Page 255 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo I

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(Madeira, the Azores and the Cape Verdes) were Portuguese possessions and were important
points for Atlantic navigation. On the other hand Napoleon feared that if Spain decided to
become neutral, her ports could be used by the Royal Navy. We must not forget that in Na-
poleon’s mind Portugal was also economically important to France. He wanted to replace
England in the Portuguese market and gain access to the richness of Brazil. All this helps
to explain why Napoleon decided to invade Portugal (Ribeiro, 1990: 52, 101; Macedo, s.d.:
344-345, 348; Silbert, 1977: 51, 57).
At the approach of the French Armies, the Portuguese royal family, following a previous
decision, left for Brazil, so that the king as the fundamental focus of political power shouldn’t
fall into French hands and avoid the possibility of being obliged to take decisions that would
put in jeopardize the country’s independence.
Lisbon didn’t agree with the French Ultimatum as the conditions were quite unaccept-
able: closing the ports to British trade and shipping, imprisoning all the english subjects that
inhabited in the country and seizing their properties. In the face of this decision, Napoleon or-
dered that the Army of Gironde, commanded by general Junot, governor of Paris and former
ambassador in Lisbon, to whom he will bestow the title of Duque de Abrantes, be prepared
to march towards Portugal (Macedo, s.d.: 350-351).
Nevertheless, in order to reach Portugal it was necessary to have the complicity of Madrid
as French troops had to cross Spain. It was not difficult to obtain the necessary authorization
and even military help due to problems in the Spanish Royal family and the ambition of D.
Manuel Godoy. In exchange for a principality Godoy negotiated with Napoleon the Treaty of
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Fontainebleau, signed in 29 October 1807. Metropolitan Portugal was to be divided in three
parts. The Alentejo and the Algarve would be given to D. Manuel Godoy, who would become
Prince of the Algarves. Northwest Portugal (Entre-Douro e Minho) was to be granted to the
King of Etruria, with the title of King of Northern Lusitania. The remainder of the territory
would stay occupied by French troops until a general peace was to be settled and only then
would its destiny be decided (Ribeiro, 1970: 102; Macedo, s.d.: 352).
The French army crossed the Portuguese border during the first days of November 1807
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and entered lisbon on the 30 of the same month. Junot was not able to imprison the Royal
Family since it had already embarked to Brazil. He dismissed the governors left in charge
of the country by the Prince Regent, appointed a new government, took several measures to
neutralize the Portuguese armed forces and put Frenchmen in key posts. At the same time
North-western Portugal, the Alentejo and the Algarve were occupied by Spanish troops in
accordance with the stipulations of the Fontainebleau Treaty (Macedo, s.d.:353-354; Serrão,
1982: VI: 334-335; Serrão, 194: 20-21, 24).
The important and powerful community of British merchants established in Oporto, who
traded in all kind of commodities, is a good example of the impact of war on civilians, as they
undertook effective measures to escape French fury, as soon as they realized Portugal could
not remain neutral and there was a strong possibility of being invaded.
Before the French armies arrived, the English were able to leave the country, taking eve-
rything they could with them. In this way they managed to save their belongings from the
seizures ordered by French and even by Portuguese authorities. In November 1807, under the
pressure of Napoleon, the Lisbon government confiscated all the British assets in Portugal.