8. The Peninsular War: Punishing Spain for Defiance
Napoleon’s reaction to the Spanish monarchy’s resistance was nothing short of vindictive. When Spain refused to become a French puppet, he unleashed a brutal invasion, sparking the bloody Peninsular War. This drawn-out conflict devastated cities, displaced millions, and left scars across the Iberian Peninsula. Driven as much by wounded pride as by strategy, Napoleon’s campaign in Spain stands as a costly example of how far he’d go to punish those who dared defy him.
