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Highly detailed large map the Iberian Peninsula, issued during the Napoleonic Wars.
The Napoleonic Wars in the Iberian Peninsula, covering Spain and Portugal, spanned from 1807 to 1814. It all started with the Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1807, where Napoleon Bonaparte of France and Spain agreed to let French troops go through Spain to attack Portugal, which was allied with Britain. The French quickly took over Portugal, causing the Portuguese royal family to flee to Brazil.
In 1808, Napoleon turned against Spain, removing King Charles IV and his son Ferdinand VII, and putting his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, in charge of Spain. This move angered the Spanish people and led to widespread resistance, starting the Peninsular War.
The war saw traditional battles and guerrilla warfare, with local Spanish and Portuguese fighters playing a key role. The British, led by Sir Arthur Wellesley (later known as the Duke of Wellington), also joined in to help fight the French.
The turning point came with the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, where the British and their allies defeated the French. This defeat led to the end of French control in Spain. By 1814, the French were forced out, and Ferdinand VII became king of Spain again.
![L'Espagne Divisee en ses Principaux Royaumes . . . 1677 [Shows Balearic Islands]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/92898.jpg)
![[ Spain & Portugal ] Hispania nach aller seiner gelegenheit in Bergen, Wåssern, Ståtten, Vólckern, Konigreichen und Inseln.](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/80549.jpg)
