6 June 1808, when Napoleon's occupation of Spain became an issue after the events of 2 May in Madrid of that year. Napoleon's troops went to Andalusia as reinforcements and attempted to cross the villa; the entire population (men, women and also some of the neighbouring villas) took up arms to prevent the passage of the troops. The result was a high number of lives lost and a major fire. Highlighted in the fight was a woman, Juana Galán "La Galana". The outcome was that the troops had to retreat from the province of La Mancha, a delay which led, at least in part, to the Spanish victory at the Battle of Bailen. King Fernando VII would give the villa the Title of "Very Heroic". After these events, some inhabitants from Valdepeñas took part of the guerrilla fighting against the Napoleonic troops in the "Guerra de la Independencia", Francisco Abad, "Chaleco", became a famous guerrillero. At the beginning of the 20th century, the appearance of Phylloxera led to the introduction of the resistant American vine but did not change the economy much. The Spanish Civil War broke this development, and the city's population decreased. From the 1940s to the 1970s the only economical activities were agriculture and the traditional family industry of wine, a common phenomenon in central Spain in those times. In the 1980s, Valdepeñas saw a modernization of the wine sector, including new kinds of grapes, and the introduction of techniques in wine production. Culture Valdepeñas has several museums of history, art and wine. There are two Fairs, in August "the summer fair" at the first week and in September known as "Fiesta de la Vendimia" (Grape Harvest Fair). People Bernardo de Balbuena, appointed Bishop of Puerto Rico in 1620, who wrote Baroque poetry extolling the beauties of Mexico. Luis Merlo de la Fuente Ruiz de Beteta, colonial official who briefly served as the Royal Governor of Chile, in 1610-11. Gregorio Prieto, painter, poet and illustrator well known for his portraits, kitsch collages and also rural landscapes of England, Greece and La Mancha. He worked for the BBC in London while in exile after the Spanish Civil War. A foundation named after him exhibits most of his work in Valdepeñas. Francisco Abad Moreno "Chaleco" was one of many Spanish guerrilleros who came to prominence in the Spanish War of Independence. Juan Luis Rodríguez-Vigil is a Spanish Socialist Workers'