Final answer:
Napoleon's Continental System aimed to economically isolate Britain was countered by Portugal's refusal to cease trade with Britain. The French invasion of Portugal, with Spain's reluctant consent, was part of an effort to enforce the blockade, leading to a complex military and political situation that involved British support and led to extended conflict in the Iberian Peninsula.
Step-by-step explanation:
Relationship Between the Blockade Against Britain and the Attack on Portugal
In 1807, as part of his battle against Britain, Napoléon Bonaparte imposed the Continental System, aiming to cripple Britain economically by blocking it from European trade. Portugal, a country with a robust commercial relationship and an old alliance with Britain, did not adhere to this system. Napoléon strategically sought Spanish backing to invade Portugal to force compliance and ultimately prevent Britain from trading through Portugal. This led to the use of Spanish territory for the invasion, and the occupation placed additional burdens such as taxation and war hardships on Spanish citizens.
During this same era, the British, intent on supporting their own interests and allies, sent forces under the Duke of Wellington to bolster Portuguese and Spanish resistance against French domination. This support played a significant role in the events that unfolded on the Iberian Peninsula, including the Spanish insurrection and the prolonged conflict known as the Peninsular War. The conflict in the region was emblematic of the broader struggle between Napoléon’s ambitions and Britain’s naval supremacy.