Supreme Central Junta

The Supreme Central and Governing Junta of Spain and the Indies (Spanish: Junta Suprema Central y Gubernativa de España e Indias; also known as Supreme Central Junta, the Supreme Council, or the Junta of Seville) was the Spanish organ (junta) that assumed the executive and legislative powers of the Kingdom of Spain during the Peninsular War and the Napoleonic occupation of Spain. It was established on 25 September 1808 following the Spanish victory at the Battle of Bailén and after the Council of Castile declared null and void the abdications of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII at Bayonne earlier in May. It was active until 30 January 1810. It was initially formed by the representatives of the provincial juntas and first met in Aranjuez chaired by the Count of Floridablanca, with 35 members in total. The dissolution of the Supreme Central Junta was a crucial turning point in the wars of independence in Spanish America. Most Spanish Americans saw no reason to recognize a rump government which was under the threat of being captured by the French at any moment, and began to work for the creation of local juntas to preserve the region's independence from the French.