Oranges, War of the (1801)

Oranges, War of the (1801)

PRINCIPAL COMBATANTS: France and Spain vs. Portugal

PRINCIPAL THEATER(S): Portugal

DECLARATION: None

MAJOR ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES: France wanted Portuguese
cessions of territory and concessions of trade; under
pressure from Napoleon, Spain cooperated in war against
Portugal.

OUTCOME: Portugal ceded territory in Brazil and
Portugal and made other concessions; Napoleon was
unsatisfied.

APPROXIMATE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MEN UNDER ARMS:
Unknown

CASUALTIES: Unknown

TREATIES: Treaty of Badajoz, June 6, 1801

Threatened by Napoleon I (Napoleon Bonaparte; 1769–
1821), Spain joined France in a brief war to compel Portugal
to cede much of its territory to France and to close its
ports to British trade. French forces, joined by Spanish
troops under General Manuel Godoy (1767–1851), invaded
in April 1801. The Portuguese were defeated along the
Spanish border at the Battle of Olivenza, whereupon Godoy
sent to the queen of Spain a basket of oranges picked at
nearby Elvas, with a message announcing his intention to
march to Lisbon. However, Portugal quickly agreed to the
Treaty of Badajoz on June 6, 1801, shutting its ports to
British trade, granting special trading status to France, ceding
Olivenza to Spain, ceding part of Brazil to France, and
paying monetary reparations. Napoleon, wanting more of
Portugal itself, denounced the treaty, prompting Spain to
take a stand against France. Napoleon threatened to devastate
both Spain and Portugal, but he was unable to make
good on his threat because of war pressures elsewhere.

See also NAPOLEONIC WARS.

Further reading: David Chandler, Campaigns of
Napoleon (London: Cassell, 1997); Charles J. Esdaile, The
Wars of Napoleon (London: Pearson, 1996); Gunther Eric
Rothenberg, The Napoleonic Wars (London: Cassell,
1999).