When Napoleon invaded Spain did he defeat Spain?

Answer 1

Napoleon succeeded in invading Spain in Febraury1808. The Spanish Royal House (the king Charles IV his family and the heir to the throne Ferdinand) were sent into exile and replaced by Napoleon's brother Joseph. The most important Spanish fortresses and strategic points were seized by French troops, whose numbers on the Spanish soil soon amounted to 118,000 men, allowing the occupation of most of Spain. Napoleon great political mistake was that of

having chosen his brother as new king, instead the heir to the throne Ferdinand, who was the idol of Spanish people. Had he decided in favour of Ferdinand, Napoleon would have avoided all the troubles, bloodshed and the military intervention of Great Britain in Spain, which followed, since the young heir to the throne might have been "used as a puppet" of France.

Notwithstanding this, the invasion went smoothly, without significant armed opposition.

But in May of that year most of Spain revolted against the French and led Great Britain to send an army to relieve the Spanish insurgents, who have already

gained the support of the Spanish National Army.

Soon the French were forced to evacuate Madrid and retreat their forces behind the line of the River Ebro.

The worsened situation compelled Napoleon to personally take over the direction of the military operations. In the campaign that followed he succeeded in defeating all the opponent armies, regaining the lost terrain, but, despite the ferocious and bloody French repression, revolts and guerrilla warfare throughout Spain never ceased, becoming endemic.

In the years to come it became a bottomless pit, which increasingly swallowed France's resources in terms of men, matériel and prestige, until the invaders, repeatedly defeated by Wellington's Army, were driven out of Spain.

Answer 2

Yes