By early May 1808, Napoleon’s intentions to depose Spain’s dynasty seemed clear. The departure of its remaining members for France on the morning of May 2 was the spark that triggered the uprising in Madrid. Throughout the city, groups of poorly armed citizens confronted 25,000 French soldiers, strategically quartered throughout the capital and in control of the communication routes. The 5,000 Spanish soldiers remained passive, except for 50 who barricaded themselves in the Monteleon barracks and a number of military personnel who joined the civilians; the Spanish authorities called on the population to lay down their arms. The fighting ended after five hours, and was followed by executions by firing squad. The final death toll amounted to some 400 Spaniards and 50 Frenchmen. Historiography turned the uprising into a myth: an outraged populace spontaneously rising up in response to the collaborationism of its authorities and elites. An alternative hypothesis suggests that members of the ‘Fernandine party’ acted behind the scenes, seeking to preserve the power they had secured during the Mutiny of Aranjuez. Of the 578 Spanish casualties, either dead or wounded, the occupations of 342 are known: 45% were military personnel, employees of the royal household and public administrations, or servants of aristocrats and prominent figures. But what purpose would an ill-conceived and poorly executed conspiracy have served, bound as it was to result in the massacre of civilians? The news, carried by the proclamation of the ‘alcaldes’ of Mostoles, sparked popular indignation, yet authorities remained passive. The uprisings that spread throughout the country during the final week of May followed a different dynamic and never took place in cities occupied by French troops.