Napoleon's Cursed War: Spanish Popular Resistance in the Peninsular War, 1808-14In this definitive account of the Peninsular War (1808–14), Napoleon’s six-year war against Spain, Ronald Fraser examines what led to the emperor’s devastating defeat against the popular opposition—the guerrillas—and their British and Portuguese allies. As well as relating the histories of the great political and military figures of the war, Fraser brings to life the anonymous masses—the artisans, peasants and women who fought, suffered and died—and restores their role in this barbaric war to its rightful place while overturning the view that this was a straightforward military campaign. This vivid, meticulously researched book offers a distinct and profound vision of “Napoleon’s Vietnam” and shows the reality of the disasters of war: the suffering, discontents and social upheaval that accompanied the fighting. |
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | ix |
MAPS xxxvix | xlvii |
Preliminaries of War | 27 |
Copyright | |
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Napoleon's Cursed War: Spanish Popular Resistance in the Peninsular War, 1808-14 Ronald Fraser No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
Andalucía Andalucian Aragón Aragonese Aranjuez arms army's artisans attack authorities Badajoz Bailén Barcelona Basque country battle Bonapartist British Cádiz capital captain Castilla la Nueva Castilla la Vieja Catalan Cataluña cavalry Church civilian command Cortes Coruña death decree defeat defence deputies enemy Estado Extremadura fear Fernandista Fernando VII fighting forces France French army French military French troops friar Galicia Gerona Godoy guerrilla guerrilleros ibidem Igualada imperial infantry inhabitants insurrection José Josef June Junta Suprema king La Coruña labouring land later Legajo Madrid major March million reales miquelets monarchy months Murat Murcia musket Napoleon Navarra occupied officers Palafox parish patriot percent political popular population Portugal priest prisoners provincial juntas reform regime regions religious resistance rising royal señorial Sevilla siege smallholders social soldiers sometent Soult Spain Spaniards Spanish army streets thousand throne took town township Valencia Valladolid victory villagers volunteers wrote Zaragoza