The Peninsular War-
Napoleon’s first
defeat
Napoleon was master of
Europe. Only one country
stood in his way- Britain.
Napoleon installed his
brother, Joseph
Bonaparte, on the
throne of Spain. The
Spanish rebelled.
Britain saw their
chance and took it.
They sent Sir Arthur
Wellesley, the future
Duke of Wellington, to
Spain to defeat the
French armies there.
Wellesley’s first major
victory was against
Marshal Junot at
Vimiero.
He then liberated
Portugal by
defeating Marshal
Soult at Oporto. He
then moved into
Spain.
The tide turned at
Talavera, where 20,600
British troops and 35,000
Spanish soldiers, led by
Wellesley and Cuesta,
defeated 46,000
Frenchmen, led by King
Joseph.
Unfortunately, the Spanish
broke and ran, leaving the
British infantry to do most of
the work.
After liberating western Spain by
taking the fortresses of Ciudad
Rodrigo and Badajoz, Wellesley
moved north-east. His aim- to
invade France.
Just north-east of
Ciudad Rodrigo,
Wellesley won a
crushing victory near
Salamanca against
Marshal Marmont.
With this final victory
against King Joseph, the
French were driven out
of Spain. Wellesley
moved into France.
Wellesley defeated 3
French armies at
Vitoria, in 1813.
After winning
several victories
on the Franco-
Spanish
frontier, Wellesley
won the final
victory of the
Peninsular war in
1814, at the city
of Toulouse.

Peninsular War

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Napoleon was masterof Europe. Only one country stood in his way- Britain.
  • 3.
    Napoleon installed his brother,Joseph Bonaparte, on the throne of Spain. The Spanish rebelled. Britain saw their chance and took it.
  • 4.
    They sent SirArthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, to Spain to defeat the French armies there. Wellesley’s first major victory was against Marshal Junot at Vimiero. He then liberated Portugal by defeating Marshal Soult at Oporto. He then moved into Spain.
  • 5.
    The tide turnedat Talavera, where 20,600 British troops and 35,000 Spanish soldiers, led by Wellesley and Cuesta, defeated 46,000 Frenchmen, led by King Joseph. Unfortunately, the Spanish broke and ran, leaving the British infantry to do most of the work.
  • 6.
    After liberating westernSpain by taking the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, Wellesley moved north-east. His aim- to invade France.
  • 7.
    Just north-east of CiudadRodrigo, Wellesley won a crushing victory near Salamanca against Marshal Marmont.
  • 8.
    With this finalvictory against King Joseph, the French were driven out of Spain. Wellesley moved into France. Wellesley defeated 3 French armies at Vitoria, in 1813.
  • 9.
    After winning several victories onthe Franco- Spanish frontier, Wellesley won the final victory of the Peninsular war in 1814, at the city of Toulouse.