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7.The Spanish War of Independence - Coggle Diagram
7.The Spanish War of Independence
The Spanish War of Independence saw the Spanish population fight against the French from 1808 to 1813.
On 2 May 1808 the people of Madrid rose up against the French
7.1.THE COURSE OF THE WAR
Local and provincial councils (juntas) were formed to fight against the French
These committees were led by the Central Council
The war itself can be divided into several phases.
1808
Spanish forces won several victories, including the Battle of Bailén
1808–1812
There were sieges in some cities, such as Zaragoza and Gerona. Finally, the French occupied all of Spain except for Cádiz.
1812–1813
the Central Council signed a military alliance with Great Britain
The Anglo-Spanish and Portuguese troops, led by the Duke of Wellington, won victories at Los Arapiles, Vitoria and San Marcial.
This forced the French to withdraw from Spain. In December 1813, Napoleon signed the Treaty of Valençay. As a result Fernando VII returned to the throne.
7.2.THE CÁDIZ CORTES
The Central Council took refuge in Cádiz from the advancing French troops. In 1810 it was replaced by the Regency Council, which called the Cádiz Cortes.
There were 223 deputies
Different groups emerged in the Cortes, based on their political views:
he supporters of Enlightenment ideas
the absolutists
On 19 March 1812, the Cádiz Cortes approved Spain's first constitution, the Constitution of 1812. It was a victory for the Enlightenment ideas of liberty and equality.
The Cádiz Cortes was the first unified cortes in which each deputy had an individual vote.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1812
The constitution established the following principles:
a constitutional monarchy.
popular sovereignty with limited male suffrage.
the separation of powers
guaranteed rights and freedoms
Catholicism as the official state religion
