El 3 de mayo

Una breve historia

Los fusilamientos del tres de mayoFrancisco de Goya

(1814)

Emperor Napoleon

In 1799, Napoleon took control of France.

In 1804, he crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I.

Napoleon Crossing the Alps

Jacques-Louis David (1801)

Napoleon’s proposal

Spain was a at strategic location for Mediterranean trade, and Napoleon wanted that control.

He persuaded Carlos IV of Spain to join forces and conquer Portugal.

1/3 of Portugal would go Napoleon, 1/3 to Spain, and 1/3 to Manuel de Godoy, Prime Minister of Spain.

Napoleon’s intentions

His intentions, however, were different. Because Spain thought that France was her ally, Napoleon’s armies were unopposed as they marched into Spain in November 1807.

The Spanish were tolerant for a while, until May of 1808.

The uprising

On the second of May, the Spanish fought against the French armies when it became apparent that the French intended to remove members of the Spanish royal family.

El dos de mayo de 1808 en Madrid

Francisco de Goya (1814)

Memorial in Madrid dedicated to those who died on the second of May

The third of May

The French were vengeful. On the morning of the third, they rounded up Spanish civilians and shot them.

Aftermath

The events of May 1808 eventually led to the end of Napoleon’s career. The French army was successful for a short while, but their influence deteriorated as the Spanish citizens continued to rebel.

War in Austria took Napoleon away from Spain. His powers continued to diminish until he was forced to abdicate in 1814.

Napoleon’s decline

Napoleon describes the Peninsular War as instrumental to his eventual defeat.

He was exiled to Elba, off the coast of Italy.

Ironically, it was on May 3, 1821 when doctors declared him close to death.

He died on May 5, 1821.

Goya’s references

Oath of the HoratiiJacques-Louis David (1784)

Goya’s references

Las MeninasDiego Velázquez (1656)

Goya’s references

St. JosephGeorges de la Tour (1642)