[1] At the start of the war, Alburquerque was given command of the Army of Castille, serving under Pignatelli, and on its dissolution he was transferred to Castaños's corps.

Cartaojal seized the opportunity to send Alburquerque off with a division of seven infantry battalions (4,500 men)[1] and a cavalry regiment of only 264 sabres,[3] and which arrived just in time to see action at Medellín.

[3] In 1810, Alburquerque commanded the Army of Estremadura and on 4 February entered Cadiz with 11,000 men, securing it as a Spanish base.

[2][5] He was appointed governor of the city, but he fell out with General Gregorio García de la Cuesta and resigned.

However, due to his disgreements with the Regency,[1] he was dismissed and, at the end of that month, he was appointed Spanish ambassador to the Court of Saint James in London.