The Collapse of the Spanish Monarchy: Charles IV and Napoleon
The Crisis of the Reign of Charles IV (1788–1808)
The Monarchy of Charles IV and Manuel Godoy
Charles IV entrusted power to a young soldier, Manuel Godoy.
The execution of the French monarch, Louis XVI, urged Charles to declare War on France. The defeat of Spanish troops was decisive, and the Peace of Basel subordinated Spain to French interests. Alliances with France subsequently resulted in conflict with Britain.
The destruction of the Franco-Spanish fleet (notably at Trafalgar) meant the loss of almost the entire fleet of Charles IV.
The naval disaster deepened the crisis of the Royal Treasury, compounded by reduced income, especially from colonial trade due to the decline of maritime traffic. Godoy resorted to borrowing, increased contributions, and proposed reforms to raise state resources. These ineffective measures provoked widespread opposition from several sectors:
- The nobility and the Church were against Godoy's reforms.
- Taxes imposed on the peasantry caused popular discontent.
The Mutiny of Aranjuez (March 1808)
The situation deteriorated further when Godoy signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau (1807) with Napoleon, authorizing Napoleonic armies to enter Spain to attack Portugal. In return, they agreed upon the future partition of Portugal between France and Spain. This caused great irritation among the population.
On March 18, 1808, a mutiny occurred in Aranjuez, where the royal family was staying. Godoy was forced to withdraw.
The mutiny aimed at two objectives: the dismissal of Godoy and the abdication of Charles IV in favor of his son, Ferdinand.
The rebels achieved their objectives, but these events revealed a deep crisis in the Spanish monarchy. Charles IV subsequently wrote to Napoleon asking for his help to regain the throne that his own son, Ferdinand VII, had seized. The Emperor finally decided to invade Spain, reaffirm his control over the throne, and annex the country to the French Empire.
The Monarchy of Joseph Bonaparte (Joseph I)
Charles IV and Ferdinand VII were summoned by Napoleon to Bayonne, where both abdicated in favor of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon subsequently appointed his brother, Joseph, King of Spain (Joseph I).
The new Statute of Bayonne established equality before the Spanish tax law and equal access to public office.
Joseph Bonaparte sought the liquidation of the Old Regime. However, his reform efforts received little support and were met with complete misunderstanding by the Spanish populace.