I soldati toscani nella Guerra de la Independencia: spunti e percorsi di ricerca all’Archivio di Stato di Firenze

Abstract

The Tuscan soldiers in the Peninsular War: hints and suggestions for new research in Florence’s Archivio di Stato

This article tackles the role of the Tuscan soldiers — in many cases decisive — in the Spanish War of Independence. After a short overview of the conflict, the documentation available from the Florence State Archives is analyzed, which provides not only the names of the Tuscan soldiers enrolled in the Napoleonic army, but also their perceptions and feelings. Letters and official documents highlight previously unknown information, often overlooked by official historiography, such as the conscripts’ reserves in fighting in a foreign war and the contradiction between “pacific” Tuscany and a war perceived as distant. Despite this, Tuscans did extremely well: from Burgos to Figueras and Ciudad Rodrigo, they fought against the Spanish army and the peasants’ guerrilla, from the vanguard as well as from the rearguard during withdrawals. Families’ perceptions are also accounted for, such as fathers’ enthusiasm when they saw their loved ones heading towards glory, or the malaise of those who lost arms for work. And finally, the feeling of the physically and spiritually wounded, such as prisoners forced to enrol under different flags (English).