French garrison leaves Barcelona, restoring Spanish Bourbon rule

Background. The Peninsular War lasted until the Sixth Coalition defeated Napoleon in 1814. Barcelona had been part of France from 1812 to 1814 under Napoleon, serving as a center of Catalan separatism. The conflict involved Iberian nations and the United Kingdom against the First French Empire, marking one of the first wars of national liberation.

Withdrawal. By the end of 1812, the Grande Armée had ceased to exist. In 1813, Marshal Soult led exhausted French forces in a fighting withdrawal across the Pyrenees. The war concluded with the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, leading to the Peace of Paris signed on 30 May 1814, shortly after the evacuation of Barcelona.

Restoration. The French occupation of Barcelona ended in 1814, restoring the city to Spanish Bourbon rule. This occurred as the Sixth Coalition defeated Napoleon. The restoration followed the revocation of the Constitution of 1812 by King Ferdinand VII on 4 May 1814, which had been established by the Cortes of Cádiz.