing its removal to the Island of León (San Fernando, Cadiz).
20 and 21 th
st
The French army crosses the Sierra Morena.
24th
Marshal Victor’s army reaches the Bay of Cadiz.
29th
The French demand the surrender of Cadiz. The siege of the Island of León and Cadiz begins.
The new Cadiz Council is formed. Dissolution of the Supreme Central Council. Power is handed over to the Council of Regency.
february 1810
1
st
Marshal Victor enters Seville.
4
th
The Duke of Albuquerque’s army enters the Island of León.
28th
19
th
Battle of Bailen (Jaen).
20th
Joseph Bonaparte enters Madrid.
25th
Joseph proclaimed King of Spain, as José I.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
The Family of Charles IV (Francisco de Goya, 1800) Manul Godoy (Francisco de Goya, 1800) The Mutiny of Aranjuez Reception in Bayonne Abdications in Bayonne Fernando VII arriving at the Gate of Atocha The uprising of the 2nd of May Execution by firing squad at the Moncloa (Francisco de Goya, 1800) Francisco de Solano Joseph Bonaparte (Pascal Simon Gérard, 1808) The surrender of Bailen (José Casado del Alisal, 1864) Bayonne Constitution
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
José Bonaparte I, King of Spain and the Indies Caricature “The enigma of Napoleon Bonaparte’s ideas for Spain” Napoleon’s fury (Anonymous, 1809) Joachim Murat (Antoine Jean Gros, 1812) Francisco Espoz y Mina (Francisco de Goya, 1828) Juan Martín Díaz, “The Undaunted”, (Francisco de Goya, 1814-15) The Duke of Wellington (Francisco de Goya, 1814) Fernando VII (Vicente López Portaña, 1814-15) Allegory of the alliances between Spain and England (Francisco de Torres, 1809) Spain and Portugal share the spoils of the French Imperial Eagle
1808
1809
23
5th
The Supreme Central Council is established on the Island of León.
31st
The Supreme Central Council leaves Seville.
It is agreed to convene the Spanish Parliament on the 1st of January, 1810 and to open the session on the 1st of March.
In Bayonne, Joseph Bonaparte swears to uphold the Constitution.
november 1809
6th
may 1810
17th
The Council of Regency issues an Order on free commerce between ports in the Indies and overseas colonies and European nations.
29th
The Council of Regency moves to Cadiz, taking up residence in the Customs building.
june 1810
The Council of Regency issues a Decree convening the Spanish Parliament: “the corresponding necessary elections shall be held, the representatives shall assemble on the Isle of León in August and the session shall commence”.
28th
A new Regency is appointed. November 1810
10th
A Decree establishing freedom of the press is enacted.
The Council of Regency leaves Cadiz for the Island of León (San Fernando).
december 1810
22nd
24th
The Council of Regency assembles the representatives at the Island of León Town
23.m Canary Islands Grenadiers 23.n Distinguished Volunteers of Cadiz (Guacamayos) 23.o Tenerife Grenadiers 23.p 87th Regiment, The Prince of Wales’s Own 23.q 20th Portuguese Regiment 23.r 79th Regiment, The Cameroon Highlanders 23.s Defensive Line Regiment, Veterans for the Homeland 23.t Royal Spanish Guard 23.u Valencia Light Infantry Regiment, Albuquerque 23.v Provincial Regiment of Guadix 23.w Fernando VII Regiment of Dragoons 23.x Regular battalion of the Canary Islands
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
october 1810
september 1810
Uniforms of the Spanish, Portuguese and English corps which formed the Cadiz garrison in 1810:
23.a Distinguished Volunteers of Cadiz (Guacamayos) 23.b Volunteers of Cadiz (Cananeos) 23.c Distinguished Artillery of Cadiz 23.d 88th Regiment of Foot, The Connaught Rangers 23.e English Artillery 23.f Volunteers of the Island of León 23.g Distinguished Volunteers of Cadiz (Guacamayos) 23.h Voluntary Artillery from outside the city 23.i Regular Battalion of the Canary Islands 23.j Cadiz Grenadiers 23.k Fernando VII Regiment of Patriots 23.l Queen’s Guard Infantry Regiment
18th
hall. The representatives are sworn in at the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The Spanish Parliamentary session opens in the Teatro de Comedias and a proclamation on National Sovereignty and the Division of Power is issued.
23rd
A commission is appointed to draw up a constitution.
february 1811
9th
Parliament issues a Declaration on American territory representation in the Spanish Parliament.
20th
The Spanish Parliamentary session at the Island of León closes, and removes to Cadiz.
24th
The Spanish Parliamentary session opens in the Chapel of San Felipe Neri (Cadiz).
Swearing in the Spanish Parliamentary representatives at the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul on the Island of León, San Fernando (José María Casado del Alisal, 1863) The Spanish Parliament in the San Fernando Teatro Real, December 1810. Act 29-1-1810. The Creation of the Regency. Diego Muñoz-Torrero. Evaristo Pérez de Castro. Marshal Victor (Georges Rouges, 1835) Map of the French positions, May 1810 (Federico Joly Höhr Foundation) Decree no. 1 of the Spanish Parliament. Decree IX. Political freedom of the press.
1810