Did you know that Catalonia's National Day doesn't celebrate a victory, but a defeat?

What a defeat, gentlemen! The kind that makes you lose the game, the stadium, and even the ball. Catalonia Day, which is celebrated every September 11, commemorates the fall of Barcelona in 1714, during the War of the Spanish SuccessionAnd although the battle was lost, a symbol of resistance was born that lives on three centuries later.

The origin of Catalonia's National Day: a war for a king without children

It all started in 1700, when Charles II "the Bewitched"«, The last of the Habsburgs died without issue. And of course, when there's no heir, what follows is a fight for the throne that even HBO couldn't match.

Two candidates were vying for the crown:

• Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France and of the House of Bourbon, supported by France and the Crown of Castile.
• Archduke Charles of Austria, son of Emperor Leopold I, supported by the Grand Alliance (Austria, England and the United Provinces) and by a large part of the Crown of Aragon.

Catalonia backed Charles to maintain its laws, institutions, and self-government. But, as in any good tragic story, it backed the losing horse.

The Siege of Barcelona: 14 Months of Resistance

In 1713, after the withdrawal of the allied troops, Barcelona decided to resist alone. For 14 months, the Bourbon troops of Philip V besieged and bombarded the city, and the neighborhood of the Bank It was badly damaged by the bombs. The defense was led by the general Antonio de Villarroel, in military command, and Rafael Casanova, he chief minister of the city.

He September 11, 1714, After the final assault, Barcelona fell. That same day, Casanova was wounded while leading the last counterattack with the flag of Santa Eulalia. And that's where what we commemorate today as Catalonia's National Day begins.

Bourbon reprisals: when revenge became architecture

The Citadel: The Castle of Fear

Philip V ordered the construction of a star-shaped military fortress next to the Born district. The objective? To control the city and remind it who was in charge. Its cannons pointed towards Barcelona, as if to say: "Another rebellion? Don't even think about it.".

To build it, they demolished a large part of the Ribera neighborhood, and the residents had to dismantle their own homes. It was Barcelona's first mass eviction: urban planning with trauma. Today, beneath the old Born market, you can still see the streets and houses of that vanished neighborhood.

Surrealist regulations: knives tied

It is said that Bourbon paranoia reached such a point that The knives had to be tied to the tables.. Just in case someone was tempted to rebel while cutting the bread. Revolution? No. Tortilla? No either. It's a difficult anecdote to document, but what is certain is that, after 1714, Catalans were forbidden from carrying weapons.

The martyr: General Josep Moragues

Moragues was not in Barcelona during the siege: he was fighting outside the city and, after its fall, retreated to Cardona. In March 1715, he attempted to flee to Mallorca to continue the resistance, but he was betrayed and captured. His punishment was exemplary:

• They dragged him through the streets of Barcelona.
• He was executed on March 27, 1715, and his body was quartered.
• His head was displayed in a cage at the Sea Portal during 12 years, until 1727.

A macabre "souvenir" to ensure no one forgot what happened if you stood up to power. If you want to learn its full story, the Enciclopèdia Catalana dedicates a file to him.

The Fossar de les Moreres: the cemetery of heroes

In this square, next to Santa María del Mar, the defenders of the city were buried. Today it is a symbol of resistance, with a flame that never goes out. There you can read these verses by the playwright Frederic Soler, "Pitarra":

«The Fossar de les Moreres does not bury a traitor.
"Fins perdent our flags, it will be the urn of honor."»

What does Catalonia's National Day mean today?

Catalonia's National Day does not celebrate a victory, but rather the dignity of resistanceIt's the memory of a city that fought for its rights, its identity, and its freedom. And even though it lost, it didn't give up.

What if you revive it on a tour?

He Born It is a vibrant neighborhood today, but beneath its streets lies history, ruins, and memory. In our free tour of El BornThis tragedy is told with humor, irony, and emotion. Because laughing at the past isn't forgetting it, it's understanding it.

Book now at hlcomedytours.com or in histary.es. Laugh, learn, and rediscover Barcelona like never before!