Sydney the colonial forces of Australia at Rouse Hill. The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australian history, where the Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, was ousted by the New South Wales Corps under the command of Major George Johnston, who led the rebellion. Conflicts arose between the governors and the officers of the Rum Corps, many of which were land owners such as John Macarthur. Early Sydney was molded by the hardship suffered by early settlers. In the early years, drought and disease caused widespread problems, but the situation soon improved.
The Third of May 1808 prints "The Disasters of War" (). In February 1814, after the final expulsion of the French, Goya approached the provisional government with a request to "perpetuate by means of his brush the most notable and heroic actions of our glorious insurrection against the Tyrant of Europe". His proposal accepted, Goya began work on "The Third of May". It is not known whether he had personally witnessed either the rebellion or the reprisals, despite many later attempts to place him at the events of either day. "The Third of May 1808" is set in the early hours of the morning following