[1] In the Dos de Mayo Uprising in Madrid, citizens revolted against the French on 2 May 1808, and three days later, pressure from Napoleon forced Ferdinand VII of Spain to return the crown to his father, who handed it over to Napoleon who, in turn handed it over to his brother Joseph Bonaparte on 10 May.

[1][2] Meanwhile on 23 July, one day before the start of the second siege of Girona, the Marquis of Del Palacio landed at Tarragona at the head of a division of regular Spanish troops.

French Barcelona was defended by only 3,500 Swiss and Italian remaining troops under the command of General Lecchi.

On 31 July the last of the French outposts, the castle of Mongat, surrendered and the blockade of Barcelona started.

On 21 December, St. Cyr defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Molins de Rei, driving the Catalan army away from Barcelona.