Histoire du Consulat et de l'Empire, (Vol. 11 / 20) faisant suite à l'Histoire de la Révolution Française

The volume offers a vivid account of the turbulent 1809 campaign on the Iberian Peninsula, where French ambition met fierce local resistance and a determined British intervention. It follows the movements of Marshal Soult through northern Portugal and into Galicia, the counter‑offensives of General Victor in the Extremadura, and the tangled supply lines that criss‑crossed the rugged terrain. The narrative captures the strain of coordinating multiple corps, the friction between senior commanders, and the way shifting alliances shaped each battle.

Readers will meet the sharp‑witted Sir Arthur Wellesley as he surprises Oporto, the bold but strained actions of Marshals Ney and Soult, and the uneasy cooperation between Spanish leaders and their French overseers. Through careful detail the author reveals how victories at Medellín and Ciudad‑Real raised hopes, only to be undermined by unrest in the north and the looming threat of British reinforcements. The style blends strategic analysis with the human drama of soldiers and civilians caught in a war that reshaped the continent.