The Second of May 1808 in Madrid marked the beginning of one of the most decisive episodes in Spain’s contemporary history: the popular uprising against the French occupation. A few months ago on this blog we discussed how El Palleter led the popular revolt in Valencia. However, that episode was neither the first nor the most decisive one. To understand the origin of the conflict that would shake the Peninsula for more than six years, we need to look back at what happened in the capital.
Causes of the Second of May 1808 in Madrid
To understand how the Second of May 1808 in Madrid came about, we need to go back a few years and look at the international context. Spain had long been allied with France under the Treaty of San Ildefonso (1796), as part of a strategy aimed at counterbalancing the power of Great Britain.
However, this alliance had disastrous consequences. The naval defeat at Trafalgar in 1805 left Spain without any maritime power, while Napoleon, unable to defeat England at sea, pushed forward the Continental System to strangle its economy.
From allies to occupiers: the French troops move in
Napoleonic troops began deploying across the Peninsula, occupying strategic cities without resistance. Although they were nominally allies, the reality was very different: France was taking control of the country.
The internal political situation made the crisis worse. The clash between Charles IV and his son Ferdinand VII led to the Aranjuez Mutiny (March 1808), which forced the king’s abdication.
What happened on the Second of May 1808 in Madrid
The Second of May 1808 in Madrid broke out after weeks of mounting tension. The spark came when the French tried to move Infante Francisco de Paula, the last member of the royal family still in the city, to Bayonne.
A crowd gathered in front of the Royal Palace to stop them. The situation quickly degenerated into violence when French troops opened fire.
A popular uprising
The civilian population confronted a professional army with improvised means: knives, tools and everyday objects. Barricades went up, fighting broke out in streets and squares, and the invading troops came under attack from the buildings above.
Daoíz and Velarde and the resistance at Monteleón
One of the most emblematic episodes of the Second of May 1808 in Madrid took place at the Monteleón Artillery Park. Captains Luis Daoíz and Pedro Velarde disobeyed direct orders and decided to arm the civilian population.
Both died in the fighting, becoming symbols of the resistance.
The repression and the executions of the 3rd of May
By the end of the day, French troops had managed to put down the uprising. The response was immediate and brutal.
These events were immortalised by Francisco de Goya in works such as The Third of May 1808 in Madrid, one of the most powerful depictions of the violence of war.
Consequences: the start of the Peninsular War
Far from putting down the rebellion, the repression only intensified the conflict. News of the Second of May 1808 in Madrid spread rapidly across Spain.
Thus began the Peninsular War (1808–1814), a long and devastating conflict.
A key episode in history
The Second of May 1808 in Madrid cannot be understood from a single perspective. It was a popular reaction against occupation, the start of a brutal war, and the beginning of a complex political process.
If you would like to learn more about this period, you can visit the Napoleonic Room at Museo L’Iber.
About the author
Alejandro Noguera Borel — Director of Museo L’Iber and Fundación Libertas 7. In the world of toy soldiers since the 1970s.
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