Great Britain's Mediterranean policy during the Peninsular War

Abstract

The article exposes what was the Mediterranean policy of Great Britain during the War of Independence and the secondary, but very important, place it had in the general strategy in the Napoleonics wars. It explains the role of the island of Sicily as a British base since 1806, as well as that of the island of Menorca and especially that of the port of Mahon since the beginning of the war in Spain in 1808. Converted also into an English base, Menorca served to the supply and repair of the Royal Navy, was the departure point of the surveillance of the French fleet of Toulon as well as a recreation place for officers and sailors. Finally, the communication extends to the characteristics of the British intervention in Catalonia, both in the logistical and military aspects; in the personality and performance of commodore Codrington –who commanded the naval squadron that operated on Catalonian coasts– and in the vision of the Spaniards and Catalans over English politicians and military men.