José de Palafox y Melci, 1st Duke of Zaragoza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Excellent The Duke of Zaragoza GE
Portrait by Francisco de Goya
Captain general of the Army
In office 1809–1847
Monarch	Fernando VII
Personal details
Born	José Rebolledo de Palafox y Melci 28 October 1775 Zaragoza, Spain
Died	15 February 1847 (aged 71) Madrid, Spain
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Spain
Rank	Captain general
Commands	Spanish Army
Battles/wars	Peninsular War

José Rebolledo de Palafox y Melci (born October 28, 1775 – died February 15, 1847) was a brave Spanish general. He is famous for leading the defense of Zaragoza during the Peninsular War. This war was fought between Spain and France in the early 1800s.

Early Life and Military Career

José de Palafox was born in Zaragoza, a city in Aragon, Spain. His family was old and well-known in the region. He grew up at the Spanish royal court. At a young age, he joined the guards.

In 1808, he went with King Ferdinand VII of Spain to Bayonne, France. When the French tried to take control of Spain, Palafox tried to help the King escape. After this failed, he returned to Spain. He quickly became a leader in the Spanish fight against the French. On May 25, 1808, the people of Zaragoza made him their governor and captain-general of Aragon. Even though he didn't have much money or many regular soldiers, he declared war on the French. The French army had already taken over nearby areas like Catalonia and Navarre.

Defending Zaragoza

Palafox quickly prepared Zaragoza for battle. He built a factory to make gunpowder and small weapons. He also created a special group of engineers and gathered 30,000 men to fight. Soon, the French general Charles Lefebvre attacked the city.

First Siege of Zaragoza

Zaragoza was an old fortress and didn't have many supplies. Its defenses fell quickly. But the real fight began inside the city. For a week, there was street fighting. The French took control of half the town. However, Palafox's brother, Luis Rebolledo de Palafox, managed to bring 3,000 more troops into the city.

Palafox and other strong leaders encouraged the people. The citizens decided to fight for every inch of Zaragoza. They were ready to retreat across the Ebro River and destroy the bridge if needed. The battle continued for nine more days. Finally, on August 14, the French withdrew. This first siege had lasted for 61 days.

Second Siege of Zaragoza

After the first siege, Palafox tried to fight the French outside the city. But then, Napoleon's own army entered Spain. They quickly defeated many Spanish armies. Palafox was forced back into Zaragoza. There, he faced an even tougher second siege.

This siege lasted for three months. The city was almost completely destroyed. A terrible sickness spread, killing thousands of defenders. Palafox himself became ill. He was captured by the French and held prisoner in Vincennes, France, until December 1813.

Later Life and Politics

In June 1814, Palafox was again made Captain General of Aragon. However, he soon left this position and stopped taking part in public life.

From 1820 to 1823, he commanded King Ferdinand's royal guard. But when civil unrest began, Palafox supported the new Constitution. Because of this, the King, who was restored to power by French forces, took away all of Palafox's honors and titles.

Palafox stayed out of public life for many years. Later, Queen Maria Christine gave him the title of Duke of Saragossa. From 1836, he again became involved in military and political matters. He served as captain-general of Aragon and as a senator.

José de Palafox y Melci died in Madrid on February 15, 1847.

See also

You can read more about José de Palafox in Spanish here: José de Palafox para niños