ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Anti-French insurrection in Zaragoza 1808

Synopsis
On May 24th, at the beginning of the Spanish War of Independence, an anti-French uprising unfolded in Zaragoza, led by the city's elites, workers, and artisans. The conflict's origin stemmed from troubling dispatches from Madrid, recounting the French repression on May 2nd, coupled with the deposition of Carlos IV and future Fernando VII in Bayonne (France), in favor of Joseph Bonaparte. In this context, some local notable figures, such as the Count of Sástago, attempted to influence the seemingly inactive Captain General Jorge Juan Guillelmi, urging him to respond to the looming Napoleonic threat. That day, a mob of workers and artisans, galvanized by the city's elite, converged on the Aljafería Palace, demanding the Captain General to hand over weapons to the population. As the call proved useless, on May 25 the insurgents overthrew the captain in favor of General Carlos Mori and confined Guillelmi in the palace while seizing control of the weapons. Armed and awaiting orders, they met at the Real Audiencia. During the meeting, Jorge Ibort Casamayor proceeded towards La Alfranca, where General José de Palafox y Melci had sought refuge. By populace's pressure in the Real Audiencia, he assumed the role of Captain General on May 26th. His role in the attempted rescue of the royal family in Bayonne positioned him as the foremost figure in organizing the city's resistance, in collaboration with General Carlos Mori.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 3 days. Name in sources: Motín del 24 de mayo. Location: Zaragoza Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Artisans, Local elites, Workers. Number of participants: unknown. Main reasons & motivations: Political, Resistance to conquest. Leadership: General Carlos Mori, Count of Sástago, José de Palafox y Melci. Relevance: low.

Further reading
ALEGRÍA DE RIOJA, Jesús (2001). Los sitios de Zaragoza y la Capitanía General de Aragón durante la guerra de Independencia. Transición hacia el liberalismo. Zaragoza: Comunitier. LAFOZ, Herminio (2000). Los sitios: Zaragoza en la guerra de independencia (1808-1809). Zaragoza: Caja de Ahorros de la Inmaculada de Aragón. RÚJULA, Pedro (2008). "Lucha por el poder y resistencia en la Zaragoza de 1808", Revista de Historia Jerónimo Zurita, 83: 29-44.
Cite this entry

(2023) "Anti-French insurrection in Zaragoza 1808", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. (accessed on ).