Hi Manolo
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Originally Posted by celtan
... I'm really interested to hear from the "Portuguese legion". ... Merry Xmas!...
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Concerning the LEGIÃO PORTUGUESA:
It all started when Portugal decided not to agree with the Continental blockade, which would inhibit the British ships to touch continental lands, besides arresting resident British subjects and confiscate their patrimony. In view if that, the French promoted in October 1807 the Fontainebleau treaty, signed by Duroc, on behalf of Napoleon and Eugénio Isquierdo for Carlos IV of Spain, at where was decided to split Portugal in three parts. Northern Lusitania to be ruled by the King of dismantled Etrúria , the Algarves by the Spaniard Manuel Godoy and the country centre by the French.
To enforce this, Napoleon sent to Lisbon an army of 20000 men, commanded by Junot.
Meanwhile the Portuguese prince regent, later King Dom João VI, adviced by the British, escaped to Brazil, accompanied by all his court, some troops and all possible wealth, being escorted by a British fleet.
His mediocre behaviour included the advice to the people he left behind to receive the French as being their friends.
This way the first regiments of Junot army arrived in Lisbon all ragged, disarmed and exausted by starve, caused by the violent march, in a rush to try and catch the Portuguese prince still in Lisbon, which didn’t happen for a couple miles. The major part of the forces was still struggling to overcome the difficult routes of Beira and Estremadura. Finding no resistance by the Portuguese, Junot immediately took control of the capital and started discharging the then weak Portuguese army, sending the men home and retaining the best elements, in order to form a corpse of five to six thousand, sending them to France in groups of one thousand each, making them to swear oath to Napoleon. These guys have then being in campaign from Wagram to Moscow.
The Portuguese legion was extinguished in 1813.
The history of the formation till the extinction of this force is rather well documented in a book written by P. Boppe, of which i have a copy in French. I don’t remember why i have acquired this work, as illiterate as i am; must have been when i went through a phase of reading about the French Invasions (so called Peninsular War).
Feliz navidad to you too
Fernando
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