1808–1814Reputable sourceWell documented
The Peninsular War
On the timeline · around 1808–1814 ·
What happened
Napoleon's attempt to control Spain and Portugal ignited a brutal war on the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish and Portuguese guerrillas — a word born in this conflict — and a British army under the future Duke of Wellington bled the French armies for years in what Napoleon himself called his 'Spanish ulcer.'
Why it matters
The Peninsular War tied down and drained hundreds of thousands of French troops for years, sapping the empire's strength and giving Wellington the experience he would later use to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Peninsular War · Reputable source