1808. The king of Spain compelled to resign his crown, which was conferred by Napoleon on his brother, Joseph Buonaparte. The people of the Peninsula resolved to resist, and England to render aid. =THE PENINSULAR WAR.= Sir Arthur Wellesley landed in Portugal, and defeated the French at Roliça (Aug. 17) and Vimiera (Aug. 21). After the latter battle, the =Convention of Cintra= was concluded, by which the French agreed to evacuate Portugal. 1809. Battle of CORUNNA, in which the French were defeated, and Sir John Moore, the English general, slain (Jan. 16). Wellesley gained a great victory at TALAVERA (July 27-8). The unfortunate Walcheren expedition, in which a large number of our troops died from disease. Perceval became premier. 1810. Wellesley, now Lord Wellington, defeated the French at Busaco (Sept. 27), but his opponents in the Peninsula being greatly superior in numbers, he entered the impregnable lines of Torres Vedras, where it was impossible to attack him with success. George III. became incurably insane. 1811. =George, prince of Wales, appointed regent.= The English defeated the French at BARROSA (Mar. 5), FUENTES D'ONORE (May 5), and ALBUERA (May 16). 1812. Wellington took CIUDAD RODRIGO (Jan, 19), and BADAJOZ (April 7), by storm, and gained a great victory at SALAMANCA (July 22). Perceval shot by an assassin, and Lord Liverpool made premier. =United States declared war against England= on account of our searching their vessels for deserted seamen, and other alleged grievances. =Napoleon invaded Russia=; but, as the Russians burnt Moscow, he was compelled to retreat,--during this campaign and retreat, his army was almost destroyed. 1813. Wellington completely routed the French at VITTORIA (June 21), and defeated them in the BATTLES OF THE PYRENEES. Wellington crossed the Bidassoa, and thus England was the first of the powers of Europe which succeeded in planting its victorious standard on the soil of France. 1814. The Russians, Prussians, and Austrians invaded France. Wellington defeated the French at Orthes (Feb. 27) and Toulouse (April 10). NAPOLEON ABDICATED, and was allowed to retire to Elba. Louis XVIII. acknowledged king. ~Treaty of Paris~ (May 30). Washington taken by the English. Peace concluded between England and the United States at ~Ghent~ (Dec. 24). By the treaty of Paris, France was reduced to its limits as they stood in 1792. Malta was ceded to England, and England restored all the colonies taken from France and her allies except Tobago, St. Lucia, and the Isle of France. During the war with the United States many engagements took place at sea; and as the Americans usually attacked much smaller vessels than their own, they gained several victories; but the superiority of the British navy was unmistakably proved in the ocean duel between the Shannon and Chesapeake, for the latter, though containing a much larger crew, was taken in fifteen minutes.