as sovereign king, and that despite the independence movement, the political and cultural life in the provinces was largely unchanged and still under the powerful influence of Spain. In addition, the Catholic Church had mostly opposed independence. By mid-1815 a large Spanish expeditionary force under Pablo Morillo had arrived in New Granada, which bolstered earlier royalist advances made by Santa Marta. Morillo laid siege on Cartagena on August and it finally fell five months later in December with the city suffering large numbers of civilian casualties due to famine and disease. By May 6, 1816, Morillo and royalists from the south had conquered Bogotá, and hence returned all of New Granada to royalist control, which lasted until August 1819, when forces under the command of Simón Bolívar retook the central part of the region. See also Spanish American wars of independence History of Colombia Viceroyalty of New Granada United Provinces of New Granada Gran Colombia Antonio Nariño Spanish reconquest of New Granada Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada References Bibliography Blossom, Thomas. Nariño: Hero of Colombian Independence. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1967. McFarlane, Anthony. Colombia Before Independence: Economy, Society, and Politics under Bourbon Rule. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Earle, Rebecca. Spain and the Independence of Colombia, 1810–1825. Exter: University of Exter Press, 2000. Colonial Colombia Viceroyalty of New Granada Independence of Colombia Rebellions against the Spanish Empire Spanish American wars of independence 1810s in Colombia 1810s in Venezuela 1810 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1811 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1812 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1813 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1814 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1815 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada 1816 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada