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Joseph Bonaparte

Afrancesado (Spanish: [afɾanθeˈsaðo], Portuguese: [ɐfɾɐ̃sɨˈzaðu]; "Francophiles" or "turned-French", lit. "Frenchified" or "French-alike") were the Spanish and Portuguese partisans of Enlightenment ideas, Liberalism, or the French Revolution, who were supporters of the French occupation of Iberia (Portugal and Spain) and of the First French Empire.




Political program[edit]


The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata had a French viceroy at the time, Santiago de Liniers. However, his appointment took place before the Peninsular War, and France was not involved at all in it: it was instead a consequence of the British invasions of the Río de la Plata, a conflict between Britain and the Spanish colonies. Napoleon and Joseph sent the Marquis of Sassenay to the zone, seeking support from Liniers to the new monarchy, but Liniers rejected it and confirmed his loyalty to the captive king Ferdinand VII.



Plaque commemorating Francisco Goya's exile to Bordeaux




Notable Spanish afrancesados[edit]


Main article: Revolution of Porto

The term afrancesado in Portugal is connected with liberal politicians who organized the Revolution of Porto, begun on August 25, 1820. Demanding the rule of law as opposed to William Carr Beresford's arbitrary regime, calling for the return of King John VI - who had preferred to remain in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), where he had transferred the Portuguese Court during the French invasion.



  • Miguel Artola, Los afrancesados, Madrid, 1989