The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya depicting the brutality of war on civilian resistance was revolutionary for its day and inspired future works by many later artists.

El Tres de Mayo, by Francisco de Goya

The painting depicts the execution of prisoners during Napoleon’s campaign in Spain.

Spain and France were allied. For Spain this was an opportunity to gain lands from its neighbour Portugal. Napoleon did not stop at Portugal and eventually removed the Spanish monarchy to replace it by his brother , Joseph – King José I of Spain.

The senior military commanders in Spain accepted this. The resistance to Napoleon came from the people. And they were to be brutally suppressed in the streets of Madrid on 2nd of May 1808. (Also depicted in a painting by Goya).

Napoleon’s campaign in Spain had major repercussions for her colonies in South America.