Historia de Barcelona

Etiqueta: Guerra de los Nueve Años

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/–yjSbn4_HnU/TgoTGzfWT4I/AAAAAAAAvT0/Ys-DwRWM4do/s560/f1.highres.jpg //// Prise de Barcelonne [1697] par les francois aux ordres de Mr. le Comte d’Harcourt : [estampe, 1750] //// Gallica BNF //// http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6949272x/f1.item.r=barcelone.langES

  • Bajo órdenes desde Madrid de evitar peor destrucción, Barcelona se rinde a los franceses, acabándose así la Guerra de los Nueve Años

    Meanwhile, the French king, in the hope of procuring more favourable terms, resolved to make his last effort against the Spaniards in Catalonia and in the Netherlands, and to elevate the prince of Conti to the throne of Poland; an event which would have greatly improved the interest of France in Europe. Lewis had got the start of the confederates in Flanders, and sent thither a very numerous army, commanded by Catinat, Villeroy, and Boufflers.

    The campaign was opened with the siege of Aeth, which was no sooner invested, than king William, having recovered of an indisposition, took the field, and had an interview with the duke of Bavaria, who commanded a separate body. He did not think proper to interrupt the enemy in their operations before Aeth, which surrendered in a few days after the trenches were opened, but contented himself with taking possession of an advantageous camp, where he covered Brussels, which Villeroy and Boufflers had determined to besiege.

    In Catalonia the duke of Vendome invested Barcelona, in which there was a garrison often thousand regular soldiers, besides five thousand burghers, who had voluntarily taken arms on this occasion. The governor of the place was the prince of Hesse d’Armstadt, who had served in Ireland, and been vested with the command of the imperial troops which were sent into Spain.

    The French general being reinforced from Provence and Languedoc, carried on his approaches with surprising impetuosity; and was repulsed in several attacks by the valour of the defendants. At length the enemy surprised and routed the viceroy of Catalonia; and, flushed with this victory, stormed the outworks, which had been long battered with their cannon. The dispute was very bloody and obstinate: but the French, by dint of numbers, made themselves masters of the covered way and two bastions. There they erected batteries of cannon and mortars, and fired furiously on the town, which, however, the prince of Hesse resolved to defend to the last extremity.

    The court of Madrid, however, unwilling to see the place entirely ruined, as in all probability it would be restored at the peace, dispatched an order to the prince to capitulate; and he obtained very honourable terms, after having made a glorious defence for nine weeks; in consideration of which he was appointed viceroy of the province. France was no sooner in possession of this important place, than the Spaniards became as eager for peace as they had been before averse to a negotiation.

  • Tras el Tratado de Ryswich, las tropas españolas reemplazan a las francesas entre alegría popular

    In the Peninsula itself, the impact of the Nine Years War was most directly felt by Catalonia, where there had been fighting every year since 1690 and where the French slowly but steadily pressed forward after going on the defensive in other theatres. Like its successor, this war culminated in a siege of Barcelona, a city with about one-third the population of Madrid, an efficient artisan militia, and by Spanish standards a strong citadel. Barcelona succumbed to Vendôme’s army of 26,000 on 10 August 1697. The French evacuated it only on 4 January 1698, after exacting a final tribute. The Catalans, though they had long liked the French and detested Castilian interference, had suffered so heavily during the invasion as to welcome the return of Spanish troops with sincere joy. Loyalty to Carlos mounted when he accepted their objection to a proposed viceroy and sent them, instead, Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt, a cousin of the queen and an attractive personality, who had latterly distinguished himself in the Catalan war in command of 5,000 Imperial troops. He took the oaths in Barcelona on 9 February. This had great significance for the future.