The French on Cabrera: the prison island for Napoleon’s soldiers

Between 1809 and 1814, thousands of French soldiers were abandoned on the island of Cabrera, off the coast of Mallorca, in what is considered one of the harshest episodes of the War of Independence.

The cover photo shows the Castle of Cabrera.

A small island

Cabrera lies very close to the southern coast of Mallorca, just 11 miles from Colonia de Sant Jordi, and is very small, covering barely 16 km². Rocks, scrubland and pine trees define its landscape, but there is little else. The climate is dry, the summers are very hot and water is scarce, so life there is not easy.

A bit of ancient history

As Cabrera is situated at a key point for trade routes, it was visited by the various civilisations that dominated the Mediterranean Sea in ancient times: the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Byzantines. Later, it was the pirates from North Africa who used the island as a base to attack Mallorca.

The 19th Century and Napoleon

In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France, an event that marked the beginning of the 19th century in Europe. As well as being a social reformer, Napoleon was an excellent military strategist and for almost 15 years he dominated the whole of Western and Central Europe. Spain was not to escape his expansionist ambitions either, and in late 1807 his troops entered the Iberian Peninsula on the pretext of conquering Portugal.

Year 1808

After occupying several cities in northern Spain, officially as an ally of the Spanish government, the French presence became increasingly unwelcome. Spontaneous protests broke out and finally, on 2 May, a popular uprising began in Madrid which gradually spread to the rest of the country.

The War of Independence breaks out

Spain does not have an army as powerful as the French, but the Spanish people are very brave and attack the invaders with everything they have. With knives, stones or flowerpots thrown from balconies. Anything goes. Women also play their part, and many lose their lives. The French must be driven out, come what may!

The Battle of Bailén

Despite the popular uprisings, the French continue to advance into Spain. Our army is also determined to defend the country, and in July 1808 a great battle is fought at Bailén, in the province of Jaén. The French general Dupont, with some 20,000 soldiers, faces the troops of General Castaños, who commanded some 27,000 men. The heat was unbearable and the French were not used to such temperatures. Our army fought with great valour, aided by the local population who supplied them with water and whatever else they could. After several hours of fighting, the proud French army was forced to surrender. It was their first major defeat.

18.000 prisoners

That was the number of Frenchmen captured. What was to be done with them? Initially, they were confined to pontoon boats in the Bay of Cádiz, but poor nutrition and disease were already taking their toll. The people of Cádiz protested; they had to be taken elsewhere, so it was decided to send some to the Canary Islands and others to Mallorca. Here too they caused controversy, and a drastic solution was found: to leave them on Cabrera.

 

The French arrive on Cabrera

The early days were harsh; there were no buildings for shelter, there was barely any water, and food was brought from Mallorca every four or five days… a little bread, pulses and oil. Clearly insufficient for nearly 10,000 people. But the French hoped it would be only temporary. The officers organised vegetable gardens, fishing and some rudimentary huts. But in any case, life in Cabrera was a nightmare, a veritable hell.

The initial consequences

The crops yielded very little, fishing was difficult and the supplies that arrived were not enough. Hunger was ravenous. Theft was on the rise. So too were violence and suicides. Disease affected almost everyone and many died. The bodies piled up, but as there were neither tools nor the strength to bury them, it was decided to burn them…

Hunger, hunger, hunger

The obsession with hunger drove the prisoners to eat lizards, insects or any living creature they could find. As hunger grew more acute and the situation worsened, some decided to eat whatever they could salvage from the corpses of their compatriots. Others preferred fresher meat; they sought out a victim, murdered them and practised cannibalism.

The end of the tragedy

There were attempts to escape, but very few succeeded; extreme weakness and the sea currents made it extremely difficult. But even the worst of nightmares must come to an end, and in April 1814 the War of Independence drew to a close. A month later, those who had managed to survive this hell were rescued; according to some estimates, just over 3,000.

If you enjoy history and would like to learn more about these events, we recommend the book “Los franceses de Cabrera” by Pierre Pellissier and Jérôme Phelipeau.

Cabrera today

Although Cabrera was used for military purposes for a long time, in 1991 it was declared a “Maritime-Terrestrial National Park”. Today it boasts a rich and well-protected natural environment.

The history of Cabrera is one of those little-known episodes that show Mallorca is much more than just sun and sand. Culture, nature and tradition form part of the island’s identity, which is also reflected in its most authentic products. Descubre los mejores productos gourmet de Mallorca