History

At the beginning of 1808, Napoleon I's soldiers invaded Spain to conquer Portugal. King Charles IV and his son Ferdinand VII lost their power, and Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, became king. The people of Madrid revolt against the nobles and reformers. The revolt spread throughout the country, and Spain fell on hard times. Zaragoza was attacked and Barcelona was conquered by the French in 1809.

But from 1812 onwards, the situation changed. The disastrous campaign in Russia weakened Napoleon, and the Spanish, allied with the English under the Duke of Wellington, retook the occupied territories. In December 1813, the Treaty of Valençay restored the throne to Ferdinand VII.

For France, this was a terrible war, with 260,000 men killed. For Spain, these six years of war were known as the "War of Independence".

This period of French occupation was difficult for Goya. Many of his friends became collaborators, believing that Joseph Bonaparte was the salvation of the country. During the famine of 1811-1812 in Madrid, Goya lost his wife Josepha.

Traumatised by the war, Goya began to create a series of 80 engravings in 1810, which he completed in 1820. The engravings show the consequences of the war, the famine in Madrid and the political changes after the departure of the French troops.

After Goya left for France in 1824, his son kept the engravings. In 1856, they were donated to the Spanish State and published in 1863 by the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts. The Disasters of War are an important example of the artist's lifelong expression of humanist ideas.

Questions

What does the text say happened at the beginning of 1808 in Spain?
Who took power in Spain after Napoleon's troops invaded?
What changed in Spain's situation from 1812 onwards?
Why was the period of French occupation difficult for Goya?
What series of engravings did Goya begin in 1810, and what are the main themes of this series?

Here are the answers to the questions:

1. At the beginning of 1808 in Spain, Napoleon I's troops invaded the country on the pretext of conquering Portugal.

2. After the invasion, Joseph Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon's brother, took power in Spain.

3. From 1812 onwards, the situation in Spain changed because the disastrous Russian campaign had weakened Napoleon, and the Spanish, allied with the English under the Duke of Wellington, gradually retook the occupied territories.

4. The period of French occupation was difficult for Goya, as many of his friends became collaborators, believing that Joseph Bonaparte was the solution for the country's future. During the famine of 1811-1812 in Madrid, Goya also lost his wife Josepha.

5. Goya began a series of engravings in 1810 called "The Disasters of War". The main themes of this series are the consequences of the war, the famine in Madrid and the political changes after the departure of the French troops.