ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Femeret de Lleida uprising 1809

Synopsis
The Femeret mutiny occurred in Lleida in January 1809 during the War of Independence (1808-1814). The outbreak of the War of Independence and the collapse of the monarchy were the ideal scenario. The new city government was made up of the city's elites, positioning themselves against the French invasion. The war effort fell on the humblest sectors (forced recruitment, taxes, repression, etc.), while the elites were able to do business and protect their interests. The rumor that Lleida was going to be handed over to the French troops caused a riot among the lower classes, taking the castle, seizing the almudí and the butcher shops, and changing the members of the board. Among the measures carried out, the distribution of the assets of the elites was promoted and it was even thought to proclaim a new monarch. Finally, the Superior Board of Catalonia sent the army to restore order, arresting and executing the ringleaders. Fear of a new rebellion caused the new governing board to be chosen by popular acclamation, with a majority of liberal-minded members being elected.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 4 days. Name in sources: El motín del Femeret . Location: Lleida Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Local elites, Others, Workers. Number of participants: unknown. Main reasons & motivations: Food, Political, Resistance to conquest. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: low.

Further reading
CARDESÍN, J. M. (2008). "Motín y magnicidio en la Guerra de la Independencia: la voz “arrastra” como modelo de violencia colectiva", Historia Social, 62: 47-67. CASALS BERGÉS, Q. (1999). Canvi econòmic i social en el pas de l’antic règim a l’estat liberal: Lleida en la primera meitat del segle XIX. Lleida: Universitat de Lleida. SÁNCHEZ CARCELÉN, Antoni (2015). "Rebelión popular y subversión social: el motín del Femeret de Lérida (1809)", Manuscrits, 33: 175-219.
Cite this entry

(2023) "Femeret de Lleida uprising 1809", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. (accessed on ).