ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Tortosa riots 1640

Synopsis
The reapers' revolt made northern Catalonia a territory outside the control of the crown. The city of Tortosa, in southern Catalonia, became the main military base for the royal army (some 3,000 soldiers). On 21 July, a letter was circulated among the population warning that the soldiers stationed there were on a mission to occupy Catalonia. This news provoked an uproar, and in the evening the riot broke out. The people of Tortosa took up arms against the royal ministers and declared war on the soldiers. During the night of the 21st and the morning of the 22nd, the rioters stormed and burnt the houses of six royal ministers and officials, killing two of them. They also raided and burned the residences of four members of the local oligarchy, who were accused of collaborating with the enemy. Many of them managed to flee, as was the case of the governor of Tortosa, Lluís de Montsuar. The local authorities managed to quell the commotion and restore order. In fact, unlike the riots that took place in northern Catalonia, which went unpunished, an investigation was carried out in Tortosa that culminated in September 1640 with the execution of 15 people. Months later, Tortosa would be the entry point for the Spanish army to reconquer Catalonia and take Barcelona.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 1 day. Name in sources: Motines de Tortosa . Location: Tortosa Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Artisans, Peasants. Number of participants: >500. Main reasons & motivations: Anti-seigneurial, Fiscal, Political. Leadership: Joan Rius, Josep Parent, Josep Gispert, Jacint Ripoll. Relevance: low.

Further reading
ELLIOTT, John H. (1963). The Revolt of the Catalans. A study in the Decline of Spain (1598-1640). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. MUÑOZ SEBASTIÀ, Joan-Hilari and ROVIRA GÓMEZ, Salvador-J. (1997). Revolta i contrarevolta a Tortosa. Tortosa: Dertosa. SIMON i TARRÉS, Antoni (2019). 1640. Barcelona: Rafael Dalmau editor.
Cite this entry

(2023) "Tortosa riots 1640", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. (accessed on ).