El Dos de Mayo

Today is the bicentennial of the 1808 revolt against Napoleon's occupying forces. The Dos de Mayo was a popular uprising characterized by the street fighting between the poorly armed population and the scattered French troops.
There were Spanish regular troops in the city but they remained in the barracks. Only some artillery units, led by the captains Daoiz and Velarde and the lieutenant Ruiz, joined in the rebellion.
At last, the rebels were crushed by the superior French numbers, and there was a harsh French repression under the orders of Murat.
The 3rd of May, the news of the uprising arrived to Mostoles, and the mayors of the village signed a declaration of war, calling all the Spanish against the invaders, thus starting the "Guerra de la Independencia" or the "Peninsular War". The rebellion was welcomed by the european powers fighting Napoleon encouraging them to follow their struggle, and also marks the start of the modern Spanish history.
The uprising was immortalized by Goya in several famous painting, as "La carga de los mamelucos" o "Los fusilamientos del 3 de Mayo". For those not knowing about this historical fact I can recommend them the Wikipedia entry: Dos de Mayo uprising
¡Viva el Dos de Mayo!