Barcelona. Meanwhile, Philip V was preparing an offensive to retake the city. The ministers of Charles of Austria were in favor of leaving Barcelona to avoid being captured should the city surrender, but Barcelona's councilors pressured them to stay. On 30 March 1706, the Minister Rafael Casanova addressed Charles of Austria on behalf of the city offering the sacrifice of the lives of the locals in their defense, and finally on 2 April the king issued a statement agreeing to stay in Barcelona to resist the attack. The next day the troops of Philip V, surrounded the city starting Bourbon siege. On 15 April they began bombing the inner city with firebombs and then undertaking operations aimed at the conquest of the fortress of Montjuic from which, once taken, they could force the surrender of the capital. On 21 April the troops of Philip V had taken positions near the fort and began to harass her. Then the rumor spread among the locals that the British troops had agreed to surrender Montjuic. The rumor caused the outbreak of a general mutiny and a group of extremists began to touch the alarm bells summoning the locals fight to prevent the surrender, the Minister-in-Chief Francis tried to stop the alarm but fell during the riots and was killed. With the city under fire and making chaos of the municipal government, the Second Minister Francesc Gallart, the lawyer, and the third chief counsel Rafael Casanova gave Directives to restore order and the government of the city, while reinforcing the defenses of Montjuïc. However, nothing seemed to stop the progress the Bourbon troops were making, and fear rose of the imminent collapse of Montjuic and Barcelona. However, on 8 May, the English fleet commanded by Admiral John Leake was glimpsed on the horizon. The sight of the fleet caused the Bourbon troops to break ranks, and retreat hastily, abandoning their wounded, their supplies and artillery. Barcelona had been released from the siege and the Bourbon troops who failed to secure their supply lines in their advance, had to flee to France. Months later, inquiries were made about what happened during the assault on Mont Juic; the Second Minister Francesc Gallart, who before the war had shown sympathy Philip, was removed from the lists of candidates for public office, and then banished from the city. Conversely, on 6 February 1707, Charles of Austria was rewarded