War of the Oranges

Not to be confused with the War of the Pies.

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The War of the Oranges was a brief conflict in 1801 in which France and Spain fought against Portugal.

In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte and his ally, Spanish minister Manuel de Godoy ultimatively demanded Portugal, British ally since 1661, to enter into an alliance with France in the war against England and to cede to France the major part of its national territory. Portugal refused, and in April of 1801 French troops arrived in Portugal. On May 20 they were bolstered by Spanish troops under the command of Manuel de Godoy. In a battle that was disastrous for Portugal, Godoy took the town of Olivenza, near the Spanish frontier. Following his victory, Godoy picked oranges at nearby Elvas and sent them to the Queen of Spain with the message that he would proceed to Lisbon. Thus, the conflict became known as the War of the Oranges.

In June 1801, after Olivenza, Portugal negotiated a treaty with France and Spain called the Peace of Badajoz. Portugal agreed to close its ports to English ships, to give commercial concessions to France, to cede Olivenza to Spain and part of Brazil to France, and to pay an indemnity. However, after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the Portugal government restored relations with London. This led to a French invasion (1807-1810) that became a part of Peninsula War.