Biography of Charles IV of Spain

The lost Kingdom

11 November 1748
20 January 1819
Charles IV de Bourbon was born on 11 November 1748 in Portici (Naples), the same town from which his father Charles, Commander of the Spanish troops, in 1734 had initiated the conquest of the Kingdom of Naples, taking it away from the Austrians, and received immediately after the investiture of King Philip V, King of Spain from the parent. The second son of Charles III and Maria Amalia of Saxony, in 1765 he married Maria Luisa of Bourbon Parmesan.
On his father's death, on 14 December 1788 ascends to the throne of Spain, in time to witness, seven months later, the storming of the Bastille in France, an event whose developments will affect and will mark the history of his reign in the years to come. In the early 90 's, being the King of France Louis XVI facing serious difficulties with the revolutionaries, putting pressure on the French Government in an effort to protect the sovereign, as do many other rulers of Europe.
So much solidarity from the European monarchies, however, in addition to be vain, heightens suspicions that the French revolutionaries feed against the King about his real acceptance of the Constitution: in January 1793, abolished the monarchy and proclaimed a Republic, after having arrested, tried and convicted, Louis XVI sent to the guillotine.
Absolutist regimes of Europe read in that Act a challenge and a threat at the same time, so are mobilizing giving his life in what will be the first coalition: England, Austria, Russia take part, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of Naples, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Netherlands.
After three years of war, during which the French lost territories in favor of Spain, Charles III signs the peace of Basel and, following the wishes of his wife, shortly after an alliance with France in the Treaty of San Ildefonso. Charles actually sold, from the outset, the strong personality of Maria Luisa, leaving them essentially carte blanche in all political decisions; the Queen, in turn, is the Prime Minister's Pro-Napoleonic succubus Manuel de Godoy, his lover, appointed in place of the deposed Pedro de Aranda. The agreement becomes Charles IV in a piece of Napoleon Bonaparte and start the break-up of the Spanish Empire. By this time Spain fights against England and Portugal on behalf of Napoleon. His fleet defeated a first time in Cape San Vicente, and thus add to the English supremacy over the Atlantic. In 1805 was again defeated, along with the French, the British Admiral Horatio Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar.
In the years of Charles's reign must grapple with the excesses of his son Ferdinand, enemy of Godoy, even to popular movements of 1808 (riot of Aranjuez), favored by the same Ferdinand, when young wrings his father the abdication in his favor. Then Carlo asks for help to Napoleon who intervenes entering with his army in Spain, by restoring it on the throne but also forcing him to abdicate again, this time in his favor. Spain's Crown is then given by the emperor to his brother Joseph Bonaparte, King of the two Sicilies. Charles and Marie-Louise Golden is sent into exile in Rome at the Pope, with a sizable annuity granted to them by Bonaparte in Exchange for the throne of Spain. After the fall of the French Empire, in November 1813 the Crown back to Ferdinand VII. Charles remains in Rome until his death, which takes place on 20 January 1819, at the age of 71 years.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.