This name was known in Catalonia that has happened to the history books with the name of War of the Convention or the War of Roussillon. In it, Catalan enthusiastically participated in defense of their religion, their king and their country against the French revolutionaries.
After the outbreak of revolution in 1789, France was wrecked in a storm of violence that reached its peak in 1793, when the government called the Convention, led by Robespierre and Marat, decided to settle the issue by passing the monarchy of Louis XVI and his wife by the guillotine.
The implementation of the last Capet caused revulsion across Europe, especially Spain also ruled by the dynasty.
The war against Spain, parallel to the sustained against Austria, Prussia and Britain, began with the declaration of war by France on 7 March 1793. The English people, long and deep Catholic and monarchical tradition, enthusiastically welcomed the news of the mobilization against regicide France and rushed to enlist in the volunteer battalions.
One of the regions where they lived this mobilization more patriotic spirit, giving generous donations and soldiers, Catalonia was the reason for their triple border situation, which became the main theater of operations, secular and anti-French sentiment religious and traditionalist character of its inhabitants. Throughout Catalonia
heard the cry of "A French kill!", Even to paste leaflets calling for the expulsion of the French had on English territory and the declaration of war against the enemies of God and kings. The influence of the Catalan public opinion was high in the English Government on the need to go to war against France, as not all the directors of Charles IV in favor of it.
The main offensive was conducted in Catalonia, where thousands of volunteers poured in, chanting "Déu, Country and Rei! - To fight against the French Republic singing songs like these:
" French Aquells
malvats contraris are nostro majors, have
eat many treacherous and despicable. Brave
catalans
anems tots to the defense side Campanya
nostre Deu,
Lley, Patria y Rey de Espanya "
(Those French are our greatest evil opponents, have committed many evils treacherous and despicable. Valorous Catalan , we all go to the campaign to defend our God, Law, Nation and King of Spain).
"To arms, to arms, espanyols!
Catalans, the gun, the gun!
That the French frenetich
provokes us and amenassa.
the troop millor Espanya,
tothom looking forward to entering the ordre to the Fransa.
espanyols temau No, no,
mallograr this campaign,
favorable "
(To arms, to arms, English! Catalanes, the gun, the gun just got the frantic French provokes and threatens us. stemmed at the border of Spain's best troops, everyone waits impatiently for the order to enter France. Fear not English, not waste this campaign, which continued favorable fortune is with you. ")
In July 1793 he formed a volunteer corps of Barcelona under the theme "Religion, King and Country." The call and response is repeated for all the regions of Catalonia, which brought thousands of "Miqueletes" that would have major role in the fight, especially after the withdrawal of the army of Ricardos and the entry into English territory of the Republican troops.
The Catalans had also a further reason to move against revolutionary France, as seen in this struggle the chance to recover norpirenáicas counties that remained under French sovereignty after the war of 1640-1652.
El Diario de Barcelona published on July 6, during the making Bellaguarda by Ricardos troops, three sonnets, one in Catalan and Castilian two, celebrating the victory. Hopes for recovery of the Catalan counties lost the previous century and liberation of France from the revolutionary government were expressed in these verses:
"Ja thundering bronse the active força Bellaguarda
upward breaks rock and rendered
the foch viu, that suffocate,
the garrison surrenders, ys'fa captive.
The French Gall abac crest are proud
of pride that leads to tot it mon,
and the Lleó devant bada no mouth, if that fuig
aturdit quant ell above.
Vallespir, Roselló, the entire French English value
the excesses admires
ja expected resist despair ja, ja
rages against Cel but raves;
that vol qui Cel is that about Spain
what Roselló, Navarra and Sardinia "
(bronze already thundering active force broke Bellaguarda high rock, and surrendered to live fire, which suffocates the lining delivered, and made captive. The French Rooster Abbe crest proud of his pride, which causes worldwide, and to the Lion does not say a peep, she flees stunned when it arrives. Vallespir, Roussillon, France English Whole excess value admires, and expected to resist, and despair, and rages against Heaven, but delirious, heaven is the one who wants to return to Spain Roussillon, Navarra and Sardinia.)
norpirenáicas In many localities, a century and a half after its separation from Spain, was received Ricardos troops as liberators shouting "Long live Spain!" and expressing his desire to become subjects of Charles IV, as in Rock d'Albera, Sureda, the Menera, Costoja and Sant Llorenç de Cendans.
A testimony of an eyewitness, published in the Gaceta de Madrid in April 1793, described the reception of English troops in Sant Llorenç:
"His Majesty's troops had been received, particularly in the town of S. Lorenzo Cerda, with the greatest joy, the people under arms, and distinguished individuals shouting long live the King, Long live Spain, long live Religion, wept with joy when they heard their rightful vicar at Mass praying for the King and the Pope (...). "
Despite the rapid victories of the English army in France was fought without much conviction because of the threat of large enemy on the seas during the eighteenth century, England.
military results began to go wrong: the French counter-offensive, in the absence of supplies from the English army, managed to enter land Principality Guipúzcoa and the Aran Valley, Sardinia and the Empordà, and also undefeated Ricardos general died suddenly of pneumonia in March 1794 and his successor, General O'Reilly few days later.
Godoy In July 1795 Peace of Basel, according to which the Gallic troops withdrew from Spain in exchange for the cession to France of the English part of the island of Santo Domingo.
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