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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Zaragoza bread riots 1766

Synopsis
As a sequel of Esquilache riots in Madrid, in Zaragoza groups of artisans demanded public intervention to reduce the price of bread. The populace went to the Governor´s house and after sacked the houses of merchants and other officials accused of speculating with prices. The repression was expeditious, and involved the participation of peasants from several neighborhoods in town, who harassed artisans at large and helped the authorities detain and execute up to 9 leaders of the revolt until the king ordered to stop executions.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 27 days. Name in sources: Motín de los Broqueleros. Location: Zaragoza Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Artisans, Peasants, Women. Number of participants: 250-500. Main reasons & motivations: Food. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: medium.

Further reading
BARAS ESCOLÁ, Fernando (1998). ¿Quiénes se amotinaron en Zaragoza en 1766?. Zaragoza: Institución Fernando el Católico. SÁNCHEZ LEÓN, Pablo (2011). "Conceiving the Multitude: Eighteenth-Century Popular Riots and the Modern Language of Social Disorder", International Review of Social History, 56 (3): 511-533.SEBASTIÁN Y LATRE, Tomás (1766). Relación individual y verídica del suceso acontecido en la ciudad de Zaragoza el día 6 de abril de 1766. Zaragoza: Imprenta Real.
Cite this entry

Sánchez León, Pablo (2020). "Zaragoza bread riots 1766", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/zaragoza-bread-riots-1766/ (accessed on 12 March 2026).

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