This challenge is related to some people and facts related to the Peninsular War:
QUESTION 1
As the powerful man he was during Charles IV´s reign, Manuel Godoy became very rich and had an important collection of works of art, which included some of the most famous Spanish paintings. What happened to Godoy´s possessions and properties after the Mutiny of Aranjuez?
QUESTION 2
After the awful episode of the Abdications of Bayonne, Joseph Bonaparte was appointed king of Spain by his brother Napoleon. Joseph I tried to modernize the country, but he was not loved by his subjects. The Spaniards invented several nicknames to mock him and spread rumours about his supposed vices. What were these nicknames? Where do they come from?
QUESTION 3
At the end of 1813 the French troops left Spain. King Joseph I had left the country in June, after the French defeat in the Battle of Vitoria. King Joseph lost his baggage as a consequence of this battle. What was the content of this baggage?
QUESTION 4
Some of the most important guerrilla fighters during the Peninsular War were Juan Martín Díaz, called El Empecinado (the Stubborn) and Francisco Abad Moreno, Chaleco. What happened to them after the war? How did their lives end?
QUESTION 5
What is Apsley House? What is its relation to the Peninsular War?
QUESTION 6
Why did Goya paint some patriotic paintings, such as The 2nd of May 1808, The 3rd of May 1808 or the Portrait of General Palafox on horseback, after Ferdinand VII´s restoration?
General Palafox on horseback (1814), Francisco de Goya
You will have time to answer until next Tuesday.
2 comments:
Hello! Let’s try this week’s challenge!
Question 1:
His possesions were distributed between many people who assaulted his houses and properties such as Ramón de Mesonero Romanos. The Spanish State gave a lot of these goods to different people, most of the works of art ended in museums of many different places.
Question 2:
The nicknames they gave to him were “Pepe Botella” because people said that he was alcoholic and also they called him “Pepe Plazuelas” in Madrid because he made a lot of squares there destroying churches.
Question 3:
His baggage consisted of the jewelry of the Spanish crown and many works of art.
Question 4:
They were both liberals and they were condenated by Ferdinand VII to be hanged.
Question 5:
Apsley House was the house where the Duque of Wellington lived. It is located in London, near Hyde Park. The relation is that in Apsley House there are a lot of paintings, many of them were received when the Duque of Wellington defeated Joseph I in the Battle of Vitoria.
Question 6:
He painted all that paintings because he was considered as liberal and he helped Joseph I when he was king of Spain. For that reason he could be persecute by Ferdinand VII and his absolutism and Goya wanted to save his life.
Byee!! See you!
Hello Javi,
As usual, you´ve been the only one to participate. Your answers are correct, but I would like to add some information:
Some of Godoy´s belongings were the two "Majas" painted by Goya ot "Venus at her mirror", painted by Velázquez. The Golden Fleece is in Apsley House at present. The Venus is im the National Gallery because Wellington brought it to Great Britain.
Joseph I was called "Pepe Botella", although he didn´t drink alcohol. He was called in this way because he asked for wine for his troops when they were close to Calahorra, in La Rioja.
Joseph I´s baggage included a lot of works of art. Here you have an article about it:
http://www.elcorreo.com/alava/prensa/20061217/alava/jose-perdio-vitoria_20061217.html
Part of these works of art ended in the hands of the Duke of Wellington and can be seen in Apsley House.
Wars have filled a lot of museums. This is part of the curiosities of history. There is an interesting debate about what to do with these plunders: should these works of art be given back to their former owners or should we let things as they are now?
See you on Monday.
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