Spanish Uprising & Early Spanish Resistance

Spanish resistance to French occupation erupted in 1808 after Napoleon displaced the Bourbon monarchy and installed his brother Joseph Bonaparte as king. The Dos de Mayo rising in Madrid was suppressed, but provincial juntas and local armed forces organised resistance across much of the country.

The Spanish victory at Bailén in July 1808 forced Joseph temporarily to abandon Madrid and demonstrated that French armies were not invincible. Regular warfare, popular mobilisation and guerrilla activity then became intertwined in the prolonged Peninsular conflict.