The war arrived at Torredembarra today!!

FESTA DE LA BATALLA de TORREDEMBARRA

Commemorating that the war arrived at Torredembarra in 1713 and a lot of people who fought with the Catalan army were killed. It was a civil war in which the invaders supported the army of the Bourbon pretender to the Spanish throne while the Catalan army defended the Austrian pretender.

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) was a major European conflict of the early 18th century, triggered by the death in 1700 of the last Habsburg King of Spain, the infirm and childless Charles II

At the end of this loooong war there remained the struggle in Catalonia. At no stage in the war there had been a unanimous or even majority support for Archduke Charles of Austria (Charles III) in Catalonia, but the existence of a rebel group inside the province, together with a superior Allied military and naval presence in Barcelona, forced many towns to decide – often reluctantly – for the Archduke's cause.
Nevertheless, those who wished to continue fighting could point to the fact that the Kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia, as well as those in Castile, were subject to a regime that had forced them to change their laws and historic constitutions, and at no stage since the Bourbon victory at Almansa (Valencia) and the subsequent abolition of the fueros in Aragon and Valencia in 1707, had Philip V shown any intention of respecting Catalonia's laws.

 In consequence, Barcelona decided to resist, but there would be no Allied help. After the peace agreements between the major powers neither Austria nor Great Britain could return to a war footing. To compound the issue, Tory diplomatic efforts with Philip V to secure Catalan liberties were half-hearted, and Bolingbroke made no protest when, in early July 1714 – after a year of guerilla warfare in the region – Berwick returned to Catalonia to formally besiege Barcelona.

 Antoni de Villarroel put up a stout defence of Barcelona, but with little hope of relief the Catalan capital surrendered on 11 September 1714.

All that took place in our town yesterday and today!! The old town was filled with markettents and selling bread and cheese and handycraft while the soldiers were shoting around all the corners!

I took part as a "lacemaker". A typical Catalan lady!!

Just by our table a lot of soldiers took refuge!!

It was hard to concentrate on the lace!!!

 Finally the war was over and the troups came marching to lay down flowers at "La Torre" which is the trademark of our town. The tower is the first building remaning from the period 1050. The fighting took place in front of the old castle which now holds the townhall.

WELL, well... that was another of the nice cultural events of our town. And the sun was shining over us all!!!

Ligias birthday

A beautiful day in Torredembarra,

with Ligia Pastori and her family and friends!

It is nice to get new friends... Ligia I have known for about a year and she is a lovely person. Born in Venezuela, singer and author and with a 70 year long interesting life.

She and her husband Joan invited us to Ligias birthdayparty in the restaurant La Quilla in the harbour of Torredmebarra. (Unfortunatly Frank could not come, as he was with Marc in the Spanish championship in golf for children up to 16 years, and Marc had classified for the final!)

Anyway we were 26 who joined and had a delicious meal and a lot of fun.

Ligia was singing with her friends Vicente Monera (guitar and composer) and Enric Pujol

(actor and author). Enric was also reciting poems with great force, accompanied by Vicente on guitar.

Ligia has written a book of guardian angels so I painted one for her as a small birthdaypresent.

It was a loooong lunch. 5 hours of eating, laughing and singing!

THANK YOU LIGIA AND JOAN!!!