Occupation

Abstract

Napoleon did not stay long in Burgos: within less than a fortnight, indeed, he had departed for Madrid at the head of his army. This did not mean, however, that the city was free of French soldiers. On the contrary, strategically situated as it was, it became home to a substantial garrison, not to mention several military hospitals, whilst large numbers of troops continued to pour through the city on their way to destinations further south or west. Meanwhile, of course, there was also the issue of the new fortress: from January 1809 onwards gangs of Spanish labourers were toiling to throw up the new defences that had been ordered by Napoleon. In short, though as yet far removed from any of the fighting, Burgos was very much a city at war.