The Spanish War of Independence started on May 2, 1808, with a spontaneous popular uprising in Madrid. There was heavy fighting around the Royal Palace, Puerto de Toledo and Puerto del Sol. The Spanish Army was confined to barracks, and only two officers from the Barracks of Monteleón, Velarde and Doaiz, disobeyed orders and took their men into battle. Both were killed. The site of the barracks is now called Plaza del Dos de Mayo, and May 2nd is a public holiday in the Community of Madrid.
Plaza del Dos de Mayo is a five minute walk from the Museum of History of Madrid, which has Castellano’s twin paintings of the deaths of Velarde and Doaiz, as well as Goya’s Allegory of Madrid, which went through several politically-inspired alterations before reaching its present state.
