HE SECRET HISTORY OF
HE -COURT OF SPAIN
URING THE LAST CENTURY
BY
RACHEL CHALLICE
AUTHOR OK " VEXED QUESTIONS," ETC.
COMPILER OF " SPANISH PROTESTANTS IX THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY," " MYSTICAL LINKS
OF LIFE," ETC., AND COLLABORATOR IX "THE HISTORIAN'S HISTORY
OF THE WORLD "
WITH THIRTY ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
JOHN LONG
NORRIS STREET, HAYMARKET
MCMIX
* / 5
c
First published in 1909
ALFONSO XIII. AND VICTORIA EUGENIE, KING AND QUEEN OF SPAIN
Frontispiece
AUTHOR'S NOTE
IN presenting this history to the British public, I
must draw attention to the fact that the material
is gathered solely from Spanish sources, so that
where the statements do not tally with the reports
of English historians it must be remembered that
the book, as the mouthpiece of Spanish writers,
may lay claim to a special interest of its own,
particularly as some of these books are not known
in our country.
Thus, the account of the character of Ferdi-
nand VII., the story of the Second of May, 1808,
the relations between England and Spain during
the reign of Isabella II., and the account of the
recent Regency of Maria Cristina, may open points
of view not generally entertained in England, but
the fact of their sources may entitle them to some
attention.
The history of the Regency ending in 1902, by
Ortega Rubio, was only published last year, and
it was as a privileged reader of the library of the
Royal Palace at Madrid that I studied it. The
book referred to by Galdos has also only recently
V
253024
Author's Note
seen the light. I owe much of the information to
the celebrated bibliophile, Don Fernando Bremon,
who garnered it for me from many histories now
out of print and from manuscripts which came into
his hand from his connection with celebrities of
the Spanish Court. Other sources of information
were open to me at the valuable library of the
Athaeneum at Madrid, of which I was made an
honorary member during my stay in the capital ;
and I have also to render tribute to those whose
personal recollections have added to the interest
of my survey of Court life during the last century.
RACHEL CHALLICE.
VI
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRIGUES OF FERDINAND, PRINCE OF ASTURIAS,
AGAINST HIS PARENTS AND GODOY I
II. THE OVERTHROW OF GODOY - 24
III. How NAPOLEON I. CHECKMATED THE SPANISH
ROYAL FAMILY - 53
IV. KING FERDINAND VII. AND HIS HOME LIFE - 79
V. MARIA CRISTINA, FERDINAND'S FOURTH WIFE-
INTRIGUES AT COURT - - 105
VI. MARIA CRISTINA AS REGENT AND AS WIFE OF
MUNOZ - -122
VII. QUEEN ISABELLA'S GIRLHOOD AND THE DANGERS
WHICH BESET IT - - 142
VIII. MINISTERIAL DIFFICULTIES IN THE PALACE - 149
IX. ROYAL MATRIMONIAL SCHEMES — How QUEEN
ISABELLA'S SISTER FLED FROM PARIS IN 1848 161
X. A ROYAL QUARREL AND THE RECONCILIATION - 173
XI. ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF QUEEN ISABELLA — THE
OVERTHROW OF THE QUEEN-MOTHER, MARIA
CRISTINA - 180
XII. COURT INTRIGUES - - _ 193
XIII. THE COURT OF SPAIN UNDER ITALIAN SWAY - 224
XIV. SOME TRUTHS ABOUT THE REPUBLIC OF 1873-
1874 242
vii
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XV. THE REVIVAL OF COURT LIFE IN SPAIN UNDER
ALFONSO XII. - 252
XVI. THE PALACE AND POLITICS DURING THE REGENCY
OF QUEEN MARIA CRISTINA - - 281
XVII. ALFONSO XIII. - - - - 305
XVIII. PRINCESS VICTORIA EUGENIE OF BATTENBERG AS
QUEEN OF SPAIN 314
INDEX - - 345
Vlll
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ALFONSO XIII. AND QUEEN VICTORIA OF SPAIN frontispiece
From a photograph by Franzen, Madrid.
TO FACE PAGE
MARIA LUISA, QUEEN OF CHARLES IV. -
From the painting by Goya in the Museo del Prado.
MARIA ANTONIA, PRINCESS OF ASTURIAS, FIRST WIFE
OF FERDINAND VII. - 34
From an engraving.
MARIA ISABEL FRANCISCA OF BRAGANZA, SECOND WIFE
OF FERDINAND VII. 84
From an engraving.
MARIA JOSEFA AMALIA, THIRD WIFE OF FERDINAND VII. 92
From an engraving.
MARIA CRISTINA, FOURTH WIFE OF FERDINAND VII.
AND MOTHER OF ISABELLA II. - - 106
From an original painting.
DON CARLOS DE BOURBON, DUKE OF MADRID - -112
From a photograph.
MARSHAL PRIM - - 122
From an engraving.
GENERAL ESPARTERO, PRINCE OF VERGARA 128
From a painting by Casado del Alisal.
MARSHAL LEOPOLDO O'DONNELL, DUKE OF TEUTAN - 138
From an engraving.
ix
List of Illustrations
TO FACE PAGE
RECEPTION OF ISABELLA II. AT THE ESCORIAL- - 150
From a painting by Benjumea.
ISABELLA II., QUEEN OF SPAIN - - 162
From a painting by Madrazo.
THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF ISABELLA II. DECLARES
WAR AGAINST MOROCCO - - 184
From a painting by Benjumea.
GENERAL NARVAEZ - 214
From a photograph.
EMILIO CASTELAR - 224
From a photograph.
AMADEUS OF SAVOY, DUKE OF AOSTA, AFTERWARDS
KING OF SPAIN - - 226
From a photograph by J. Laurent, Madrid.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL LUIS DE FlGUEROLA FERRETTI - 242
From a painting by Miss A. J. Challice, exhibited at the Royal
Academy, London.
.KING ALFONSO XII. VISITING CHOLERA PATIENTS AT
ARANJUEZ - - 252
From a painting by J. Bermudo y Mateos.
DON CARLOS, PRINCE OF ASTURIAS, AND HIS LATE
WIFE, THE INFANTA MERCEDES - - 266
From a photograph by Franzen, Madrid.
PRAXEDES MATEO SAGASTA, LIBERAL PRIME MINISTER 274
From a photograph.
DEATH OF ALFONSO XII. 276
From a painting by J. A. Benlliure y Gil.
ANTONIO CANOVAS DEL CASTILLO, CONSERVATIVE PRIME
MINISTER - - 292
From a photograph.
x
List of Illustrations
TO FACE PAGE
THE INFANTA MARIA TERESA AND KING ALFONSO XIII. 294
From a photograph by Debas, Madrid.
ALFONSO XIII., KING OF SPAIN - 306
From a photograph by Franzen, Madrid.
THE QUEEN-MOTHER MARIA CRISTINA OF SPAIN - 310
From a photograph by Debas, Madrid.
VICTORIA EUGENIE, QUEEN OF SPAIN - - 314
From a photograph by J. Beagles and Co.
QUEEN VICTORIA OF SPAIN AND THE QUEEN-MOTHER
AT A BULL-FIGHT - - 3*6
From a photograph.
PRINCE FERDINAND OF BAVARIA, BROTHER-IN-LAW OF
ALFONSO XIII. - 3J8
From a photograph by Baumann, Munich.
THE INFANTA MARIA TERESA, AFTERWARDS WIFE OF
PRINCE FERDINAND OF BAVARIA - - 320
From a photograph by Franzen, Madrid.
CHRISTENING OF THE PRINCE OF ASTURIAS, SON OF
ALFONSO XIII. - - - - - 338
XI
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INFORMATION DRAWN FROM
A three-volume History of Ferdinand VII., published 1843,
with the original correspondence of Napoleon and Bourbon
family as Appendix.
" Memorias de un Setenton " (septuagenarian), by Ramon
Mesoneros Romanos. 1880.
" Estafeta del Palacio Real," by Bermejo. 3 large vols.
Unpublished MSS., the property of Don Fernando Bremen,
brother-in-law to the Marchioness of Salamanca, the lady-in-
waiting of the present Prince of Asturias.
" Memorias de Don Antonio Alcala Galiano." 1886.
"La de Los Tristes Destines," Perez Galdos. 1907.
Rare old book : " Narracion de Don Juan Van-Halem."
" Regencia de Maria Cristina," by Juan Ortega Rubio.
1907. 2 large vols.
xv
THE SECRET HISTORY
OF THE COURT OF SPAIN IN THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY
CHAPTER I
INTRIGUES OF FERDINAND, PRINCE OF ASTURIAS,
AGAINST HIS PARENTS AND GODOY
1800 — 1804
THE history of Spain during the nineteenth century
is synonymous with that of favourites at the
Court of Madrid, for as the country, in spite of
all its struggles, had practically no voice in the
election of the Parliaments, the main events of
the land had their rise in the royal palace, where
self-interested persons blinded the eyes of the rulers
for their own purposes.
Thus the fall of Spain into the hands of the
French evidently resulted from the dissensions of
those environing the Royal Family, and the hopes
entertained by the optimistic Spaniards at the
return of Ferdinand VII. were destroyed by the
flattering courtiers' encouraging the Sovereign in
his despotic ideas.
The evils of the reign of Isabel II., and the revolu-
tion and republic which followed, can all be traced
to the same intriguing spirit of the Court, and from
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the death of Charles III., who is still spoken of
as the " great Charles/' the government of the
country was, in reality, in the invisible hands of
those who ruled the Sovereign ; and hence the
disastrous influence exercised in the land by Queen
Maria Luisa, whose feeble, good-natured consort,
Carlos IV., let her pursue her self-willed course,
whilst falling himself an easy prey to the over-
weening ambition of Godoy, her favourite. This
daughter of Philip, Duke of Parma, had shown
from her childhood signs of great intelligence, and
her education had given full scope for her talents.
Without being absolutely beautiful, her features
had a charm of their own from their expression,
and her fine eyes, elegant figure, and pleasant
manners, soon exercised a sway at the Court of
Spain when she made her appearance as the bride
of the Prince of Asturias.
Albeit generous and warm-hearted, Maria Luisa
was of a somewhat arrogant disposition. This was
seen when she was only twelve years old, in the
tone of superiority she adopted in her home after
the contract of her marriage to the heir of the
Spanish throne had been signed. Her brother
Ferdinand resented this assumption of superiority,
and remonstrated with his sister on the subject.
Upon this the Princess promptly lost her temper,
and said : " I will teach you to pay me the atten-
tion which you owe me, because I shall finally
be Queen of Spain, whilst you will never be
more than a little Duke of Parma !" "Well,
the Duke of Parma will have the honour of
slapping the Queen of Spain/' was the reply,
2
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
and Ferdinand promptly gave his sister a slap in
the face.
The Duke was then arrested by order of his
father, and he was only released at the plea of his
sister, who was sorry when the quarrel assumed
such a serious aspect.
When crowned Queen of Spain, in 1789, as the
wife of Charles IV., twenty-four years after her
marriage, Maria Luisa soon showed that her
impulsive nature, which knew no check from her
husband, would bring her country to grief.
Captivated by the young Godoy, she surprised
and alarmed the nation by the swift way she
exalted him to the highest position in the realm.
As the favourite had known how to dominate the
will of the King, as well as to subjugate the heart of
the Queen, there was no limit to his power, and
when he was given the title of " The Prince of
the Peace/ ' for the alliance he made with the
French, the animosity of the nation was so much
excited that public interest was soon centred in
Prince Ferdinand as one who might free the Court
from the favourite, and thus save the country
from the disastrous effect of an undue submission
to France.
As Alcala Galiano says in his " Memorias,"
" The title of ' Prince ' conferred on Godoy seemed
to detract from the dignity of the Royal Family/*
The Prince of Asturias was at this time eleven years
of age.
It must be remembered that the Queen had never
gained any real hold on her son's love. She was
naturally disinclined to any efforts dictated by
3 A 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
maternal love, and she had taken no pains to
overcome the constitutional defects of her son,
which were repellent to her lively imagination and
quick temperament.
In a letter to the Grand Duke of Berg, the Prince
is described by the royal mother as peculiarly
deficient in sensibility, and she remarks that his
torpid nerves indeed required strong stimulants
for their exercise. He spoke little, rarely smiled,
and found a sardonic satisfaction in all kinds of
petty acts of cruelty. He liked to crush a little
bird if it fell into his hands, and, indeed, pity was
a quality to which he was a stranger.
As the education of the young Prince was
entrusted to Don Juan Escoiquiz, it was soon seen
that he exercised a great power over the royal
pupil, and he sought to use him as an instrument
for thwarting the schemes of the Queen's favourite
— which boded ill for the land.
Escoiquiz was certainly clever. He had trans-
lated Young's poems and Milton's " Paradise
Lost," and when he was summoned to the royal
palace in his capacity of tutor to the young
Prince, he exclaimed : " I shall be happy if my
instruction of my royal pupil leads to his being the
most humane of Princes."
However, time did not show that he guided the
Prince in this direction, for the intrigue of the
Queen with Godoy so aroused his malicious envy
that his one idea was to instigate his pupil to
courses tending to the overthrow of the favourite.
Classics and mathematics were foregone by the
cleric, who devoted the time to teaching the Prince
4
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
that the one great secret of a ruler was to trust
nobody entirely, but to oppose one man to another
man and one party against the other.
This lesson of distrust the royal boy learnt to
perfection, and as his cold etyes watched his
mother's deceitful conduct, and he saw how easily
his father fell a prey to the artifice and design of
the lovers, his heart was a fruitful soil for the
poisonous words of his preceptor.
Escoiquiz soon determined to use the lad more
effectually as an instrument against Godoy, and
so he inspired him with the desire to have a seat
in the Cabinet Ministry, and he wrote discourses
and treatises which he gave the Prince to publish
as his own, so that the lad might pose as a states-
man of a wisdom and foresight beyond his years.
But although Carlos IV. was an easy tool for
an unprincipled wife, he was not inclined to fall
a prey to the machinations of his son, and to
give his son a place that had been denied to him-
self at a like age ; so the artifice of the tutor was
discovered, and he was dismissed from Court with
the appointment of Archdeacon of Alcaraz, in
the Chapter of Toledo.
But albeit banished from his post as tutor, the
cleric still retained his influence over the Prince,
and he seized every opportunity of going to the
royal palace to foster the ideas which he had'
instilled in the mind of his former pupil.
The picture given by Manuel Godoy in his
" Memoires " of the daily life of the young royal
people at this time shows that parental affection
played little part in the lives of the young Princes
5
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
and Princesses. After the morning Mass was over,
the young people were allowed to receive visits
till half-past eleven, when they went to their
parents' room, and there remained till lunch-time,
and each Infante and Infanta had his or her meal
in a separate apartment. The afternoon drive
was generally taken in the same direction every
day, and the carriage was accompanied by a
royal guard. In the evening the Infantes and
Infantas spent half an hour with their parents,
and then returned to their own quarters, where
they were sometimes allowed to have their friends.
Whenever the Infantes and Infantas went from
one part of the palace to another, they were
accompanied by a gentil hombre, and they were
treated very much like State prisoners.
This monotonous life of the Royal Family was
suddenly disturbed by the Mission from the Court
of France in which the proposal was made by
Napoleon to unite his brother Lucien in marriage
with Isabel, daughter of Carlos IV. The King
was alarmed at the idea of such a close connec-
tion with the warrior who treated Europe like a
chess-board, but, not wishing openly to refuse the
powerful ruler, he promptly arranged for the mar-
riage of the Princess with his nephew, who was
heir to the throne of Naples, and he also made
arrangements for the marriage of Ferdinand v$£h
Princess Maria Antonia of Naples.
Godoy was strongly opposed to the Prince's
marriage, declaring that eighteen was too tender
an age for this step, and that it would be better
for tHe young man to improve his mind by travel-
6
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
ling, and fit himself for his future task of govern-
ing the nation before he married. However, the
King listened to the Marquis of Caballero, who
was in favour of the alliance, and the wedding of
Ferdinand took place in Barcelona in October,
1802, at the same time as that of his sister.
When Ferdinand subsequently heard how Godoy
had tried to prevent his marriage, he thought it
was with a desire to prevent the succession being
established in his favour, and his hatred of the
favourite increased accordingly.
Godoy writes very emphatically in his
u Me moires " of the evil influence exercised by
Escoiquiz on the mind of Prince Ferdinand :
" The master seized upon the moral faculties of
his pupil like an unclean insect which sticks to
the bud of a rose and stops the growth by the
web it weaves. Ferdinand, doomed at an early
age to feel no affection for anyone, was a prey to
fear and dissimulation. His youth, his manhood
— in short, his whole life — was passed in a state of
uninterrupted suspicion. He did not believe in
virtue, not even in that of Escoiquiz, and at last
the tutor received the due reward of the instruc-
tions he had imparted to his pupil.
!< He died, loaded with contempt, ejected and
banished from his pupil."
Godoy declared that his enemies paralyzed his
endeavours to free Spain from the dominion of
the French. He writes in the same " Memoires ":
c< Determined to impose upon the young Prince
that I wished to deprive him of the natural affec-
tion of .his august parents, my enemies so far
7
\
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
succeeded in alarming him that the Prince was
brought to look upon me as a dangerous rival
who aspired to seat himself on the throne. To
such perfidious insinuations they added other
indirect practices.
" They made Charles IV. tremble at the bare
idea of a war with France, when I had in Sep-
tember, 1806, firmly resolved upon proclaiming it."
The account of Manuel Godoy's last visit to the
ex-Queen Maria Luisa is characteristic of the
devotion of the courtier :
" It was in May, 1808, that my old King, his
august lady, and the young infant Francisco, the
unhappy victims of the iniquitous faction that
called Napoleon to interfere in the matters of
Spain, were transported from that country to
France, and they remained in the dull, lonely
dwelling of Fontainebleau.
" The Queen, a stranger in the royal palace of
her ancestors, was in a grand bed. Her eyes were
full of sadness but of majesty ; her grave and
venerable face was stamped with virtue. As she
was able to speak openly without the presence
of any importunate witnesses, she evidently wished
to give expression to her feelings when her eyes
fell on those who were with her, and she noted the
tears which they vainly strove to stop. At last
she. broke the silence, and said :
" ' And you (tu), Manuel, my loyal friend, from
whom I have had so many proofs that you would
always remain so till the end — you will have your
customary patience and listen to what I have to
say !' "
8
MARIA LUISA, QUEEN OF CHARLES IV,
After the Painting by Goya in the Museo del Prado
To face page 8
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
And then the Queen once more poured into her
friend's ears her doubts and fears as to her future
and that of Charles IV.
From the time Maria Antonia of Naples married
the eighteen-year-old Prince of Asturias in 1802,
she proved herself an active partisan of her hus-
band and his tutor Escoiquiz, and if she had lived
longer her clear-sightedness might have prevented
the surrender of Spain to Bonaparte.
In obedience to her mother, Queen Caroline of
Naples, the Princess of Asturias was unremitting
in her efforts to contravert the plans of her
irreconcilable enemy Napoleon, which were sub-
sequently furthered by the short-sighted policy
of Godoy and Maria Luisa. Secret and almost
daily were the letters which passed between
Princess Maria Antonia and Queen Caroline, and,
as the correspondence was conducted in cipher, it
entered the Court of Naples without attracting
any attention, and thus many diplomatic secrets
from Madrid travelled thence to England. In the
bitter warfare of personal hatred and political
intrigue no accusations were too bad to be levelled
by one part of the Spanish Royal Family against
the other.
The partisans of the Prince and Princess 'of
Asturias declared that Godoy and Maria Luisa
filled the King's mind with suspicions against
Ferdinand, even to the point of attributing
parricidal thoughts to him, so that the King might
disinherit him and put Godoy in his place. And
the followers of Godoy declared that the Princess
of Asturias not only had designs against the Prince
9
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of the Peace, but against the Sovereigns them-
selves.
The secret correspondence between Queen Caro-
line and her daughter was found years afterwards
in the house of the Duke of Inf antado, and it showed
the hatred of the Prince and his wife towards the
Queen's favourite, whilst speaking of the King
as if he already had one foot in the grave.
One of these letters to Naples was intercepted by
Napoleon, and it fully convinced him of the part
played by Prince Ferdinand and his wife with
regard to France.
The people's discontent with Godoy was fos-
tered by Ferdinand's followers, and, indeed, the
government of the turbulent country required a
more expert hand than that of the favourite.
The clergy were also enraged when they heard
that the Minister had received a Bull from Rome
for the reform of the monastic institutions, and
they exalted Ferdinand to the sky as a patron
and protector of the altars, whilst they circulated
exaggerated stories with regard to those in power,
and his mother was the chief object of these
attacks.
When Queen Maria Luisa found the love which
the people had formerly professed for her and her
husband was now turned into hatred, she said that
" Madrid was a place for good Princes and bad
Kings."
Napoleon soon intercepted another letter from
Ferdinand's wife, Maria Antonia, to the Queen of
Naples, and he sent it to Carlos IV. to show what
dreadful reports she gave of her father and mother
10
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
in law, and how she not only spoke against France
with the bitterness of hatred, but she offered to
work with all her might to break the alliance of the
Spanish Cabinet with the Emperor of the French.
The King, seeing the false position in which he
was placed by the imprudence of his daughter-
in-law, begged his wife to take the letter to the
Princess of Asturias, and to conjure her to be more
careful in the future.
The Queen seems to have been as conciliatory
as possible in the interview, but Maria Antonia
would not listen to her mother-in-law, and behaved
in such an arrogant fashion that Ferdinand himself
had to call her to reason.
The dissensions continued at Court, and Ferdi-
nand one day asked Godoy, the Prince of the Peace,
what might be the destination of the combined
fleets. Fearing that the Prince's Italian wife would
betray such an important State secret, Godoy
purposely gave an equivocal reply, saying that the
squadron at Toulon would go towards Egypt, and
that the others would wait for an opportunity of
falling upon Ireland.
Maria Antonia lost no time in reporting the
news to her mother, and, consequently, Nelson
was manoeuvring ijn those seas whilst the Spanish
and French ships set sail for America. So the
Englishman lost many days waiting off Malta in
his belief of the news he had received from Naples.
It was thus that Godoy checkmated the plan of the
Princess of Asturias to aid the English against
France, which was as much the foe of Naples as it
was the ally of Spain.
ii
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
The fact of Ferdinand's wife manoeuvring
against Napoleon made her very unpopular at
Court, and, although she was a model of industry
and virtue, Godoy was naturally opposed to one who
supported Ferdinand in his hatred of himself, whilst
Escoiquiz regarded her as an invaluable tool for his
designs against the French, and thus the palace
was at this time a perfect hotbed of intrigue.
It was said that the two miscarriages of the
Princess of Asturias were due to treatment to
which she was subjected by the arrangement of
the Queen or the Prince of the Peace, or by the
concert of both.
The premature death of his wife was indeed an
unfortunate thing for the Prince of Asturias, for,
as she said a short time before her departure, she
regretted she was about to leave him, as she believed
that, had she lived, she would have influenced
him very wisely. Report also attributed this
death to the machinations of the Queen and her
favourite, albeit it was known that she died from
an attack of phthisis.
Some time after the Princess's death, the Prince
of Asturias, who had subsequently learnt that
Godoy had deceived him in his report as to the
destination of the French forces on an important
occasion, said to the favourite :
" But to be frank, Manuel, you were either
deceived yourself or you deceived me. You told
me that the French fleet at Toulon was going to
Egypt."
" It is true, sefior, but there was a change in
affairs, and so the plan was changed."
12
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
" No," returned Ferdinand, " because the fleet
went off at the first start to the ocean "
" You will recollect/' said la Paz, " it started
twice, because the first time Nelson got news
beforehand of it, and so it had to return to the
port and take a very decided direction the second
Ptime."
" No/' returned Ferdinand in a rage, " neither
the expedition to Egypt nor the attack on Ireland
were truly arranged. You take a pleasure in
telling me a tissue of lies. It is quite evident that
you regard me as a mere cipher in the palace, and
you treat me worse than a porter. The heir-
apparent is the representative of the Sovereign, and
deserves equal respect. Would you have dared
to deceive my father like that ?"
" When you are King," returned Godoy, re-
straining his wrath with difficulty, " you will your-
self justify similar conduct in your Ministers. But
I have long wished to resign my office, and if Your
Highness will add your request to mine in the
matter it will not be difficult to succeed."
" Yes," returned Ferdinand, with a malicious
smile, " you want to compromise me like that.
Is it not so ?" And he turned his back on the
Minister and left him.
Such was the open state of enmity between
Godoy and Ferdinand in the royal palace, and
the Prince's hatred of the favourite was, if pos-
('")le, equalled by that of the people.
The King, who was nothing but a tool in his
fe's hands, joined his consort in overwhelming
the man with honours, until he was finally given
13
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the post of High Admiral of Spain and the Indias,
coupled with the title of Highness.
The event was celebrated by all the united bands
of Madrid, and, as Ferdinand had perforce to assist
at the festivities with his parents, he whispered to
his brother Carlos that he considered such honours
as a personal insult to himself ; " for," he added,
" this vassal of mine is usurping the love and
enthusiasm of the people. I am nothing in the
State, and he is omnipotent. My position is
insufferable/'
" Don't trouble yourself/' returned the Infante.
" The more they give, the sooner they will take it
away."
The eyes of both father and son were now
turned to Napoleon as the arbiter in their dissen-
sions, and so Spain slipped gradually into the
power of the great French commander.
Certainly Ferdinand's letter to the Emperor was
frank, if it was not self-respecting. " I wish," he
said, " to confide in you as I would in a tender
father. I am full of respect and filial love for
my father," he continued, " for his heart is good
and generous, and, as Your Majesty knows, these
very qualities are but instruments in the hands of
astute and malignant people to keep him from
the truth. I implore Your Majesty," added the
Spanish Prince, " not only to give me a Princess
of your family as &J wife, but to do away with
all the difficulties7 which wilf accompany the
matter."
The French Ambassador, Beauharnais, husband
of the future Empress of the French, checkmated
14
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
the Prince's desires, for he informed Godoy of the
letter addressed to his master, and the favourite
prevented the matter from going any farther.
However, although he knew that his hopes had
been defeated, Ferdinand, schooled in the science of
duplicity, caressed his mother and kissed the hand
of his father, and all in such a cheerful and pleasant
way that it was thought that he had overcome
his naturally gloomy nature. But " still waters
run deep/' and Ferdinand's hatred of his mother's
favourite was now a consuming fire, and at the
same time that it was said that Maria Luisa was
hatching a scheme for a change in the dynasty,
Ferdinand was engaged in a dreadful plot against
his parents. It was at this time that the Prince
presented his mother with a copy of his transla-
tion from the French of Ver tot's " Revoluciones
Romanas," and the title was naturally very ob-
noxious to the Sovereigns. The very word
" Revolucion " struck terror in the palace in
those days, as it summoned up pictures of the
execution of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette,
so Carlos IV. remonstrated with the Prince on
the direction taken by his literary tastes, and
stopped the sale of the work ; so the book remained
at the printer's until its translator ascended the
throne of Spain.
As the King was glad to see his son occupied,
he told him that, if he really wished to cultivate
his literary taste, he would advise him to translate
Cordillac's " Etude de 1'Histoire," and when Fer-
dinand asked his father what motto he would
suggest for the book, Carlos promptly returned :
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" Les hommes ne sont pas grands par leurs pas-
sions, mais par leur raison."
Thus, by the time the Court returned to the
Escorial for the autumn months, the royal parents
congratulated themselves that Ferdinand's liter-
ary occupations had banished his misanthropic
humours ; and when the Queen was told one day
by the Marquesa de Perijaa, who was out walking
with her, that her son passed the nights in writing,
she explained to the lady that the Prince was
engaged in the translation recommended by his
father, and the information of his absorption in
writing suggested no ulterior design.
However, one day Carlos IV. found a letter
placed in a room in the palace ready to meet his
eye. " Urgent " was written on the cover, and
the letter had no signature. Indited evidently
with a trembling hand, it ran thus :
" Prince Ferdinand is plotting something in the
palace, the Crown is in danger, and Queen Maria
Luisa is in imminent peril of dying from poison.
The prevention of the deed is implored without an
instant's delay. The faithful vassal who gives
this information is not in a position to fulfil. his
duty in any other way."
All efforts to discover the writer of this epistle
failed, and proof of its authorship was never
found ; but the writer's object was gained, and
the King determined to investigate his son's
labours. So he appeared one night in the Prince's
study with the excuse of asking him to compose
something to celebrate the recent successes in
16
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
America ; and this he did in a tone of friendliness,
as he did not really give any credit to the anony-
mous accusation which had reached him. How-
ever, Ferdinand's confusion at his father's visit
was suspicious, and, following the Prince's eyes,
the King saw they were turned with anxiety to
some papers on the table, and his request to see
them was met with insolence. So the Sovereign
promptly had the Prince put under arrest, with
the understanding that he was not to leave his
room or speak to anybody.
As Godoy was ill in Madrid at the time, Carlos
sent for Caballero, the Minister of Grace and
Justice, in post-haste, and to him was read one of
the documents he had found on Ferdinand's table,
which the Prince had written at the dictation of
Escoiquiz to present to his father. In this paper
the character of Godoy was painted in the darkest
colours, and the favourite was even accused of
aspiring to the throne by plotting the death of
the King and the rest of the Royal Family. The
monarch was advised in the letter to ascertain
these facts by lying in wait and listening to the
tools of Godoy during a day's shoot in the Pardo
or in the Casa de Campo.
The King was also counselled to hold no com-
munication with his wife during the time of the
inquiry, so as to avoid her tears and plaints, and
he was told to associate his heir with him in the
Government and to give him the command of the
troops ; and, finally, His Majesty was implored by
his son to keep the letter a profound secret
from his mother, as he did not wish to be ex-
17 B
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
posed to her resentment and the revenge of his
enemies.
In another document written to the Prince of
Asturias, Escoiquiz advised quite a different course
of action, for he suggested that the fall of Godoy
should be accomplished by an appeal to the Queen
herself. Ferdinand was counselled to implore his
mother on his knees to give up the favourite,
whilst supporting his appeal by an account of the
amours of the Prince of the Peace with other
ladies ; and the letter concluded with the advice
to avoid all thought of a marriage with Godoy 's
sister-in-law. The King had also found in his
son's room the cipher and key of the correspon-
dence used between the Prince and the Arch-
deacon of Toledo, and these were the same which
had been used by his late daughter-in-law with
the ex-Queen of Naples.
And, lastly, among the papers there was a letter
in Ferdinand's own handwriting, which was closed
but not directed, and evidently meant for his
adviser. In this note the Prince said he would
look for a priest to put the document in his father's
hands. He said, moreover, that he had taken
St. Hermenegildo for his patron saint in the
matter; but although he had put himself under
this sacred protection, it was with no desire to
accept the vocation of a martyr, and he would
therefore be very careful to ascertain what success
could crown the plot for Godoy 's overthrow before
starting on it. But if the plot succeeded, he
wished the storm to fall only on the head of
Sisberto (Don Manuel Godoy) and Govinda XQueen
18
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
Maria Luisa, his mother), and Leovigildo (Carlos
IV.) was to be brought over to his side with cheers
and applause.
The perusal of the papers completed, the King
turned to Caballero, saying :
" What punishment does the law impose for a
son who acts like that ?"
" Sefior," was the reply, " royal clemency is out
of court in this matter ; the criminal deserves
death !"
" What !" cried the Queen, " have you forgotten
he is my son ? By my right as his mother I will
destroy these papers which would condemn him,
for he has been deceived, he has been ruined !"
And so saying, the unhappy mother flung herself
into a chair, weeping bitterly and clutching at the
incriminating letters. It was thus that they never
appeared in the inquiry.
Caballero advised a frank statement of the facts
to the nation, so a royal manifesto was addressed
by the King to the country, explaining "that,
albeit his son was familiar with all the principles
of Christianity indoctrinated by his paternal
affection, he had favoured a plot to dethrone
him/'
The King, moreover, wrote the following letter
to Napoleon :
" SAN LORENZO,
"October 20, 1807.
" MY BROTHER,
" At the time in which I was concerting
means for the destruction of our common enemy,
and when I thought that the designs of the Queen
19 B 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of Italy had ceased with the death of her daughter
[Ferdinand's wife], I find that the spirit of blackest
intrigue is within the very palace. My eldest son,
the heir-presumptive to the throne, has conceived
a fearful design to dethrone me and to attempt
the life of his mother. Such an atrocious crime
can only be punished by the severity of the law.
That (law) which calls him to succeed me must be
revokedy for one of his brothers will be more worthy
to take his place in my heart and on the throne.
" Now I am trying to discover his accomplices,
to find the thread of the fearful misfortune, and
I will not lose an instant in informing Your
Imperial Majesty of the matter, begging you to
aid me with your opinion and counsel.
" This I beg, etc.,
" CARLOS."
That day, when Ferdinand thought his father
had gone hunting, he begged his mother to come
to his room or to let him go to hers. The Queen
declined to comply with these requests, but she
sent Caballero to the Prince, and, with the cowardly
duplicity in which he was an expert, Ferdinand
told the Minister that the serious steps with regard
to the Queen had been suggested by his mother-
in-law, the ex-Queen Caroline, and that they had
filled both him and his late wife with horror. He
added that, if the persistence of his evil counsellor
had led him to be a little weak, it must be remem-
bered he had resisted the seductions for four years,
and that he had sought to introduce reforms into
the kingdom.
20
an
:
iir
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
When Godoy had recovered sufficiently from his
indisposition to go to the Escorial, he appeared in
the room of the disgraced Prince.
Ferdinand threw himself into the arms of the
favourite against whom he had plotted so darkly,
exclaiming through his tears :
" Oh, my Manuel, I have wanted so much to
see you. I have been deceived and ruined by
those rogues. You alone can get me out of this
trouble."
" I have come for that purpose/' returned
Godoy. " You are the son of my King and Queen.
Many a time I have held you in my arms, and
I would give you a thousand lives if I had
them. And I wept/' said Godoy, who tells this
story in his " Memoires," " even more than
the Prince, although his tears came from his
heart."
' Yes, I am certain/' continued the Prince,
tc that you would not come to see me like this if
you did not intend to help me. You have spoken
with my parents ? I cannot hope that they will
pardon me. I have given the names of my
evil advisers. What more can I do to show
my repentance ? If there is anything more I
can do, only tell me, tell me, for I will do
anything in which to please my dear parents,
and you too. I beg of you to help me, for pity's
ke."
Senor, senor," returned Godoy, " there is an
mmense distance between this humility to a
mere slave of your family and changing your
opinion of me. This I do beg of you to do ;
21
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
and as for the rest, I have only come for your
good."
" May God reward you !" replied the Prince.
' You are the only one who can speak for me
without any fear of compromising himself. Will
you not dictate me a letter to my parents ?"
' The best words you can write/' said Godoy,
" are those from your own heart, and those I will
take myself to your parents/'
The result of this advice was two letters. The
first was addressed to the King :*
" SENOR, DEAR PAPA,
" I have done wrong, I have sinned against
you as a King and as a father ; but I repent, and
now I offer you the most humble obedience. I
ought to have done nothing without telling Your
Majesty, but I was taken by surprise. I have
revealed the culprits, and I entreat Your Majesty
to pardon me for having lied the other day, and
that you will permit your grateful son to kiss your
royal feet.
" FERDINAND."
The other missive ran thus :
" SENORA, DEAR MAMMA,
" I am very sorry for the grave offence I
have committed against my parents and my King
and Queen ; and it is with the deepest humility
that I beg Your Majesty to intercede with papa
for permission to kiss his royal feet.
" FERDINAND."
* " History of Ferdinand VII.," 1843.
22
J
Intrigues of Ferdinand against his Parents
The Prince's plea was granted, and the King
pardoned his son, whilst ordering the inquiry to
be completed against those who had instigated the
plot.
Ferdinand sought to prove his horror of the
counsels of his late tutor by showing his parents
the books he had sent him, with the passages
marked which the tutor had considered most
appropriate to his situation. The works were
" The Life of St. Hermenegildo," the poem by
Morales in honour of the same saint, that of
Alfonso the Wise and those of the Prince of Viana,
Louis XIII., King of France, and his mother,
Marie de Medicis.
Maria Luisa's maternal affection, and Napo-
leon's refusal to allow the publication of any in-
formation bearing upon himself or his Ambassador
Beauharnais, took all the significance from the
inquiry, and, as the matter was thus gradually
dropped, the country exonerated the Prince of
Asturias from all blame.
Ferdinand's opposition to Godoy and his mother
certainly seemed to have been founded more upon
personal aversion than political policy, for when
the favourite cooled towards the French on
finding that his designs on Portugal were not to
be realized, Ferdinand himself began to show
favour to the foreigners, and this is proved by
his correspondence with Napoleon, which was
published in Le Moniteur in 1808.
CHAPTER II
THE OVERTHROW OF GODOY
1804—1808
As Napoleon considered that Ferdinand was only
fit to be a tool and reign as a vassal of France,
he suggested that the Prince should marry the
daughter of his brother Lucien, and this proposal
was made quite regardless of the aversion with
which his niece regarded the proposed bride-
groom.
To the keen insight of the warrior who wielded
the sceptre of France, Charles IV. and his Ministers
and Prince Ferdinand and his advisers all seemed
like a tree waiting for the axe. But the Prince of
Asturias represented the dawn of a new era to
Spaniards. He was the centre of popular en-
thusiasm, and to be one with his cause was to be
one with the majority of the nation,
Bonaparte, naturally, did not at once reveal his
designs of gaining supremacy on the Peninsula to
the King, and to lull any doubts on his part he
gave him a magnificent pair of horses ; and
although Charles IV. had written to him, after
the settlement of the matter of the Escorial, that
he approved of his son's union with the Imperial
Family, Napoleon said he could not proceed in the
24
The Overthrow of Godoy
arrangements for such an advantageous marriage
without his son's consent.
As the confiding Charles thought that his son's
demonstrations of affection after being set free
were sincere, and being anxious to secure the
peace of his household, he made up his mind to
the great sacrifice of parting with Godoy, if by so
doing he could quench the spirit of intrigue and
jealousy in the palace.
With this view the King sent for the Prince
of Asturias to explain to him the course which
he considered necessary in face of the constant
disturbances in the country and the absolute
necessity of union within the realm.
To the surprise of his father, Ferdinand opposed
the idea of the overthrow of the favourite. The
Prince's smiling countenance filled the King's
heart with joy, and it was with no doubt of his
sincerity that he listened to his son's opinion
that Godoy should not be asked to retire from
the Court ; the Prince of the Peace was himself
pleased when the heir-apparent gave him his hand
with friendly looks, and bade him sacrifice his own
feelings to the welfare of the kingdom and remain
where he was appreciated. Neither King nor
courtier could foresee that, even whilst inspiring
confidence by his open, friendly demeanour, Fer-
dinand was preparing at Aranjuez the sequel to
the plot at the Escorial.
In the meanwhile the French invaded Portugal,
the Spanish soldiers materially aided them in the
campaign, and Godoy began to see that the way in
which the forces of Napoleon took possession of San
25
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Sebastian argued more the course of a conqueror
than that of an ally. Barcelona, moreover, was
also occupied by the French, and Charles IV. and
Maria Luisa were filled with alarm at these signs
of the supremacy of the French. The Prince of
the Peace tried to persuade Their Majesties to
repair to Andalusia, and sought to open their eyes
to the astuteness of the Corsican and the misfor-
tunes which it augured. Carne declares that
Bonaparte only wished to be the regenerator of
Spain by introducing, by the aid of royalty, the
required reforms which were afterwards insisted
on in the name of liberty, but the tumults and
scandals of the Court finally led him to fall into
the temptation which was the origin of all the
misfortunes of the country.
It must be remembered that the Escorial matter -
had idealized the Prince in the minds of the people.
His innocence, his sufferings, and his virtues, were
all real in the eyes of the public ; whilst Godoy was
only regarded as an atheist who sought to reform
the friars through his brother-in-law, the Arch-
bishop of Toledo. The French and their leader
were therefore regarded as means for the assist-
ance of the Prince of Asturias, and this idea was cir-
culated throughout the provinces by the convents
and the confessionals. The colossal power of the
Church had indeed imposed itself on the throne.
Its influence spread throughout all classes, and
in the daring painting showing the world bound
round with a San Franciscan cord, the end is held (
by a brother with these words, " We can do all."
Murat, the Grand Duke of Berg, with whom
26
The Overthrow of Godoy
Maria Luisa had so much subsequent correspond-
ence about her family affairs, now took up his
abode at Burgos as the Emperor's lieutenant.
Thus, poor Charles IV. was not only exposed to
the treacherous designs of his son, but they were
hatched under the wings of the Imperial Eagle.
The King and his wife were now in the Palace
of Aranjuez, on the banks of the Tagus, and
thither went the Prince of the Peace to announce
the signs of disaster. The orders for the Madrid
garrison to proceed to Aranjuez confirmed the
suspicions of the people of the terrible crisis which
was taking place in the Court, and it was thought
that the desire of Their Maj esties to go to Seville
meant the extension of their journey to Mexico.
Then came the historic I7th of March, when the
murmur of the Tagus was drowned by the voices
of the people surrounding the mansion.
Between eleven and twelve o'clock a carriage
was seen to leave Godoy 's mansion with his
" friend " Josef a Tudo closely veiled. A shot was
fired by someone who sought to make the lady
disclose her identity, and then the Prince of
Asturias put in his window the light which was
the sign for the commencement of the tumult.
The trumpet sounded the call to horse, and all
ran to take possession of the different roads to the
palace by which it was possible Godoy might
escape.
The King and Queen sent for Ferdinand, and
the Queen told her son that, as his poor father was
suffering acute rheumatic pains, he was unable to
go himself to the window, so she begged her son
27
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
to go and tranquillize the people in his father's
name. This Fernando declined to do, under the
pretext that the sight of him would make the firing
commence.
The cries of the mob sacking Godoy 's dwelling
were now audible, and the furniture and pictures
were all hurled from the windows. It was curious
that the people seemed to have little thought of
appropriating the art treasures of the favourite.
Their one desire was to find the poor man, and
wreak their vengeance for his reported misdeeds ;
but no sign of him was to be found. At last they
gave up the search, and accompanied the wife and
son to the palace. To show that their hatred did
not extend to these personages, as the dissensions
between Godoy and his wife were public property,
they took the horses out of the carriage and drew
it themselves.
On the following day Charles IV. signed the
decree which removed Godoy from his position as
Generalissimo and Admiral, and he sent a letter
to Napoleon to acquaint him with the fact, adding
that his rheumatic pains prevented him doing
more than dictate the letter.
But there was no peace for the poor King. The
following morning (March 19) two officials of the
Guard came with the utmost secrecy to acquaint
His Majesty with the news that a worse, tumult
was brewing than that which had broken out the
preceding evening, and that only the Prince of
Asturias could prevent it.
Ferdinand was then sent for, and his mother
entreated him to prevent the riot by sending his
28
The Overthrow of Godoy
own people to calm the excitement of the populace,
and commanding the instigator of the disturbance
to return to Madrid.
But hardly were these requests complied with
when fresh tumult was heard. It seemed that
Manuel Godoy was preparing to go to rest on the
night of March 17, when he heard the noise of
the mob at his house. He caught up a cloak,
filled his pockets with gold, armed himself with
pistols, and strove to save himself by a secret
passage which led into the house of the widowed
Duchess of Osuna. But the key was evidently
not there, so the wretched man lay in his hiding-
place like a mouse in a trap for thirty-six hours,
suffering all the pains of fatigue and hunger
and thirst, and fearing every minute to be assas-
sinated.
At last he returned into his own salon. A
sentinel saw him, and he was seized by those in
possession of his house. Of course he might have
made use of his firearms, but, worn out with the
sufferings of body and mind during the last
thirty-six hours, he gave himself up to his per-
secutors.
Like wolves after their prey, the people hounded
the wretched man, and they tried to stop the
Guard acting in his defence by putting poles
under the horses' bellies to prevent their advance.
At last, however, the fugitive was bravely hoisted
on to the saddle of the horse of one of the Guard,
and he was taken off at a quick trot from the
scene of his sufferings.
When the news reached Madrid of the imprison-
29
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
ment of the Prince de la Paz on March 19,
the mob flocked to the Plaguela del Almirante,
where his house adjoined that of the Dukes of
Alba. There the scene of Aranjuez was repeated :
the furniture and treasures were cast out of the
windows, and were for the most part devoured by
the flames of the fire which was lighted close to
the door. Then, drunk with vengeance, the popu-
lace proceeded with burning torches to the' houses
of the Prince* s relatives, and sacked that of his
mother, his brother Don Diego, the Marquis of
Branciforte, his brother-in-law, and tfiose of the
ex-Ministers Alvarez y Soler, of Don Manuel Sixto
Espinosa, and Amoros.
The riding-school of the fallen favourite was
converted into an altar to St. Joseph.
It is from the pen of Maria Luisa that we have
the most graphic description of the events, for in
a letter to her daughter she writes thus :*
" MY BELOVED DAUGHTER,
" Tell the Grand Duke of Berg what is the
situation of the King, myself, and the poor Prince
de la Paz.
" My son Ferdinand was at the head of the plot.
He won the troops over to himself ; he had a light
put in one of his windows as a sign for its ex-
plosion. At that instant the Guards and the
persons at the head of the revolution had two
shots fired. They have tried to show that these
* "History of Ferdinand VII.," 1843, and the correspond-
ence of Napoleon with the Bourbon family, published in the
Moniteuv in 1808.
30
The Overthrow of Godoy
shots were fired by the Guard of the Prince de la
Paz, but it is not the truth ; for the Gardes de
x>rps and the soldiers came at the people's call,
and went where they liked without receiving any
orders from their superior officers.
" The King and I sent for my son to tell him
how trying it was for his father not to be able to
appear at the window, and that he was to go him-
self to tranquillize the people in the name of the
King ; but he replied very firmly that he could
not do so, because it would be the sign for the
firing to begin, and that he did not wish to give.
" The next morning I begged him to put a stop
to the tumult and tranquillize the rebels, and he
replied he would do so. Then he sent for the
second officers in command of the bodies of the
royal horse, commanding many people to return
to Madrid who had come to increase the revolution,
and not to let any more come.
" When the King had given these orders, the
Prince de la Paz was found, and the King sent
word to his son that the unhappy Prince, who was
the victim of his friendship for us and the French,
and particularly of the Grand Duke, was to be
extricated from his position. My son went and
commanded them not to touch the Prince de la
Paz, and to conduct him to the barracks of the
Royal Guards. He did it in his own name, although
it was at the instance of his father ; and he said
to the Prince de la Paz, as if he were the King
himself, ' I grant you your life/
' The Prince de la Paz, in spite of his great
injuries, asked him if he were King ; and he
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
returned that he thought of being so. This was
because the King, the Prince de la Paz, and I,
intended to abdicate in favour of Fernando, when
we had seen the Emperor and arranged all the
matters, among which was the marriage. My
son returned : ' No, so far I am not King, but I
soon shall be.'
" Certainly my son commanded everything, as
if he were King without being so, or knowing if
he would be. The orders given by the King my
husband were not obeyed.
" Then on the day of the igth, when the abdica-
tion took place, there was another worse tumult,
threatening the life of the King, my husband, and
this obliged him to form the resolution of abdi-
cating.
" From the moment of his abdication, the King
was treated by Ferdinand with all the contempt
that can be used to a King, and without any con-
sideration for his parents.
" Then he sent for all the people concerned in
his cause who had been disloyal to his father, and
did all he could to grieve him. He bade us leave
the place as soon as possible, and notified the
town of Badajoz for our residence. In the mean-
time he had no consideration for us whatever,
and he showed great pleasure at being King and
that we were withdrawn.
"As to the Prince de la Paz, he did not want
anybody to think of him. The Guards who had
him in custody had orders not to reply to any
questions that were asked, and they treated him
with the greatest inhumanity.
32
The Overthrow of Godoy
.— — — — — • — • • • ' •*• •—.•—•..•..•...,.
" My son made the conspiracy to dethrone his
father the King ; our lives have been in great
danger, and that of the Prince de la Paz is so
still.
" The King, my husband, and I are hoping
that the Grand Duke will do what he can in our
favour, as we have always been faithful allies of
the Emperor and great friends of the Grand Duke,
and the same can be said of the poor Prince de la
Paz. If he could speak, he could give proofs of
this, and even in the state in which he now is he
does nothing but call for his great friend, the
Grand Duke.
" We beg the Grand Duke to save the Prince
de la Paz, and that, whilst saving us, he will
always allow him to be with us, so that we can
pass the rest of our days quietly together in a
warmer climate, without intrigues and without
commands, but with honour.
" This is what the King and I want, and the
Prince de la Paz equally so. He would be always
ready to serve my son in everything. But my
son has no character whatever, and much less
that of sincerity ; he never liked him, and he always
declared war against him, as he has against the
King, his father, and me.
" His ambition is great, and he regards his
parents as if they were not so. What will he do
to others ? If the Grand Duke could see us, it
would give great pleasure to us, and also to his
friend, the Prince de la Paz, who suffers for having
been always attached to the French and the
Emperor. All our hope is in the Grand Duke, to
33 c
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
whom we also commend our poor daughter Maria
Luisa, who is not loved by her brother. With
this hope we are about to take our journey.
" LUISA."*
A few remarks on this favourite daughter of
Queen Maria Luisa may not be amiss. Maria
Luisa of Bourbon, Queen of Etruria, was only
fifteen years of age when the eldest son of the
Duke of Parma came to Madrid and married her.
The Prince had come to Spain for the purpose of
marrying her sister, Maria Amalia ; but, as this
Princess was silent and reserved, the bridegroom-
elect showed his preference for her sister, and,
as Godoy favoured this change of arrangements,
Prince Louis wedded Maria Luisa, although the
originally destined bride had evidently been
favourably inclined to him.
In 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte arranged for
Tuscany, under the name of the kingdom of
Etruria, to be given to the Spanish Princess and
her husband, who was called Louis I. But the
people never took to their new rulers, and the
French did not evacuate the place.
In 1802 the King and Queen of Etruria went to
Spain to be present at the marriage of Ferdinand
with Maria Antonia of Naples, and that of her
brother, the heir of the Two Sicilies, with the
Infanta Maria Isabel ; and this sister of Prince
Ferdinand became subsequently the mother of
his fourth wife, Queen Maria Cristina, mother of
Isabella II.
* " Memorias de Don Juan Nellerto " (Llorente), tomo 2.
34
MARIA ANTONIA, PRINCESS OF ASTURIAS, FIRST WIFE
OF FERDINAND VII.
To j ace page 34
The Overthrow of Godoy
On this journey to Spain the young King of
Etruria died of brain disease, and the Queen
became, by the will of her late husband, Regent
for her little son, who was crowned Louis II. of
Etruria. But Napoleon deprived the royal lady
of her kingdom in virtue of the Treaty of Fon-
tainebleau in 1807 ; and when the Queen came
to Spain and joined her petitions to those of her
mother in the correspondence to Murat and
Napoleon, she never returned to her kingdom,
which was taken from her with the promise of
having Portugal in return.
When Napoleon heard of the revolution of
Aranjuez, he said to the Duke of Rovigo : "I
never thought of such a thing ; matters have taken
an unexpected turn. I know that the father is
right in accusing the son of conspiring against the
throne ; this fact will unmask the son, and it will
never be approved. When Charles IV. abdicated,
he was not contented with a written declaration ;
he confirmed it with the ceremonies customary for
such occasions, he renewed it various times, and
he did not abandon the reins of the government
until he had given solemn assurance of his wish to
do so."*
Once on the throne, Ferdinand VII. sent for
the persons who had taken part in the Escorial
.conspiracy. Don Miguel Jose de Azanza, the
ex- Viceroy of Mexico, was made Minister of the
Interior instead of Miguel Cartegano Soler, and
Pedro Ceballos, who had married Godoy's cousin,
and who had worked for the ruin of the dethroned
* " Memoires du Due de Rovigo," vol. iii., p. 250.
35 c 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
King, was retained in his position as Minister of
Foreign Affairs by a special royal decree.
The celebrated litterateur Caspar Melchor de
Jovellanos also returned to Court.
But the man who was most triumphant was
Ferdinand's old tutor, Don Juan Escoiquiz. His
wish was fulfilled — he was a power at Court, and
he was decorated with the Cross of Carlos III.
Moreover, the Duke of San Carlos, spoken of
by Maria Luisa in her correspondence as the
falsest of all, was made chief Mayordomo of the
palace. In fact, all who had played any part in
the Escorial affair were exalted, whereas those
who had pleased Godoy by their capacities or
virtues were proscribed and persecuted. Among
these were the Duke of Almodovar, brother of the
Prince de la Paz, Viguri the Intendant, Norrega
the Treasurer, Marquina the Corregidor of Madrid,
the litterateur Escala, and the Fiscal Viegas, who
had demanded penal punishment for criminals in
the Escorial matter. The property of all the above-
mentioned men was confiscated, and Godoy himself
was taken from Aranj uez to the Castle of Villa viciosa .
The government was practically in the hands
of the Dukes of Infantado and San Carlos and the
Councillor Escoiquiz. The opinions and character
of the latter are well known. He was utterly
disingenuous, and he was expert in the science of
intrigue, which had played such a part in the ante-
chamber of the palace. But for really ruling the
affairs of a kingdom he was quite incompetent, and
was only conspicuous for his want of knowledge
and his mean spirit. Apart from his artifice in
36
The Overthrow of Godoy
conspiracies, the character of this Archdeacon of
Alcariz was seen in the pamphlet he published in
defence of the Inquisition. San Carlos shamefully
maligned Maria Luisa and the Prince de la Paz,
albeit he was proud of being related to the favour-
ite. Infantado was destitute of any consistency
in government except when it savoured of persecu-
tion and oppression.
The three statesmen were united in one desire,
and that was the marriage of Ferdinand with one
of the Bonaparte family ; and they all shared the
people's joy at the entrance of Murat, Grand
Duke of Berg, in Madrid on March 23. The
townsfolk were mad with delight, for they regarded
the French as supporters of their idol Ferdinand,
and sharers of their joy in the state entry of the
young King into the capital.
The function was indeed a brilliant sight, and
the Sovereign, crowned with the rich diadem of
the two worlds, roused so much enthusiasm that
it took him six hours to* pass from the Gate of
Atocha to the palace. The roar of the cannon,
the peal of the bells, the clamour of the cheers,
were indeed deafening, and the men laid down
their cloaks for the King to pass over, and the
women waved their pocket-handkerchiefs.
The Grand Duke of Berg unfortunately gave
rein to his pride, and wounded the Spaniards
in their tenderest sensibility by sending French
troops to line part of the route of the royal entry,
leaving his house in the Buen Retiro for that of
the Prince de la Paz, and taking possession of the
Casa de Campo.
37
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Napoleon himself regretted this conduct, and
we find him saying in the " Memorial of St.
Helena/' published in 1826 :
' The plan more worthy of me, and the safest,
would have been a sort of mediation, like that of
Switzerland. I ought to have given a liberal
constitution to the Spanish nation, and seen that
Ferdinand put it in practice. If that had been
done in good faith, and if Spain had prospered
with our new customs, France would have gained
a close ally, and a truly formidable increase to
its power. If Ferdinand, on the contrary, failed
in his new duties, the Spaniards themselves would
soon have come to beg for another King/1
Murat, with his misleading pictures of a country
which he did not know, tickled the conqueror's
ambition, and this resulted in Napoleon writ-
ing to his brother Louis, who was then in
Holland :
" Being concerned that I shall have no solid
peace with England without giving a great im-
pulsion to the Continent, I have decided to put a
French Prince on the throne of Spain/'*
Murat' s power was mainly due to the reports
which had reached Spain of his great feats of
arms, and the priests had admired Napoleon as
the restorer of the churches in France ; but Murat
had not counted on the revulsion of feeling which
ensued when the Spaniards found that the soldiers
of their ally were impregnated with the doctrines
of Voltaire and Rousseau, and as the imprudence,
* " Des Documents Historiques publics par Louis Bona-
parte," Paris, 1820.
38
The Overthrow of Godoy
— — ,,.... — • ..— . . .. . . -.....-•»...•• ...•.—..
of the French fanned the flame of suspicion it
gradually worked up to a fire of fanaticism.
But the Emperor was quite firm in the idea of
his imperial hand wielding the Spanish sceptre,
so he sent for Izquierdo, and asked him if the
Spaniards would not be glad to have him as their
Sovereign.
" Very/' returned Izquierdo, " if Your Majesty
will first renounce the diadem of France/'
Bonaparte did not feel flattered at the Spaniard's
reply, but, anxious to set the affairs straight in
the Peninsula, he left Paris for Bordeaux on
April 2.
In the meanwhile Maria Luisa and her husband
had been highly pleased at the arrival of Murat
at the Court. The unhappy Sovereigns had been
treated with the greatest disrespect by their son
since his accession to the throne. They were told
to go to Badajoz, in spite of their protestations of
the unsuit ability of the climate to their ailments.
They were full of fears that the people's rage
would lead any moment to the death of their
idolized Godoy. Misfortune seemed imminent at
any moment, and poor Charles, with his rheumatic
pains, and unable even to count upon his royal
income, was in a sad state of depression when
the news of Murat' s installation in the palatial
abode of the fallen favourite inspired them with
hope.
Neither the Grand Duke of Berg nor the Am-
bassador Beauharnais had recognized the son as
King, although all the rest of the diplomatic corps
had done so ; so, encouraged by this fact, they
39
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
wrote to Murat through the medium of their
daughter, the Queen of Etruria. The perusal of
this correspondence gives an idea of the humilia-
tion of Charles IV. and his Queen, for, as the Duke
of Rovigo says :
" The letters of the royal parents show their
consternation and depression, and the violence
must have been very great for them to be in fear
of their lives, and to implore a retreat which
would suit their health, and where they could
spend the rest of their days in safety/'*
The picture of her son drawn by the Queen is
worthy of the study of the historian ; for the
remarks scattered through the various letters run
thus :
" From Ferdinand we have nothing to expect
but misery and persecution. He has formed this
conspiracy to dethrone the King his father ; he
has no character whatever, much less that of
sincerity ; he is false and cruel ; his ambition is
limitless, and he does not treat his father and
mother like parents. Nothing affects him. He
is unfeeling, and not inclined to clemency ; he
promises, but he never fulfils his promises ; he
does not care for the Grand Duke or the Emperor ;
he only cares for despotism ; he has a very bad
heart ; he has never professed affection either for
his father or for me ; his councillors are blood-
thirsty, and love to do harm to everybody, not
excepting the father and mother. "
These remarks of the Queen-mother are sup-
ported by that of the father, who said in his letter
* " Memoires du Due de Rovigo."
40
The Overthrow of Godoy
to Napoleon that " he found himself in the neces-
sity of choosing between life and death."
And it was in this state of affairs that Maria
Luisa commenced her correspondence with the
Duke of Berg by the following note, sent through
her daughter, the Queen of Etruria :
' The King, my husband (who makes me write,
as the pains in his hand prevent his doing so), is
anxious to know if the Grand Duke of Berg will
undertake to treat efficaciously with the Emperor
for the preservation of the life of the Prince de la
Paz, with the assistance of some of his employes
or chaplains. He is anxious to know if the Grand
Duke can go and release him, or at least give him
some counsel, for he puts all his hope in the Grand
Duke of Berg, his great friend. He hopes all from
His Highness, to whom he has always been
attached.
' Therefore the Grand Duke will perhaps
arrange with the Emperor for sufficient supplies
to be granted to the King, my husband, and me,
and the Prince de la Paz, for us to live together
where it suits our health, and where we have
neither commands nor intrigues.
' The Emperor is generous, he is a hero, and he
has always helped his faithful allies, and even
those that are persecuted ; and nobody is so much
so as we are — and why ? Because we have always
been faithful to the alliance.
" Of my son we can expect nothing but misery
jand persecutions. He began by inventing, and
! he will go on by inventing all that he can to make
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the Prince de la Paz (the innocent and attached
friend of the Emperor, the Grand Duke, and
all the French) appear criminal in the eyes
of the public and the Emperor. You must
believe nothing. Enemies have the power and
all the means of justifying as true all that is
false.
" The King desires, as I do, to see and talk with
the Grand Duke, and make the protest which it
is in his power to make. We are both grateful to
you for sending your troops, and for all the proofs
you give us of your friendship. Your Highness
must well know the friendship we have always
had and have for yourself. We put ourselves in
your hands and in those of the Emperor, and trust
that he will grant our request.
' These our desires we place in the hands of
such a great and generous ruler and hero."
On March 22 the Queen of Etruria also wrote to
Murat in intercession for the unhappy prisoner,
who, she says, " invoked incessantly the terrible
moment of his death.0
Charles IV. added to his daughter's letter fresh
pleas to be allowed to go to a country which would
suit him better, with the Prince de la Paz, and his
wife added her request to be allowed to finish her
days in tranquillity in a climate favourable to the
delicate state of their health.
On the 26th Maria Luisa sent her daughter the
before-mentioned letter, giving the account of
the affair of Aranjuez, and this the Queen of
Etruria sent to Murat with this letter :
42
The Overthrow of Godoy
SIR, MY BROTHER,
" My mother sends me the enclosed letter
for me to forward to you to keep. Do us the
kindness, dear sir, not to abandon us. All our
hopes are in you. Give me the comfort of your
going to see my parents. Reply something to
cheer me, and do not forget a friend who loves
you from her heart.
" MARIA LUISA.
" P.S. — I am ill in bed with a touch of fever,
which prevents my leaving my room."
Murat then sent General Monthion, the head of
the royal staff, to Aranjuez to ascertain the truth
about the King's abdication, and it was then that
Charles sent his letter and protest to Napoleon.
In handing the letter to the French General, the
King said :
My position is of the saddest. They have
taken off the Prince de la Paz, and will, I believe,
kill him."
SIRE, MY BROTHER,
" You will doubtless have heard with regret
of the events at Aranjuez and their results, and
you will not view with indifference a King forced
to renounce his crown and put himself in the
hands of the great monarch, his ally, whilst placing
himself entirely at the disposition of the only
person who can afford felicity to himself, his
family, and his faithful vassals.
I have only abdicated in favour of my son by
force of circumstances, when the clash of arms
43
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
and the clamours of an insurrected garrison made
me know what it was to choose between life and
death, and my death would have been followed
by that of the Queen.
" I was forced to abdicate, but I was reassured
by my complete confidence in the magnanimity
and genius of the great man who has always shown
himself my friend. I determined to conform to
whatever the same great man may demand of
us — myself, the Queen, and the Prince de la
Paz.
" I therefore address to Your Imperial Majesty
a protest against the events of Aranjuez and
against my abdication. I throw myself entirely
upon the heart and friendship of Your Majesty,
trusting that God will keep you in His safe and
worthy keeping.
" I am, Your Imperial Majesty's
" Most affectionate Brother and Friend,
" CHARLES/'
The Queen's daughter also wrote to Murat :
" SIR, MY BROTHER,
" I have just seen your esteemed com-
mander, who has given me your letter, by which
I regret to find that my father and mother have
not had the pleasure of seeing you, although they
wish it so much, as all their hope is placed in you,
who they trust will restore them tranquillity.
" The poor Prince de la Paz is covered with
wounds and contusions, and is cast into prison,
where he constantly invokes the terrible moment
44
The Overthrow of Godoy
of his death. He thinks of nobody but his friend
the Grand Duke of Berg, and says he is the only
person to whom he looks for his salvation.
" My father, mother, and I have talked with
your respected commander. He will tell you all.
I trust in your friendship, and that by that you
will save us all three and the poor prisoner.
" I have not time to say more, but I trust in
you. My father will add two lines to this letter.
" I am, from my heart,
1 Your most affectionate Sister and Friend,
" MARIA LUISA."
To this letter Carlos IV. added a postscript :
" SlR AND VERY DEAR BROTHER,
f< Having talked to your worthy com-
mander, and informed him of all that has hap-
pened, I beg you to tell the Emperor that I intreat
him to set free the poor Prince de la Paz, who
only suffers from having been a friend of France,
and at the same time beg of him to let us go to a
place which will suit us, and take with us the same
Prince. We are going now to Badajoz. I beg
your reply before then, in case we are absolutely
left without means of seeing each other, for my
life is only in you and in the Emperor. In the
meanwhile I am,
' Your very affectionate Brother and Friend,
" CARLOS."
The General was also given a letter from the
Queen to Murat, which ran thus :
45
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" SIR, MY DEAR BROTHER,
:' I have no friend but Your Highness.
The King, my beloved husband, writes to you
imploring your friendship, for in that lies our
only hope. We both beg of you to prove you are
our friend by informing the Emperor of our sincere
friendship, and of the affection we have always
professed for him, you, and all the French.
" Poor Prince de la Paz, who is wounded and
imprisoned for being our friend, is passionately
attached to all France, and he is suffering now for
having desired the arrival of your troops, and for
having been our only permanent friend. He would
have gone to see you had he been free, and now he
does not cease to speak of you and express his desire
to see the Emperor. Help us to end our days
quietly in a place suitable to the health of the King,
which, like mine, is delicate, and let it be in company
with our friend, who is also that of Your Highness.
" My daughter will be my interpreter if I do
not have the satisfaction of knowing Your High-
ness personally and talking to you. Could you
make an effort to see us, if only for a minute, by
night or when you like ? Your worthy officer will
tell you all we have said.
" I hope you will be able to manage what we
want, and that you will pardon all the slips and
omissions in the matter, for I do not know where
I am, and you must believe that this has been
from no slight to you nor lack.
" May you live many years !
" Your most affectionate
" LUISA."
46
The Overthrow of Godoy
The Queen became quite desperate as the days
went by, bringing no definite help from the Grand
Duke of Berg, and in one of her letters to her
daughter she writes :
" If the Grand Duke does not see that the Em-
peror gives orders for the stoppage of the intrigues
against his friend the Prince de la Paz, against me
and my daughter, none of us will be safe. All the
malevolent people get round my son, and he
believes them like oracles, and on his own part he
is not very inclined to magnanimity and clemency.
He must expect sad results from all this. I and
my husband think that, if my son sees the Emperor
before he has given his orders, he and those with
him will tell him so many lies that he will doubt
the truth. For this reason we would beg the
Grand Duke to let the Emperor know that we are
absolutely in his hands, hoping he will give tran-
quillity to the King, my husband, me, and the
Prince de la Paz, whom we desire to have with us,
and end our days peacefully in a place suited to
our health without giving the least trouble to any-
body. We urgently beg the Grand Duke to let
us have daily news of our mutual friend, the
Prince de la Paz, because we know absolutely
nothing."
The King added the following words in his own
handwriting :
" I asked the Queen to write this, as my pains
prevent my writing much."
The next letter from the Queen of Spain to her
daughter for the Grand Duke of Berg is without
a date :
47
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
' The King, my husband, and I do not wish to
be importunate nor troublesome to the Grand
Duke, who has so much to do ; but we have no
other friend but him and the Emperor, and in
him rest the hopes of the King, those of the Prince
de la Paz, the friend of the Grand Duke and our
own intimate one, and those of my daughter and
myself. My daughter wrote me yesterday after-
noon what the Grand Duke had said, and our
hearts are filled with gratitude and comfort,
hoping for all that is good from the sacred and
incomparable personages of the Emperor and
Grand Duke. But we do not want him to be
ignorant of what we know in spite of nobody
telling us anything or answering our questions,
important as it was for us to have a reply. How-
ever, we regard it all with indifference, and the
only thing which interests us is the welfare of our
only and innocent friend, the Prince de la Paz,
who is also the Grand Duke's, as he exclaimed in
his prison in the midst of the horrible treatment
to which he was exposed; for he always called the
Grand Duke his friend, as he did before the con-
spiracy, and he says constantly : ' If I could only
have the good fortune for the Grand Duke to come
here, I should have nothing to fear/
" He wanted you to come to the Court, and he
was flattered by the pleasure the Grand Duke
showed in accepting his house as a dwelling. He
had some presents ready to give you, and he
thought of nothing but the moment when he could
present himself to the Emperor and the Grand
Duke with all imaginable ardour. But now we
48
The Overthrow of Godoy
are in continual fear that he will take his life, or
that he will be more closely imprisoned if his
enemies know that there is a question of his being
saved. Would it not be possible to take some
precautionary measures before the definitive resolu-
tion ? The Grand Duke could send some troops
without saying why. Could they not come to the
prison and disperse the guard over him, without
giving it time to fire a shot or do anything against
the Prince ? For there is reason to fear that it
would do so, as they all know his wish to die, and
they would glory in killing him. So the guard
could be absolutely under the command of the
Grand Duke ; and if not, the Grand Duke can be
sure that the Prince de la Paz will die if he con-
tinue in the power of the worthless traitors and
in the hands of my son. Hence we repeat the
plea that he should be removed from the power
of the bloodthirsty gardes de corps, my son, and
^his evil companions ; for we are in continual fear
f of his life, although the Emperor and the Grand
•to Djike wish to save him. We repeat, therefore, the
OTtreaty that the Grand Duke should take every
measure for this object, because if time be lost
his life is not safe, as it would certainly be easier
to protect the Prince in the midst of carnivorous
lions and tigers.
" After dinner yesterday, my son was with
Infantado, Escoiquiz, who is a malignant cleric,
and San Carlos, who is worse than all ; and this
makes us tremble, as the secret conference lasted
from half-past one till half-past three. The
gentil hombre who is with my son Charles is a
49 D
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
cousin of San Carlos ; he has talent and some
learning, but he is a malignant American and a
great enemy of ours, like his cousin San Carlos,
in spite of all they have received from the King,
my husband, at the request of the Prince de la
Paz, to whom they say they are related. All those
who are with my son Charles are mixed up in the
same intrigue, and inclined to do all possible
harm, and what is reported as true is the greatest
untruth.
" I hope the Grand Duke will pardon all my
blunders and mistakes when I write French, as
it is forty-two years since I came to Spain at
thirteen and a half years of age, so, although I
speak French, I do not speak it well.
" The Grand Duke will know what helps me, and
will pardon all my faults of the language.
" LUISA."
Ferdinand, in his blind belief in Escoiquiz, dis-
regarded the counsel of other men, and, as Escoiquiz
only thought of conciliating the Corsican so as to
advance his plan of Ferdinand's union with a
member of the House of Bonaparte, the power of
the French increased daily.
It was believed that all the intrigues of Beau-
harnais were only to keep the sceptre in the hand
which held it, and the silly credulity on the part of
Escoiquiz was the chief cause of the consequent
misfortunes.
To a genius like Napoleon the situation of Spain
was an easy prey to his ambition, and its state of
submission to the French was seen in the fact of
The Overthrow of Godoy
Caballero conforming to Murat's desire to become
the possessor of the sword which was surrendered
to Charles V. by Francis I. of France after the
Battle of Pavia.
The function in which Spain lost this heirloom
is described in the Gaceta de Madrid of April 5,
1808. The sword was borne in state to the
Grand Duke's house. It was placed on a silver
tray covered with a puce-coloured silk cloth
trimmed with a wide bright fringe, and Don Carlos
Montarges, the honorary Chief Armourer, and his
attendant, Don Manuel Trotier, went in the gala
carriage with the trophy. The carriage was drawn
by mules in gala attire, and three royal lackeys
in full livery walked by the side of each. In the
other carriage, also drawn by four mules and
accompanied by lackeys, came the Duke del
Parque. The sword was borne into Murat's
presence by the two armourers, and, after giving
him the King's letter, they solemnly presented him
with the historic weapon, which was received with i '
many expressions of thanks.
Murat now set no bounds to his ambitious aims,
especially as he knew that his brother-in-law had
decided on the dethronement of the Bourbons in
Spain. So, dazzled by the brilliance of his posi-
tion, he precipitated matters by his intrigues. He
suggested the advisability of the Infante Don
Carlos going to meet Napoleon as far as Burgos,
so this journey of the Spanish Prince was arranged,
Pedro Macanaz and Don Pascual Vallejo being in
attendance.
As Napoleon did not trust entirely to the per-
51 D 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
ceptions of Murat, he sent the astute Savary to
reconnoitre the state of affairs in Madrid. The
clever Frenchman was as successful in Spain as
he had been in Russia, and it was soon arranged
for Ferdinand to take the undignified course of
going to meet Bonaparte at Burgos, for Escoiquiz
thought that it would gain the favour of the great
Frenchman.
Before starting, Ferdinand wrote to his father
begging for a letter in which he would assure
Napoleon that he (Ferdinand) professed the same
sentiments of friendship with the French as his
father. The reply to this request came from the
Queen, and she said that the pains in the King's
hand prevented his writing himself, but she had
written to the Grand Duke of Berg saying that the
desired letter had not been sent because they
knew that Ferdinand had no love for France.
CHAPTER III
HOW NAPOLEON I. CHECKMATED THE SPANISH
ROYAL FAMILY
1808—1814
As Napoleon was not quite satisfied with Murat's
reports, he determined to go himself to Spain, and
Ferdinand was advised by Escoiquiz to go to
Bayonne to meet the Emperor. After holding a
council on the subject at Vittoria in the bedroom
of Escoiquiz, who was ill, Ferdinand wrote a
humble letter to the Emperor, promising to go
and meet him, in spite of Savary's objections to
the want of dignity in the suggested proceeding.
In his letter to Napoleon, Ferdinand declared that
he had been raised to the throne by the free and
spontaneous abdication of his father, and to this
epistle the Emperor replied :*
" IN BAYONNE,
"April 1 6, 1808.
" MY BROTHER,
""I have received the letter of Your Royal
Highness. You will have seen by your father's
papers what an interest I have always shown in
him, so you will allow me now to speak to you with
frankness and loyalty.
* Published in the Monitcuv in 1808.
53
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" I had hoped to come to Madrid and persuade
my august friend to make certain necessary
reforms in his dominions which would give public
satisfaction. The separation of His Majesty from
the Prince of the Peace seemed to me absolutely
necessary for his happiness and that of his vassals.
Events in the North retarded my journey, and the
occurrences of Aranjuez have intervened.
" I do not constitute myself a judge of what
happened, or of the conduct of the Prince of
the Peace ; but I know very well that it is very
dangerous to Kings for the people to become
accustomed to shedding blood in their own
attempts to obtain justice. God grant that Your
Highness may not find it so yourself ! It would
not be for the interest of Spain to persecute a
Prince who has married a Princess of the Royal
Family, and who has so long governed the kingdom.
He has no friends already, and Your Highness will
have none, either, if you come to be disgraced one
day, for people like to avenge themselves for the
respect they have had to show us. 4
" Moreover, how could a Cause be framed against
the Prince of the Peace without framing it also
against the King and Queen, your parents ?
This Cause would foment hate and seditious
passions, and the result would be fatal to the
crown. To this crown Your Royal Highness has
no rights beyond those transmitted by your
mother. If the Cause soils her honour, Your
Highness destroys your own rights. Do not listen
to weak, perfidious counsels. Your Highness has
no right to judge the Prince of the Peace ; the
54
How Napoleon Checkmated the Royal Family
sins which are imputed to him disappear in the
rights of the throne.
" I have often expressed my wish for the Prince
of the Peace to be removed from affairs. If I
have not been more insistent, it has been because
my friendship for King Charles overlooked the
weakness of his affection. Oh, miserable
humanity ! Weakness and error are our lot.
But all this can be made right if the Prince of the
Peace is exiled from Spain, and I offer him an
asylum in France.
" As the abdication of Charles IV. took place
at the moment when my armies were occupying
Spain, it will seem in the eyes of all Europe and
of posterity that I sent these troops with the sole
object of dethroning my ally and friend. As a
Sovereign and a neighbour, I must therefore hear all
about the event before recognizing the abdication.
" I tell Your Royal Highness that if the abdica-
tion of Charles was spontaneous, and he was not
forced to it by the insurrection and consequent
meeting in Aranjuez, I have no objection to ad-
mitting it, and acknowledging Your Royal High-
ness as King of Spain. I therefore desire to confer
with Your Royal Highness on this matter.
* The circumspection I have observed for the
past month in the matter ought to convince Your
Highness that you will always have my support
if factions of any kind disturb you on the throne.
" When King Charles told me of the recent
events in October, I flattered myself that I had
contributed by my entreaties to the peaceful con-
clusion of the Escorial matter.
55
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" Your Highness is not free from faults ; the
letter you have written me is sufficient to show
that, and I have always wished to forget it. Being
a King, you know how sacred are the rights of
the throne ; any step of an hereditary Prince
towards a foreign Sovereign is criminal. I
consider the marriage of a French Princess with
Your Royal Highness would be conformable to
the interests of my people, and, above all, as a
circumstance which will unite me by fresh bonds
to a house which I have had every wish to honour
ever since I ascended the throne.
" Your Royal Highness ought to beware of the
consequences of popular insurrections ; you might
be able to make an assault on my scattered
soldiers, but it would only lead to the ruin of Spain.
" I have seen with regret some letters from the
Captain-General of Catalonia which tried to rouse
the people.
" Your Royal Highness knows all the depth of
my heart ; you will observe that I am full of many
ideas which require consideration ; but you can be
sure that in any case I shall behave to you as I
have to the King your father.
" Your Royal Highness must be assured of my
desire to conciliate matters, and to find occasions
of giving you proofs of my affection and perfect
esteem.
" May God have you in His holy and worthy
keeping !
" NAPOLEON."*
* From the " Memorias " of Nellerto and the " Manifesta-
tion " of Don Pedro Caballos.
56
[ow Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
The King, oblivious of the veiled insult of the
Emperor, that he had no right to the throne beyond
that transmitted by his mother, still cringed to the
frenchman, and wrote :
it VlTTORIA,
"April 18, 1808.
" SENOR, MY BROTHER,
" I have received with great satisfaction
your letter of the i6th, sent by General Savary.
The confidence with which Your Majesty inspires
me, and my desire to show you that my father's
abdication was the consequence of his own
impulse, have decided me to go immediately to
Bayonne. I hope therefore to leave to-morrow
for Irun, proceeding thence to the country-seat
of Marrae, where Your Majesty is.
" I am, my good Brother, with the highest
esteem and sincerest affection,
" FERDINAND."
When Ferdinand arrived at Bayonne, the Em-
peror went to see him at once, and Ferdinand went
down to the door to meet him. The interview
was short, but the Spanish King was invited to
dinner that night. It was noticeable that, al-
though Napoleon was very friendly, he never
addressed his guest as " Majesty " ; and hardly
was Ferdinand back in his rooms, when a message
was conveyed to him by Savary to the effect that
the Emperor had determined that the Bourbons
should not return to the throne of Spain, and that,
as he had determined to put a French Prince upon
the throne, he required the son of Charles IV. to
57
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
renounce the diadem of both worlds in his own
name and in that of all his family.
Pedro Caballos was loud in his indignation at
such usurpation, when Napoleon, who had heard
his remarks from the next room, entered the
apartment, upbraided him for his treachery to
Charles, and declined to enter further into the
matter until Ferdinand's father was there to speak
for himself.
After Charles had sent Napoleon a protest
against his abdication, he concentrated all his
efforts on gaining the liberty of the Prince of the
Peace. Indeed, the old man seemed more upset
at the risks run by his ex-Minister than he was at
the treatment he had himself received.
Pursuant to Murat's advice, Charles and his
wife repaired to the Escorial, and there, in this
imposing but gloomy abode, they brooded over
the turn in their affairs until despair filled their
hearts. I
Murat, faithful to the promise made to Charles
in the presence of the Queen of Etruria on the
eve of his departure for the Escorial, did his best
for the dethroned Sovereigns, and persuaded the
Union to depute him to accompany them to
Bayonne to take part in the conference with
Napoleon. The fact of Godoy being in Bayonne
was another reason for the royal couple to wish
to go there, as they had not seen him since his
release from captivity. The following letter,
which the King wrote to Napoleon announcing
his departure for Bayonne, shows the esteem in
which they held Bonaparte :
58
tow Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
" ARANDA,
" April 25, 1808.
" SIR AND BROTHER,
" A prey to rheumatic pains in my hands
and knees, I should be completely miserable were
not my troubles alleviated by the hope of seeing
you in a few days. I cannot hold a pen, so I beg
of Your Majesty to pardon my not writing with
my own hand to express the great pleasure I have
in going to enjoy your generous kindness, for I
am obliged to use a secretary.
" The Queen also writes to Your Imperial
Majesty, and we beg you to accept our united
sentiments of love and confidence.
" Your protection is balm to the wounds of my
heart, and I feel that the moment in which I shall
find myself in your arms will be one of the happiest
of my life, and the first, after all that has happened,
on which I shall feel sure of my existence.
" May my wishes be fulfilled !
" My sir and Brother,
" I am, Your Imperial Majesty's faithful
Ally and Friend,
" CHARLES."*
The Queen's letter to Napoleon ran thus :
" SIR AND BROTHER,
" I should have written before to Your
Imperial Majesty if the trying situation in which
we undertook the journey had not presented so
many obstacles. We have now just arrived at
* Published in the Moniteur, 1810.
59
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Aranda of Duero. The King is in a terrible state.
He is troubled with rheumatic pains in his hands
and knees, but, in spite of all, we are longing for
the happy moment of throwing ourselves into the
arms of Your Imperial Majesty, whose great
generosity is beyond all expressions of our grati-
tude.
' We ought to have arrived at Bayonne before
now, but, unfortunately, circumstances do not
correspond with our ardent desires, because my
son's journey has left us without horses, money,
and all other necessaries. Heaven grant that the
moment of our interview will be as interesting to
Your Imperial Majesty as it will be to us, your
faithful, worthy friends ! We are quite sure of
the protection of Your Majesty, and nothing in the
world can compare with the complete and sweet
confidence which leads us to place our fate under
the most powerful protection of Your Majesty,
whose immutable equity is so great, as the critic
of the situation of his faithful friend and ally,
since the unhappy epoch of the unheard-of events
at Aranjuez.
" If Your Majesty's troops had arrived then,
they would have protected our legitimate rights
as their great captain deigns to do, but Heaven
sent us calamities which came like thunderbolts
because we had no help, nor had we anyone to
support us.
" I do not know what day we shall arrive at
Bayonne, because^ if the King's indisposition
permit it, we hope to take double journeys every
day. Your Imperial Majesty may be sure that
60
tow Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
we shall fly to your arms, so great is our desire to
strengthen the sweet ties of alliance and friendship.
" May God have you in His safe keeping !
" Sir and Brother,
" I am, Your Imperial Majesty's most
affectionate Sister,
" LUISA."
The affectionate tone of these royal letters
shows that the royal couple thought that Napoleon
was about to restore to them the sceptre which had
been torn from their hands.
When the King and Queen arrived at Villareal,
they asked what reports were circulated about
affairs, and the Duke of Mahon replied : "It is
said that the Emperor of the French is calling the
Royal Family of Spain together at Bayonne in order
to deprive them of the throne."
The Queen looked surprised, but she thought for
a moment, and then said :
" Napoleon has always been a great enemy of
our family. Nevertheless, he has made Charles
repeated promises to protect him, and I cannot
believe he is now acting with such scandalous
perfidy."
The royal arrival at Bayonne was announced
by a salute of 101 guns, the garrison lined the
streets, and Charles, on dismounting from his
carriage, showed his pleasure at the reception
vouchsafed to him by talking even to those he
did not know.
A shadow came over the King's genial counte-
nance when he saw Ferdinand standing with his
61
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
brother at the foot of the staircase, and it was only
the younger Prince who was given a cordial
" Good-day " by the King, and who was embraced
fondly by his mother. Although Ferdinand saw
that he was ignored, he made a step forward to
greet his parents. But Charles stopped, made a
movement of indignation, and began mounting
the stairs with a severe face. The Queen, however,
who was behind, could not forget that she was a
mother, and folded her treacherous son to her
bosom.
Then the Princes repaired to their apartments,
and their parents hastened to greet the exile Godoy
with tears of joy.
The Emperor of the French lost no time in pay-
ing his respects to the royal travellers, but he did
not ask them to dinner until the following day.
As Charles's rheumatism gave him some diffi-
culty in mounting the stairs of the imperial abode,
he gladly accepted Napoleon's arm, saying : " I
have not the strength that I had. It has been all
knocked out of me."
" We will soon see about that/' returned the
Emperor. " Lean on me, and I will find strength
for both."
Thereupon the King stopped, and said emphati-
cally : " So I believe, and I base all my hopes upon
you."
On taking their seats at the table, Charles noticed
the absence of Godoy, and he exclaimed with
tender concern : " And Manuel ? Where is
Manuel ?"
So Napoleon, anxious to please his ally, sent for
62
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
the Prince of the Peace, and the party was
complete.
At the meeting at which it was hoped Napoleon
would bring the Royal Family to a satisfactory
understanding there were very violent scenes. It
was natural that the sight of their renegade son
should revive all the bitterness of the King and
Queen's recent trials, but it was a pity that they
did not restrain the passions which made them
lose their royal dignity.
The Emperor announced that Ferdinand would
restore on the morrow to His Majesty the crown
he had snatched from his father's brow. This
Ferdinand stoutly declared he would not do, and
Maria Luisa, who had destroyed the proofs of
her son's guilt in the conspiracy of the Escorial,
was now so mad with rage that, according to the
report of Caballero, she cried to the Emperor to
punish the crimes of her son by committing him
to prison.
Ferdinand was silent during the interview, but
a few hours later he wrote to his father, maintain-
ing that the abdication had been a fait accompli
and declaring that he would only give up the
crown at the request of the Cortes and all the
tribunals.
To this letter the King replied :
" MY SON,
" The perfidious counsels of the people
about you have brought Spain into a very critical
condition, and only the Emperor can save it. ...
You have been too easily led away by the hatred
63
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
which your late wife had for France, and you have
thoughtlessly shared her unjust feelings against my
Ministers, your mother, and myself.
" I was obliged, in support of my rights as a
King and a father, to have you arrested, for your
papers contained proof of your crime. But as I
am approaching the end of my life, and I was
miserable at the idea of my son dying in a dungeon,
I let myself be softened by your mother's tears.
And yet my subjects have been upset by the
deceitful courses of the faction you formed, and
from that time I have had no peace in my life. . . .
" You introduced disorder into my palace, you
summoned the Royal Guard against my own
person. Your father has been your prisoner ; my
Prime Minister, whom I created and received into
my family, was covered with blood, and taken
from one prison to another. ... I am King by
the right of my fathers. My abdication was due
to force and violence. I have nothing to accept
from you, nor can I consent to any meeting or to
any new and base suggestion on the part of the
people about you."
However, Ferdinand was obstinate, and there
seemed no chance of a peaceful settlement of the
disgraceful family feud.
The above letter was dated May 2, 1808, and
it was on that day that the historic blow was
struck in Madrid for Spain's emancipation from
the French. It was the sight of the young In-
fante Francisco's tears at leaving the Palace of
Madrid at the call of Napoleon which acted like a
64
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
match to gunpowder. The valiant Velarde, Daoiz,
and Ruiz were martyrs on this occasion, and the
dramatic way in which the Spaniards always keep
this anniversary shows that those who struck that
blow are not forgotten in the land.
When Charles IV. heard the news of the riot, he
at once thought that it had been instigated by his
sons.
" Manuel, send for Charles and Ferdinand/' he
said, in a firm tone.
Napoleon remained in the room restless and
gloomy ; Charles and Maria Luisa looked worried
and anxious. They were all seated when Fer-
dinand appeared and silently stood alone before
them, for his brother was ill in bed.
The King then asked his son if he had heard
the news from the capital. When Ferdinand
replied in the negative, Charles returned vehe-
mently, " Very well, I will tell you," and rapidly
related what had happened. " Judge, then," he
added, " if it be possible to persuade me that you
had no part in this ? And did you hasten your
miserable associates to dethrone me in order to
massacre my subjects ? Who advised you to this
carnage ? Do you only aspire to the glory of a
tyrant ?"
The Duke of Rovigo, who gives us this scene in
his " Memoires," says that he and the other people
who were listening in the adjoining salon could
not catch Ferdinand's reply, but they heard the
Queen exclaim : " Didn't I always presage your
perdition ? See into what abysses you throw
yourself and us ! Ah, you would have killed us
65- E
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
if we had not left Spain ! What ! you have
made up your mind not to answer ? You do not
forget your old ways. You never know anything
when you do something bad."
During this dialogue Charles IV. angrily moved
about the cane which he used when walking, and
he so far forgot his dignity as to raise it in a
threatening way to his son, in his anger at his
impenetrable countenance. When Maria Luisa
finished her diatribe, she lifted her hand as if to
strike the Prince, but she checked herself in time.
The final touch to Ferdinand's humiliating
position was given when the Emperor said in
cold, clear, chilling tones :
" Prince, I had formed my resolution from the
events which brought you to France, and now the
blood spilt in Madrid confirms my decision. This
carnage can only be the work of the band which
calls you chief, and I will never recognize as King
of Spain one who breaks the old alliance of two
nations and orders the assassination of the French
soldiers, whilst asking me to sanction the impious
act of dethroning your father. Such is the result
of bad counsels. You are brought to the precipice.
It is to your father alone that I am in any way
bound, and if he wish it I will restore him to his
throne and accompany him to his capital."
But Charles IV. exclaimed vehemently : " But
I don't wish it. What could I do in a country
where they have worked up such passions against
me? And I, who have always rejoiced at seeing
my country peaceful in the midst of the upset of
Europe — I should dishonour my old age if I made
66
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
war in the provinces and condemned my subjects
to prison. No, no ; I don't wish it. My son will
undertake it with more pleasure than I." Then,
ooking at Ferdinand with majesty mingled with
:>ity, he said : " Do you think it costs nothing to
reign ? You have followed these perfidious coun-
sels. I neither aspire to command nor can I do
anything. Now you must avoid the precipice as
best you can/'
As Napoleon told Ferdinand that resistance
about his resignation was useless, and would only
make his fate worse, it was agreed that the crown
should be handed over to France.
So the Treaty of Bayonne was formally signed
on May 6 by the Prince of the Peace for Charles IV.,
and by Marshal Duroc for Napoleon, and this step,
disastrous to the nation, can thus be distinctly
traced to the family feuds induced by the Queen's
unbridled passion for the Prince of the Peace.
Charles had passed the twenty years of his reign
in a self-indulgent, simple life, and although he
did nothing to show great devotion to his kingdom,
he certainly of his own accord would have done
nothing to disturb its peace. The Count of Toreno
repeats the account which Charles gave of his
daily routine to the Emperor :
" Every day, winter and summer, I hunt till
twelve o'clock, when I dine. Directly afterwards
I hunt again till evening. Manuel tells me how
things are going on, and I go to bed, to begin the
same life next day, unless there is some important
ceremony."
With a Sovereign so inert, Godoy did not demur
67 E 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
on signing the deed of renunciation of the throne,
and as Escoiquiz sanctioned the deed, it shows that
he also felt that Ferdinand was but a broken reed.
After the humiliating events of Bayonne, the
poor Queen of Etruria sought to return to Etruria,
but was detained at Nice. Miserable at having
been obliged to leave her young son ill at Com-
piegne, she tried to escape to England, but, the
plot being discovered, one of her two agents was
shot, the other died in prison, and she herself was
condemned to confinement in a convent at Rome ;
so she did not recover her liberty nor see her child
again until the fall of Napoleon. The Queen's
claims on Etruria were subsequently nullified by
the Congress of Vienna, and she had to be contented
with the nomination of her sons to the dukedom
of Lucca.
Although after the Treaty of Bayonne the city
of Madrid was in the hands of Napoleon Bona-
parte, the palace could not count the Emperor as
one of the residents in the palace, for during his
stay in the Spanish capital he was installed in the
mansion of the Duque del Infantado at Char-
martin, and it was from this house that he made
his entry into Madrid. " Je la tiens en fin cette
Espagne si desiree," said the French conqueror as
he passed up the magnificent staircase of the royal
palace, and placed his hand upon one of the lions
on the balustrade ; then, as his eyes travelled up
the matchless marbles and fine panels and pictures
of the staircase, he turned to his brother Joseph and
said : " Mon frere, vous serez mieux loge que moi."
When passing through the magnificent apart-
68
How Napoleon I. Checkmated the Royal Family
ments, he stopped before a portrait of Philip II.,
and after gazing at it for some minutes in silence
turned away. Who knows what recollections may
have passed through the conqueror's mind, of
stories of this Sovereign read in boyhood, and how
little he had then thought that the throne of this
King would ever be at his disposal !
Thus ended the rapid and only visit of Napoleon
to the Spanish capital, for he went back to Char-
martin, and from thence set out for Galicia.
King Joseph soon found he had a difficult part
to play at the royal palace as ruler of a foreign
nation, but, although the Spaniards could not be
supposed to be fond of him/ tribute was paid to
the kindness of his heart. After a meeting held
at the palace to concert steps for dealing with
the fearful famine which was devastating Madrid,
the father of Mesoneros Romanos said to his son :
" Joseph has certainly not lost his head at his
elevation, neither is he unduly set up by his rank.
He seemed profoundly moved at the misery of
the people, and proclaimed his intention to do
all in his power to assist them. Certainly/' con-
cluded the speaker, " the man is good. It is only
a pity he is called Bonaparte !"
The preference entertained by Joseph Bona-
parte for a beautiful lady, the Countess Jaruco,
widow of the Governor of Havana, is well known.
The lady died, and on the night of her burial her
body was exhumed (one can imagine by whose
orders), and was interred under a shady tree in
her own garden. Joseph subsequently married
the Countess's daughter by General Merlin. The
69
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
hatred of the people got on the poor Frenchman's
nerves, and for the last four years of his en-
forced reign in Madrid he kept quite in retirement,
spending a good deal of time in the Casa del
Campo, to which he passed by a tunnel entrance.
But it was not very long, as we know, before
the day came for Joseph to leave Spain.
" The excitement in our house/' writes Mesoneros
Romanos, " at the news of the evacuation of the
royal palace by the French was extreme, and it
was the same in every Spanish home. The hatred
of the foreigners who had taken possession of us
was very deep-rooted, and those who had joined
the Gallic banner were not safe from actual perse-
cution.
" The shades of a dreadful nightmare were
passed, and men talked excitedly, and women and
children laughed for joy. The Virgins del Carmen
and of the Paloma were promised new robes, an<
the children ran to light up the altar, backed wit]
a valuable picture of the Immaculate Conception-
a relic of the sacking of Godoy's house ; and after
a Paternoster and a Salve my father said : ' Now
we must go to bed, for we must be up early to-
morrow to see the entry of our friends.'
" By this was meant the Anglo-Spanish army,
with its chief, Lord Wellington, and the Generals
Alava, Espafia, and Conde de Amirante. It was
indeed a fine sight ; the streets were decorated, and
after a repast served in the Town Hall the Englisl
Commander-in-Chief appeared at the windows in
response to the vociferous cheers of the crowds,
and his speech, which was as cordial as was
70
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
compatible with the stiff English manner, was
received with the enthusiasm of our Southern
nature."
Then Wellington repaired to the royal palace,
which the municipality had put at his disposal.
The English General's official proclamation, placed
at the corners of the streets, struck cold on the
hearts of the Spaniards, for it savoured more of
a fierce Murat than of the General of a liberating
force. The following copy is taken from the only
remaining one in the archives of the city :
" The inhabitants of Madrid must remember
that their primary duty is to maintain order, and
to render the Allied Armies every assistance in
their power to continue their operations.
" The Constitution established by the Cortes
in the name of H.M. Ferdinand VII. will be pro-
claimed to-morrow, after which will follow the
immediate formation of the Government of the
City according to the form it prescribes.
" In the meanwhile the existing Authorities will
continue in the exercise of their functions.
" LORD WELLINGTON,
" Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo"
It was soon seen that Wellington did not intend
to rest upon his laurels, for he scoured the rural
park of the Retiro, where a French detachment
still lingered, and took 2,000 prisoners and 200
pieces of artillery. This act completely confirmed
the confidence of the Spaniards in the English
commander, and the heads of families eagerly
repaired to the churches to take the oath of the
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Constitution, which, however, conveyed little to
them beyond their emancipation from the French
and the approaching return of King Ferdinand VII.
It cannot be said that Wellington made himself
very popular whilst he was at the royal palace.
He received the attentions showered upon him in
his cold and stiffly courteous way, and took little
pains to be cordial with the people of importance
who called upon him.
Wellington's fancy to have his portrait painted
by Goya nearly led to the future hero of Waterloo
losing his life.
For, be it known, the illustrious Spanish painter
was irascible to a degree, the more so that he was
completely deaf. So when the great General
made his appearance in the studio on the banks of
the river Manzanares, the painter's son interpreted
the Englishman's wishes in deaf and dumb
language to his father.
The sittings took place, and the artist worked
assiduously ; and when he thought the portrait
was far enough advanced to be seen by the General,
he placed it before him. But, unfortunately, the
picture did not please the commander, who
shrugged his shoulders contemptuously, and said in
English to his friend that he would not accept
such a caricature as a gift. General Alava de-
clined to translate this depreciatory remark ; but
the artist had noticed the scornful gestures of the
Englishman, and the son in alarm saw his father
turn his eyes to the loaded pistols which always lay
ready to hand on the table. The young man's
fear was increased when Wellington rose from his
72
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
seat in a discourteous way, and put on his hat
preparatory to departure. Then Goya, enraged
at the officer's contemptuous manner, seized the
pistols, and the General clapped his hand to his
sword.
The scene would have ended in a tragedy had
not Lord Alava assured the irate General that the
artist was suffering from sudden mental aberra-
tion, and young Goya restrained his father by force
from using the deadly weapons.
Wellington gave a great ball at the Town Hall
the night before he left Madrid, and with this
return for the bull-fights, serenades, and fetes,
which had been given in his honour, he took his
departure from the Spanish capital.
The English camp in the Retiro was raised a
month later by General Hill, and it is a matter
of regret that the step was accompanied by the
blowing up of the royal manufactory of porcelain,
for the fabrication is now extinct. The magnificent
walls and ceilings of one of the salons of the royal
palace, decorated with cherubs, fruit, and flowers,
in this beautiful ware, show that Spain boasted
an industry which rivalled that of Sevres, Dresden,
or Worcestershire.
The reason given for this act of vandalism was
that the French might have used the building as a
barrack ; but it did not satisfy the Spanish, who
could not contain their indignation at the deed,
which was made worse by the English withdrawing
to Portugal and leaving the capital.
Ferdinand, with his usual duplicity, wrote to
Berthemy from Valengay, where he was practically
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
a prisoner. In this letter he pleaded in a cringing
way for the protection of Napoleon, who had
robbed him of his crown.
" My greatest desire/' he writes, " is to be the
adopted son of His Majesty the Emperor, our
Sovereign. I believe I am worthy of this adoption,
which would make the happiness of my life, by
reason of my love and affection to the sacred person
of His Majesty, and by my submission and entire
obedience to his intentions and desires.
" Moreover, I am anxious to leave Valengay, for
this place is in every way disagreeable to us and
in no way suits us.
" I am glad to trust in the magnanimity of
conduct and the generous beneficence which
always distinguish Your Imperial Majesty, and to
hope that my ardent desire will be soon fulfilled.
" Receive, etc.,
" FERDINAND."
When Napoleon decided to publish this corre-
spondence with Ferdinand, he wrote and asked
him to send a letter to show that he had his
authorization for doing so.
So, before the appearance of the letters in Le
Moniteur, Ferdinand, in obedience to the imperial
request, wrote to Napoleon :
" VALEN£AY,
(( c . "Mays, 1810.
SENOR,
" The letters now published in Le Moniteur
show the whole world the sentiments of perfect
love which I entertain for Your Imperial Majesty,
74
How Napoleon I, Checkmated the Royal Family
and the deep desire I cherish of becoming your
adopted son. The publicity which Your Imperial
Majesty has deigned to give my letters makes me
hope that you do not disapprove of my sentiments
nor of the desire I have formed, and this hope fills
me with joy.
' Permit me, sire, to confide to you the thoughts
of a heart which I do not hesitate to say is worthy
of your adoption. If Your Imperial Majesty
would unite me to a French Princess, you would
fulfil my most ardent wish. By this union, apart
from my personal happiness, all Europe would
be convinced of my unalterable respect for the
will of Your Majesty, and it would see that
you deign to make some return for such sincere
feelings.
" I will venture to add that this union and the
' sight of my happiness will exercise a beneficial
effect on the destiny of all Spain, and will rob a
blind and furious people of the pretext of covering
a country with blood in the name of a Prince,
the eldest son of an ancient dynasty, who has,
by a solemn treaty by his own choice and by
the most glorious of all adoptions, made him-
self a French Prince and a son of Your Imperial
Majesty.
" I venture to hope that such ardent wishes,
and an affection so absolute, will touch the
magnanimous heart of Your Majesty, and that you
will deign to make me share the fate of the many
Your Majesty has made happy.
" Sefior, I am, etc.,
" (Signed) FERDINAND/'
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Charles Leopold, Baron de Colly, an astute and
intriguing youth, proposed to the Duke of Kent
a plan for releasing Ferdinand from his ignoble
position at Valengay by taking him on board an
English man-of-war to a port of Spain.
The Duke of Kent referred the matter to his
father, who sent Ferdinand two letters by the
Baron. Provided with a set of passports and
all papers necessary for the undertaking, besides
supplies, in the form of diamonds and an open
draft on the house of Maensoff and Clanoy, and
a ship loaded with provisions for five months,
Colly commenced operations. He reached Paris
in safety, sold part of the diamonds, and began his
preparations ; but the police got wind of the plot
through Colly's secretary Albert, and he was
promptly shut up in the Castle of Vincennes.
Fouche tried to persuade Colly to continue his
work, so that Ferdinand might be caught in the
act of escaping ; but the Englishman preferred his
prison to such treachery, and in this prison he
remained until the fall of Napoleon.
In the meanwhile Fouche sent to Ferdinand a
man called Richard, personating Colly. But the
Prince was not caught in the trap, for, in his rooted
desire to conciliate the Emperor of the French, he
sent at once for Berthemy, the Governor, and said
to him :
" The English have done great harm to the
Spanish nation by using my name, and they are
now the cause of the blood which is being spilt.
The English Ministry, in their mistaken idea that
I am kept here by force, have sent an emissary
76
How Napoleon L Checkmated the Royal Family
to me who, under the pretext of selling me curios,
has given me a letter from His Majesty the King
of England."
The letter from George III. to Ferdinand, which
was subsequently published in Le Moniteur, ran
thus :
" SIR, MY BROTHER,
" I have for a long time wished for an
opportunity to send Your Majesty a letter signed
by my hand, to express the deep interest and the
profound feeling which I have entertained for
you since you were taken from your kingdom and
your faithful subjects. Whatever the violence and
cruelty with which the usurper of the throne of
Spain oppresses that nation, it ought to be of
great consolation to Your Majesty to know that
your people retains its loyalty and love for its
legitimate Sovereign, and Spain makes continual
efforts to maintain the rights of Your Majesty
and to re-establish those of the monarchy. The
resources of my kingdom, my squadrons, and my
armies, will be employed in aiding the vassals of
Your Majesty in this great cause, and my ally the
Prince Regent of Portugal has also contributed
with all the zeal and perseverance of his faithful
friend.
' The only thing which is wanting to your
faithful subjects and your allies is the presence
of Your Majesty in Spain, where it would give
fresh energy. Therefore I ask Your Majesty, with
all the frankness of alliance and friendship which
bind me to your interests, to think of the most
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
prudent and efficacious way of escaping from the
indignities which you suffer, and to present your-
self in the midst of a people unanimous in its desire
for the glory and happiness of Your Majesty. '
" I beg Your Majesty to be sure of my sincere
friendship, and of the true affection with which
I am — in the palace of the Queen, Monday,
January 31, 1810 — sir, my Brother,
' Your worthy Brother,
" GEORGE R."
" By command of the King,
" WELLESLEY."*
But Ferdinand's cross-grained nature was
unable to follow any straightforward advice or
adopt any clear course. However, we all know
how the people's desire to have a Spaniard on the
throne, aided by the troops of England, was
finally successful, and Ferdinand the Desired
entered his capital on May 13, amid cries of
delight from his people, who were wild with joy.
* " Monitor de Paris, traducido por Don Juan Maria Blanco
en el ' Espanol ' publicado en Londres," torno i., p. 136.
CHAPTER IV.
KING FERDINAND VII. AND HIS HOME LIFE
1814 — 1829
So Spaniards once more had a King of their own
blood. The pity of the matter was that the man
himself was so unworthy of the people's trust.
Brought up in a Court honeycombed with intrigue,
truth and sincerity seemed unknown to Ferdinand,
and although he constantly said, " I hate and
abhor despotism," there never was a Sovereign
more despotic than this son of Charles IV.
Being untrustworthy himself, he thought every-
body was unreliable, and so he set spies on his
entourage, and stooped to listen to stories from
his servants.
Thus, no Minister or officer was safe from being
sent off to prison, and with the duplicity which
had been perfected by constant practice in his
youth sentence of condemnation would be given
by Ferdinand with an air of friendliness, with a
wave of his cigar or the offer of his caramels,
followed by thrumming on the table, or the pulling
of his ear, or the slapping of his forehead, with
which his courtiers were familiar as signs of bad
temper.
The Duke of Alagon was the King's most con-
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
stant attendant in any gallant adventure, and,
indeed, his departures in that respect were those
of a man who seemed to atone for his want of
personal attractions by a surplus of gallantry to
the fair sex. It was whilst pursuing one of these
intrigues with a charming widow at the royal
resort of San Lorenzo that General Trinidad
Balboa, in his anxiety to show his zeal for the
King in his position as commander of the police
at Aranjuez, wrote to headquarters saying :
' There is nothing fresh to report beyond the
anxiety felt by the King's faithful servants at His
Majesty so constantly risking his precious health
by being out in the cold night air of the gardens."
But the official's zeal was untimed, and he was
politely informed that any further reports of this
nature would end in a visit to Ceuta, which is the
severest Spanish prison.
As there was but one Government in the reign
of Ferdinand VII. and but one army, and that
was the Government and the army of the King,
the effect of the influence of the women who sur-
rounded the monarch was immense, and this was
especially seen in the royal country resorts, where
the King's Court numbered many coquettish
sirens who courted him for favours of all de-
scriptions.
The greed and corruption of men in authority
at Court became an open secret.* Don Pedro
Macanaz, the Minister of Grace and Justice, sold
offices at high prices, and large sums of money
thus passed into the hands of a certain Luisa
* " History of Ferdinand VII.," 1843.
80
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
Robinet, who had followed the diplomat from
France. This fact came to the ears of the King,
and he determined to stop the matter in his own
way ; so on November 8, 1814, Ferdinand rose
early and sallied quietly forth from the palace,
only accompanied by his confidential friend, the
Duke of Alagon.
When they had gone some way, they were joined
by a company of the Guard, and with this escort
they arrived at the house of the suspected Minister.
The unhappy man was in bed, but the King
mounted to his room, demanded his keys, and
went to his desk, and there he found a letter in
which a certain person offered him 12,000 reals for
a post which he solicited. Armed with this and
many other incriminating papers, Ferdinand re-
turned home to his courtiers, who applauded his
action, and Macanaz was condemned to imprison-
ment for an indefinite time in the Castle of San
Antonio in Corunna.
The corruption of the Ministers and the despo-
tism of the King naturally led to secret societies
in Spain.
Alagon was the King's constant companion,
and at night the King used to sally forth with
him in search of adventure. Don Ramon de
Mesoneros Romanos relates that one night a small
boy met two imposing-looking figures dressed as
ordinary citizens with wide-collared cloaks, and, as
there was not room on the side-walk for him to
pass them without going into the road, he made
as if he would push by them, with the discourtesy
of youth. But, as the man on the inside of the
81 F
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
pathway removed his handkerchief from his face,
the boy gazed at him with such open-mouthed
astonishment that the imposing-looking gentleman
quietly put forth his hand, and the boy found
himself removed to the middle of the road. The
next day the boy's schoolfellows were regaled with
an account of his encounter with the Sovereign.
" Yes/' said the boy, with glee, " it was King
Ferdinand VII. himself — his very self."
During the public audiences at Court, Alagon
used to stand by the King with his hand in the
breast of his coat, and by a secret language he
acquainted the King with the political opinions
of the persons who were soliciting his favour, and
it was by the same dumb language that the
monarch learnt particulars about any beauties
who appeared at the Alcazar.
It was soon found that to pander to the King's
love of the table was a sure way to favour, so not
only would an impecunious noble give him a mag-
nificent banquet in return for exemption from
paying his debts, but the religious houses, the bar-
racks, and the prisons, regaled the royal monarch
with great feasts, which were always followed by
a request for his patronage on behalf of some
relation or connection of those in authority at the
institution.
On February 3, 1815, Ferdinand suddenly ap-
peared with the Captain of his Guard in the
Council of the Supreme Inquisition. He told the
assembly to resume their seats and to continue
their work, and this work of persecuting humanity
appeared so attractive to the royal visitor that
82
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
he decorated the Inquisitor-General with the Grand
Cross of Charles III. The superior officer a few
days afterwards gave a magnificent lunch to the
monarch on the understanding that he would
favour the work of condemning heretics ; so on
March 17 we find Ferdinand creating an Order of
Knighthood for the Ministers of the Holy Office,
Ferdinand's marriage, when he was thirty- two
years of age, to Isabel de Braganza, opened a new
era for Spain. As we know, Isabel's sister, Dona
Maria Francisca de Asis, had married the King's
brother, Don Carlos, the future claimant to the
throne.
The King's bride was soon beloved by all her
subjects for her sweetness and intelligence. In-
deed, so true was her judgment in matters of
policy that, when her husband occasionally con-
sulted with her about affairs, he never regretted
accepting her opinion.
The young Queen was, moreover, very artistic,
and it was her love of the fine arts and her skill
in painting that led to the foundation of the
Academy of San Fernando, intended especially
for the exhibition of foreign pictures.
But, clever as the young Queen was, she was
woman enough to wish to win her husband's
admiration, and in this aim she resorted to all sorts
of girlish artifices.
Once, when the King was passing through the
royal apartments with his pompous step, he was
accosted by a charming maiden in Andalusian
attire. With her fine features shaded by a rich
white mantilla, her beautiful blue eyes bubbling
83 F 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
over with fun, and her lovely hands holding up the
castanets, she gracefully took a few steps of a
Sevillian dance before curtseying to His Majesty.
When the King saw that the charming girl was the
Queen, he was surprised into admiration for his
beautiful wife, and every time that she astonished
him by such successful artifice she increased his
love for her.
But, unfortunately for Isabel's happiness, Fer-
dinand was constantly on his guard against falling,
like his father, too much under the influence of his
wife, and, as a weak nature like his was bound to
be under some domination, it was subjugated by
such men as the dissolute Duke of Alagon and his
servitor Chamorro, and the Queen's influence was
shunned.
However, the bright, buoyant, loving way in
which Isabel sought to gain her rightful place in
Ferdinand's affections would have succeeded in
any Court less corrupt than that of Madrid. But
the stream of a sweet, pure influence was checked
by the stagnating effect of flattery and lies, and
the King shut himself out of the joys of a. happy
home life by the barricades of self-interested
friendship, and he strove to satisfy his young wife
by showering such public marks of favour upon her
as having the Buen Retiro made into a perfect
garden of Paradise for her use. But, even as the
beautiful Queen trod the lovely glades and gazed
at the gorgeous flowers, she sighed for more fre-
quent signs of her husband's love and confidence,
which would have filled her heart with a joy un-
obtainable by any outward pomp and prettiness.
84
MARIA ISABEL FRANCISCA OF BRAGANZA
To face page ^
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
Alagon and Chamorro indeed formed an insur-
mountable barrier between the royal couple, and
all Isabel's efforts seemed powerless to break it
down.
The King's charming compliments to his wife
sometimes soothed her chafed spirits, and consoled
her with the hope that, if not supreme in his
confidence, she had at least no rival in his heart.
But this consolation was not long left her, for the
day came when she found that the man who had
been treacherous to his father and his mother, his
family, and his friends, was also false to his wife.
The Queen was sitting one evening in the royal
palace. If her pretty forehead puckered some-
times in thought, it was probably because she was
planning some fresh fantastic surprise for the
husband who was enthroned in her heart, or
herhaps she was forming some plan for an ex-
hibition in the Art Institution she had founded,
when her brother-in-law, Don Carlos, came into
the room and informed her that the King had gone
out into the city in his mysterious way with his
confidants Alagon and Chamorro, and expedi-
tions conducted in this secret form signified to
the Prince an affaire de coeur. Isabel at first
declined to believe the Infante's statement, as
Ferdinand had told her that he was only going
on business to the Mayordomo's office. So the
Prince accompanied his sister-in-law to the office
in question, and when the King was not to be
found there, and his companions also proved to
be missing, the Queen determined to wait for her
husband in a room near the door by which he would
85
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
re-enter the palace. The hours of waiting were
long, and when Ferdinand finally returned it was
to find the gentle Queen too overwrought to be
able to restrain her rage.
" You have deceived me !" she cried. " You
come from the house of your dear one ! I con-
gratulate you !"
The King replied in terms which showed how
great was his anger with the tale-bearer, and the
dialogue between the royal brothers might have
led to fatal results had not Dona Francisca inter-
vened ; and, as the influence which the Princess
exerted over her brother-in-law was always of
great weight, the painful scene ended with the
wound to poor Isabel's heart which never was
healed.
Deceived in her husband, the young Queen
devoted herself assiduously to her baby daughter,
and was never so happy as when she was doing
everything herself for it; and when the little
Infanta succumbed to an illness, Isabel's grief was
intense, and the King also was much affected at
the death of his baby daughter.
It was about this time that the serious discon-
tent in the realm led to a plot which was to com-
pass the assassination of the King. Don Vicente-
Richard was the chief conspirator, and as each
participator in the plot knew of only two others
concerned in it, and the triangular sections were
all quite separate from each other, the names were
never disclosed. When it was time to put the
match to the train, some thought that it would be
well to surprise the King in the house of a certain
86
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
beautiful Andalusian lady called Pepa, so that the
whole country should know that the perfidy of
the King extended to his domestic life as well as
to matters of public concern.
But Richard's two co-operators betrayed the
plot to the palace, and although the conspirators
met the fate which such actions invite, and the
King spared neither time nor money in trying to
find out their co-operators, no further information
was discoverable.
The Freemasons were at this time a great object
of persecution on the part of the Inquisition, In
a curious old book called " Narration of Don Juan
Van Halem, Field-Marshal of the National Troops/'
we have an account of a secret audience he had
with Ferdinand for the purpose of making certain
revelations to His Majesty on the subject.
According to the account written by Halem
himself, a certain Don Ramirez Arellano came
into his cell at seven o'clock in the evening, when
he was suffering imprisonment at the hand of the
Inquisition, and told him that the King was
graciously pleased to receive him, but warned him
solemnly against any indiscretion. Halem wished
to put on his uniform, with the stripes and decora-
tions accorded to those who had followed Ferdinand
to Valengay. But Arellano forbade it. " Nothing
in the way of uniform," he said — " nothing, nothing
that may attract attention ;" and he made him
don his plain cap and jacket, and, accompanied by
the alcalde and another man, they repaired to the
palace.
"We reached the gallery/' writes Van Halem,
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
f< by unfrequented stairways, and, opening a
coloured window, which was a secret door, came
to the King's private room, commonly called the
camarilla.
11 There Ramirez Arellano left us for a while,
and I found that the other incognito was Villar
Frontin, the King's secretary. At the end of half
an hour a fine-figured lady passed through the
room, followed by Arellano. He nervously made
a sign to the secretary and me to follow him, whilst
the alcalde was to remain behind. When we all
three arrived at the door of the salon, Arellano
called out in a loud tone :
" ' Senor.'
" ' What is it ?' cried a voice from within.
" ' Here is Van Halem.'
" ' Enter/
" So we entered, leaving Villar Frontin near the
door outside.
" The King was quite alone ; he was seated in
the only chair in the room, but as we advanced
he rose to his feet. The King's dress is so familiar
to his people, down to the cut of his trousers and
the stud of his shirt-front, that there is no need to
describe it.
" At a little distance from the chair was a large
table, at which the King despatched business with
his Ministers, and upon which were several papers,
an inkstand, a writing-case, and a box of cigars.
" By the side of the table was a case, which was
doubtless the same in which Irriberry said the
King kept the papers sent from Murcia for him.
" The King rested one hand on the table, whilst
88
King Ferdinand VII. and his Home Life
I bowed to his feet according to Spanish etiquette,
and giving me the other to kiss, he raised me, say-
ing : ' And what do you want ? Why do you wish
to see me ?'
" ' Because I am perfectly sure that, if Your
Majesty will listen to me quietly, all the suspicions
with which Your Majesty has been inspired, and
which have led to my treatment, will be allayed !'
" ' But you are taking part in a conspiracy, and
you ought to divulge it to me. I know all. Don't
be frightened. Who are your accomplices ?'
" ' The desire for good is not conspiracy. If
Your Majesty knows all, there will be nothing
new in what I can say, and any explanation you
may deign to authorize me to make will disarm
your anger, and show you that the only reason
anybody hides from your august personage is to
escape from the scourge with which people seek to
make your illustrious name odious/
' Who are those who have seduced you with
these errors ? Tell me who they are. Do not
hesitate/
" ' Senor, if Your Majesty knows all, you know—
you must know — that nobody has seduced me,
and that I speak from an impulse of conviction
from within ; and that the order of things and the
distrust nowadays is such that I cannot say I know
anybody personally.'
" ' You must know the means of discovering
them ; you are bound in honour to obey me.
Choose, then, between grace and disgrace/
* Put yourself, Your Majesty, at the head of
the society, and you will know all. . . /
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" Then Ramirez Arellano advanced like a fury
towards the King, and cried to me in a loud voice,
most unfitting for the presence of a King : ' Here,
here, we want no more preambles and sophisms !
On this table are pens and paper, and here you
must put down the names of all the conspirators.
No circumlocution or subterfuges. The King is at
the head of his kingdoms, and nothing under the
sun ought to be hidden from him. I have read
Barruel, Sefior ; I have been in France, and I
know what these Freemasonry secrets are. Where,
where are the solemn oaths made to your religion
and your King ?'
" During all this storm I kept my eyes on the
monarch's face, which seemed turned to stone
from the moment Arellano joined in the conversa-
tion. Disregarding the miserable man as much as
I could, I turned to the King, and said :
" ' Sefior, I know nobody/
" Then Ramirez said : ' Senor, the tribunal, the
tribunal will make him vomit/
" Then the King, turning away from Ramirez,
said in a tone of vexation :
" ' It is impossible that you know nothing about
it ; your silence is criminal/
" ' Senor/ I returned, ' if I were hiding a crime
I should shun your royal presence, and if I had
committed a sin I should profit by the opportunity
of being in the royal presence, to ask pardon/
" The King stood looking at me thoughtfully for
some time, and then said :
" ' Put down in writing all that you have to tell
me/
90
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
" After a slight pause he took one of the cigars
from the table, lighted it, and began smoking.
" ' Do you smoke ?' he said.
" And when my answer was in the affirmative,
he said to Arellano : ' Give him some cigars/
" This act was followed by a sign for me to leave,
and when I kissed His Majesty's hand he pressed
mine with a certain touch of feeling, but, on turning
to make my bow at the door, I heard him say to
Arellano : ' What a pity-such young man !'
Thus, the attempt to give the King some idea
of the matter did not succeed, as the Freemason
was not allowed to make any verbal explanation,
and to have followed the royal suggestion of putting
in writing any information about the society
would have been to put one's neck into the noose.
According to Van Halem's own story, he sub-
sequently escaped from prison through the help
of a maid-servant.
It was on the evening of December 26, 1818,
that sweet Isabel died, and Ferdinand again found
himself a widower.
The news was a great shock to the whole
country. Mesoneros Romanos relates that he was
at a large municipal evening party, when the Mayor
entered in his official, garb, and said in a solemn
voice : " Sefiores, this festivity must cease. The
Queen our lady " (and he reverently doffed his
hat) t:t has just expired after being delivered of
an infant, which has also died." Dismay filled
the assembly, and it was with sad hearts that the
company repaired to their homes, for not only
had they lost their lovable young Queen, but the
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
death of her infant had also destroyed their hopes
of an heir to the throne.*
It is said that Ferdinand showed more grief at
this bereavement than ever he had before, and,
robbed of the one person whose advice was always
good and disinterested, he was soon utterly ruled
by his favourites of the camarilla, who wove
intrigues to the ruin of the country.
Obedient to the wishes of the State, that there
should be a direct heir to the crown, the King soon
wedded Maria Josef a Amalia, Princess of Saxony,
a young girl of sixteen, just out of the convent
where she was educated ; and it was soon seen that
she had little or no influence on the character
and actions of her husband, for, although the
verses from her pen show that she was very in-
telligent, she was never known, during the eight
years of her married life, to express any opinion
on public affairs, and she occupied herself entirely
in making garments for the poor. With the
extreme piety of her disposition, which had been
fostered in the convent, Maria Amalia never fre-
quented balls or theatres, and her drive in the
Pardo was the only pleasure she allowed herself.
Studious by nature, the Queen soon mastered the
language of her new country, but study was not
the accomplishment by which she could gain
ascendancy over a man like Ferdinand.
The change from the society of the eager, in-
telligent Isabel to that of the cold, formal Maria
Amalia was great, and, as the phlegmatic Queen
never sought her husband's confidence, it was now
* " Memorias de un Setenton, Mesoneros Romanes."
92
MARIA JOSEFA AMALIA, THIRD WIFE OF
FERDINAND VII.
To face page 92
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
entirely monopolized by his self-interested cama-
rilla, who flattered and fawned upon the King, and
encouraged him in courses which gradually robbed
him of all the respect of his subjects. The King's
promises to support the Constitution were reck-
lessly broken, and despair at the decay of all hopes
of a good monarchical government led, in 1820, to
such a systematic proclamation of the Constitution
in Corunna, Vigo, and many garrisons of Spain,
that the country became in a state of revolt. Then
the courtiers became alarmed, and the King himself
could not hide his anxiety at seeing the affection
of his subjects slipping from him. The day came
when the palace was surrounded by a discontented
mob. The Queen sat silently in a corner of her
room engaged in prayer, whilst Chamorro tried to
drown his master's fears in ribald laughter.
Ferdinand paced the apartment deep in thought,
and the silence which met his companion's ill-
placed mirth showed it was unwelcome to the
monarch. At last the King's good genius con-
quered, and, putting aside the courtiers who sought
to stifle every good impulse, he sent for better coun-
cillors, and by their advice he strove to avert the
threatened blow by signing a document in which he
promised to act in conformity with his brother Don
Carlos and the Junta, of which he was President.
But the expressions in this manifesto were
vague and obscure instead of being open and
frank, and Ferdinand found that the realm which
had been outraged by six years of autocratic
tyranny was as difficult to get back to subjection
as an unbridled horse left to its own course.
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Discontented with the lack of any binding
promise in the King's manifesto that he would
protect their constitutional rights, the people
returned in crowds to the palace, and the air
echoed with their loud cries for justice. The
Royal Guard itself was lax in checking this public
ebullition of feeling, and the people began to
press up the royal staircase, when the King sent
his emissaries to check their progress and calm the
sedition with promises to give attention to their
petitions. But these promises did not satisfy the
people, and the Marquis of Miraflores returned to
the King to say that the citizens demanded His
Majesty to take his solemn oath of the Constitution
of the country in presence of the Corporation and
the Commissioners of the people.
Despotic as he was when in safety, Ferdinand
was weak and cowardly in danger, so he concealed
his annoyance at the demand of the Commission,
and, with well-assumed benignity, took the desired
oath in the Ambassadors* Salon at the palace.
But afterwards, when alone with his favourites,
Ferdinand gave vent to the rage which he felt at
having been thus forced to do what was contrary
to his love of despotism.
Indeed, this despotism was inherent in Ferdi-
nand both by instinct and education, and Queen
Amalia's sphere of usefulness was limited to her
never-ending self-imposed task of making garments
for the poor. Spain saw the sad hearts of those
whose parents, husbands, sons, or friends, were
condemned to exile or poverty for no better cause
than for having been friendly with the French,
94
King Ferdinand VII* and his Home Life
whom their King himself had flattered with every
expression of obedience and service.
The promises for the restitution of the property
which had been thus confiscated came too late to
check the surging insurrectionary state of the
people, and on the night of July 8, 1820, the
insurrection in the barracks of the King's own
Guard, in favour of those who were proclaiming
Liberty throughout the country, struck terror into
the pusillanimous heart of the King, and it was
only the death of the standard-bearer which pre-
vented the revolution becoming very serious.
Moreover, the palace itself was the seat of a
plot headed by Baso, the King's secretary, and
Erroz, his private chaplain.
The object of this plot was to get possession of
the King's person on the road from Burgos, and
to proclaim a republic.
But Baso, who was attached to the Infante Don
Francisco, warned him so that he could repair to
Old Castile, and the matter thus got wind, and
reached the ears of Echevarri, the Chief of the
Police. This official promptly ordered the bells
to be set ringing in every place on the King's
route, and the crowds of people thus brought to
the road from Burgos prevented the King being
taken captive.
It was on the day following the frustration of
the plot that Ferdinand opened the Senate in
state. The King went with stately step to the
royal apartments of Queen Amalia, and, accom-
panied by the Infantas, grandees, gentlemen-in-
waiting, and all the pomp of the occasion, Their
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Majesties proceeded to the Senate in the magnifi-
cent state coach drawn by sixteen cream horses
with nodding plumes. Seated on the throne, with
the Ministers, Deputies, and Bishops, on the
benches, and a brilliant assembly of courtiers
and ladies in the boxes, the King read his opening
speech ; and, as he promised to maintain the rights
of the people, it seemed as if King and State were
once more in union.
But the seeds of discontent were not so easily
uprooted, and a Commission of the Patriotic
Society of the Cafe of Lorencini went at twelve
o' clock one night to the palace to request the
removal of the Marquis of las Amarillas, the Secre-
tary of War. This request angered the monarch,
the bad feeling between Ferdinand and his
Ministers increased daily, and in the meetings the
King did not hesitate to exhibit his bad temper
in spiteful and satirical allusions accompanied
by a malignant smile.
It was at this time that Riego was made Captain-
General of Galicia. He was a pleasant, valorous
young fellow who suddenly became a favourite
of the populace through the bold way in which he
stood up for the constitutional rights of the nation.
But after his triumphal entry into Madrid he quite
lost his head, and, instead of being the Rienzi the
people had hoped for, he had not sufficient elo-
quence with which to harangue the people when
they shouted for him to come and speak for them,
and the populace had to be contented with the
sight of his face in the light of their torches.
Riego was indeed wanting in the intellectual
96
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
force required to lead a nation, and, though
he had thought to be its idol, he soon found he
was only its plaything, but his vanity spurred him
on in the campaign for the assertion of its rights.
Ferdinand, meanwhile, had been told by one of
his secret agents of the weak side of the leader of
the insurgents ; and having sent for Riego, he
flattered him by showing him how advantageous
it would be to schemes of constitutional liberty
if he were to join the Ministry.
Riego then boldly declared his hope that the
Ministry would be changed, and Ferdinand, who
was at that moment anxious to get rid of his
Cabinet, entered into the plan of replacing the
Ministers by friends of Riego.
It was on September 3 that Ri ego's party
proceeded to the theatre after a great banquet,
and there broke into a couplet composed in Cadiz
—the " Tragala " (" Swallow It," meaning the
Constitution) .
Ferdinand strove to counteract this public anti-
monarchical exhibition by secret agents following
him with cries of " Viva el Rey " as he passed to
and from the palace.
Fresh friction arose between the monarch and the
Ministry when the law which had been approved by
the Cortes for the reform of the convents was brought
to the King for his sanction. For, supported by
the wish of the Pope, conveyed by the Nuncio,
Ferdinand determined to take no step to check the
fanaticism which he himself so strongly favoured.
The people were furious at this blow to their
hopes for progress, and when all was prepared for
97 G
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the departure of the King and Queen to the
Escorial on October 25, his secretaries told him
that a plan was laid by his enemies to prevent his
departure till he had passed the decree to check
the power of the friars and prevent their inquisi-
torial courses. The King was enraged at this
announcement, and he hastily decided to leave
Madrid that very minute. So he left with the
Queen and the Infantas at eleven o'clock in the
morning, and brilliant illuminations and rejoicings
marked the evening of Their Majesties' return to
the Palace of San Lorenzo. Shut up in the Escorial,
Ferdinand devoured his rage in secret, and when
the day came for closing the Congress, he excused
himself from attendance on the plea of a severe cold.
It was on November 21 that the Court returned
to Madrid. But at some distance from the
capital crowds of people met Their Majesties
singing the " Tragala" ; and when Ferdinand, as
usual, went to the window of the palace to see the
march past of the regiments in the city, he was
met by a storm of frantic cries and threatening
gesticulations from the crowds of people assembled
in the Plaza del Oriente. The King was about to
turn away with an imprecation from such a scene,
when he caught sight of a child being held up
above the sea of angry faces, and a look of horror
came over his face as the populace pointed to the
little boy, crying, " Lacy ! Lacy !" For by this
name he knew that the child was that of the un-
happy General Lacy, the leader of the victory
over the French in the Mancha, but he had met a
secret and violent death at Majorca after the failure
98
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
of his pronunciamento in favour of the Constitution
had led to his plot in Catalonia in 1817.
The King stood horror-struck when the cries
of ' Viva Lacy's son !" and " Viva his father's
avenger !" filled the air, but he kept his place till
the defile of the regiment was over. Then the
King turned back into the salon with a face which
showed that he realized the portentous nature of
the movement he had witnessed.
The Queen was sitting weeping bitterly at these
signs of discord, and the Infantas looked distressed
at the dangers which were threatening the dynasty
through their brother's want of keeping faith with
his subjects.
The sense of danger became more pronounced
when it was found that within the very precincts
of the palace a plot was brewing.
/- It was the honorary chaplain, Don Matios
'Vinuesa, and a gentleman-in-waiting, who formed
the idea of sending for the city authorities one night
and making them prisoners of the King in the
royal domain, whilst the infant Don Carlos was
to take command of the troops of the garrison in
virtue of the Absolutist party. This plot was dis-
covered by the betrayal of the secret printing of
the proclamations, and Vinuesa was hurried off
to prison on January 21, 1821.
On May 4, Vinuesa, the Canon of Tarazona,
was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in
Africa. But this punishment did not satisfy the
fury of the people at the discovery of the plot
favoured by the King. A meeting was held in
the Puerta del Sol, and from thence the outraged
99 G 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
people proceeded to the prison, to which their
admission was only opposed by one locked door.
All the rest were open, and, penetrating the~"cell
of the unhappy cleric, they gave him two blows on
the head with an iron hammer. The murdered man
had tried to avert his death by falling on his knees
and begging for mercy ; but it was useless, and the
bloodthirsty mob followed the mortal blows dealt
on the head with several more with other weapons.
An assassination which had been connived at
by those in power filled the King with fear, for he
felt that a people who could thus take justice into
their own hands might resort to the same course
any day with him.
In this state of alarm, he ordered the Guard to
assemble in the wide colonnaded square of the
palace. The Guard was composed of soldiers who
had fought bravely in the Battles of Bailen, Tala-
vera, and Albuera, and the King did wisely to
appeal to the chivalrous feeling of such men.
" Soldiers !" he cried, with a voice which be-
came penetrating in the speaker's desire to make
it ring in the hearts of his hearers — "Soldiers I"
he cried, " the deed committed this afternoon
against the person of the priest may to-morrow
be committed against me or against yourselves.
Soldiers ! I trust in you, and I come before your
ranks now to ask if you are disposed to defend
your constitutional King/'
To this appeal the Guard cried : " Viva the abso-
lute King !" and, satisfied with this demonstration,
Ferdinand returned to the royal apartments, some-
what reassured after the fright he had suffered.
100
King Ferdinand VIL and his Home Life
After this episode the King seemed to avoid
Madrid, with its discontented Ministers and the
insulting cries of the " Tragala " revolutionary
song, which so often fell upon his ears by the
Manzanares, and, after going with the Queen to
take the baths at Sacedon, he spent some time in
the Palace of San Ildefonso at Aranjuez. There
the unstable King could be oblivious of his duties
as a constitutional monarch ; and in frivolous
games and boating-parties, picnics and dances, he
passed the hours away. With the gallantry with
which Ferdinand sought to compensate for his
want of personal good looks, he made himself con-
spicuous with many of the frivolous, pretentious
ladies who sought for his favours.
However, the King's health began to fail
visibly, and he became a martyr to gout, which
finally shortened his life.
Ferdinand's constant struggle of his ambition
against the natural weakness of his character, and
his propensity for the pleasures of the table and
gallantry, undermined his constitution, and at an
age when many men are in their prime he was
broken with suffering.
When the revolution at last broke out under the
Generals Alava, Copons, and Riego, the King was
in a great state of mind, and horses were saddled
and kept ready for flight at a minute's notice.
When Ballesteros, who had been victorious with
the militia in the Puerta del Sol, arrived at the
gates of the palace, the Royal Family was horror-
struck. The two battalions of the Guard were idle
at the royal domain, because the King would not
101
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
let them go to the assistance of the four batta-
lions fighting in the town, and he had passed the
night endorsing the lists of proscription which his
alarmed councillors had presented to him. The
King had, moreover, signed the warrant for the
committal to prison of Riego, Ballesteros, Palarea,
etc., who captained the militia, and the sentence
was to have been executed that very night.
But for such a task a strong Guard was needed,
as despots can only condemn citizens to death when
protected by a strong line of bayonets. The cannon
thundered in the Puerta del Sol, and the militia
with Ballesteros having appeared right at the gates
of the palace, a bullet entered one of the windows.
Then the King forgot all his plans for revenge,
and the dignity of the Castilian crown was dragged
in the dust, for he sent a messenger to Ballesteros
beseeching him to desist from firing, as his life
would be in imminent danger.
The General replied : " Tell the King to com-
mand the attendants about him to lay down their
arms immediately, or, if not, the bayonets of free
men will penetrate to his royal chamber/'
However, Ballesteros did order a truce to the
hostilities, and sent back the messenger to
Morillo with his own Aide-de-Camp.
The permanent deputation of the Cortes, which, in
virtue of Article 187, was entitled to form a regency
in the case of the physical or moral deficiency
of the King, thought it was time to do so, and it
assembled in the house called the Panaderia.
Word was sent to the militia that His Majesty
desired the cessation of bloodshed, and it did not
102
King Ferdinand VII. and his Home Life
seem befitting the splendour of the sceptre for the
King's Guard to be obliged to lay down their arms.
After an animated discussion it was decided that
the four battalions which had attacked the town
should lay down their arms, and that the other
two should go out armed and take up their
positions in Vicaloaro and Leganes.
But late in the afternoon, when this arrange-
ment was going to take place, the four aggressive
battalions, having made another attack on the
militia, fled away by the stone steps which lead
from the square of the royal palace to the Campo
de Moro. Morillo brought more artillery into
play, and Ballesteros, after attacking with his
cavalry the groups of peasants who were pro-
claiming absolutism, also started in pursuit of the
Guards. It spoke well for the democrats that, when
the palace was momentarily left without any guard,
until the Count of Carthagena arrived with the
regiment of the Infante Don Carlos, it was perfectly
respected, and no attempt was made to invade it.
But when Morillo arrived with his troops at the
royal gates, Ferdinand rushed to the window and
incited his General to attack the people, crying
out : " After them ! after them !" Such cowardice
and treachery seemed incredible.
Instigated by his love of double-dealing and
intrigue, Ferdinand sent again for Riego, the revo-
lutionary leader, and deceived him by his con-
ciliatory assertions that he only wished his welfare
and that of all Spaniards, and that he did not
believe his heart was capable of nourishing the
counsels of perfidious men.
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Riego, unacquainted with the dissimulation of
the Court, was quite enthusiastic at the sudden
conversion of the King, and in this spirit he would
not have the " Tragala " sung any more, and
declared he would have those who did so arrested.
The astuteness and deception of the King gave
rise to inextricable confusion in affairs. On one
side he promised the French Minister that he
would establish the two Chambers, and on the
other side he was telling Mataflorida to take the
reins of a Regency and proclaim Absolutism.
When the three Generals met the King as he
crossed the bridge at Cadiz connecting the island
with the mainland, and represented to him that it
would be well for him to place the Regency in their
hands, he exclaimed, " Hola ! But I am not mad !
That is good !" and continued his way to Cadiz.
As this is not a political book, we need not enter
more fully into the long struggle of Ferdinand's
Absolutism against the Constitutional party, and
how he was obliged to leave Madrid.
The country again saw the French called to
interfere in the affairs of the nation, and it was
indeed, as we know, only due to Angouleme that
Ferdinand, after his time of humiliation in Anda-
lusia, returned to the capital.
Once more the people went mad with delight
at the sight of the King. Riego the revolutionist
was dragged in a basket at an ass's tail, to be
hanged and quartered as a felon, and the people
who hailed the return of the absolute monarch
were indeed bidding welcome to the return of the
chains which had shackled them.
104
CHAPTER V
MARIA CRISTINA, FERDINAND'S FOURTH WIFE —
INTRIGUES AT COURT
1829 — 1832
ON May 17, 1829, Queen Maria Amalia passed
away. She was a most virtuous and conscientious
lady, and had she realized that the duties of a
Queen were not synonymous with those of an
Abbess, the King and the country would have been
more benefited by her irreproachable life. The
atmosphere of the convent hung always about her,
and when not engaged in working for the poor she
was occupied with her devotions.
When the King wished to walk with the Queen,
he generally had to wait till some sewing for the
poor was completed ; and in all the dissensions
between the King and his subjects his wife would
sit silently weeping or praying, but never try to
understand anything about the struggle between
despotism and constitutionalism, which was tear-
ing the realm asunder. Moreover, Maria Amalia
left the field free for the presumptuous, frivolous
women of the Court, when she decided never to
go to any theatre nor to allow any balls or parties
at the palace.
A drive in the Retiro or the Prado was the only
105
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
relaxation the royal lady permitted herself, and
it was there that the Portuguese Princess, Maria
Francisca de Braganza, the wife of Don Carlos,
also took her daily airing in a beautiful carriage
drawn by six mules. The Princess of Naples,
Princess Luisa Carlota, wife of the Infante Don
Francisco, had long felt herself slighted by this
haughty Princess, and by her sister, the Princess
de Beira, widow of the Infante Don Pedro, and
after the death of Queen Maria Amalia she deter-
mined to mature a plan by which her position
at Court would be improved. For, knowing the
susceptible nature of Ferdinand, and that his
obstinate nature was weak and yielding where
the fair sex was concerned, his sister-in-law deter-
mined that this susceptibility should be turned
to account in the person of her sister, Maria
Cristina. The position of Luisa Carlota had,
moreover, always been somewhat ambiguous, from
the open secret of the relation of her husband with
Godoy ; and as this Prince and Princess always
thus felt themselves somewhat alien from the rest
of the Royal Family, they were strongly in favour
of the Liberal party, which was in direct opposi-
tion to Don Carlos, his wife, and the widowed
Portuguese Princess.
Thus, intrigue and enmity reigned between the
two parties, and Luisa Carlota could hardly con-
ceal her triumphant feeling when, on showing the
King the portrait of her beautiful sister, she saw
that his face expressed admiration for the bo™"
girl, who was daughter of Francis I. of N<-
the brother of his first wife, and therefc
106
QUEEN MARIA CRISTINA, MOTHER OF ISABELLA II.
To face page 106
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
niece by marriage ; and on December n, 1829, the
beautiful young Princess made her formal entry
into Madrid as the bride of the King.
When the Princess arrived at Aranjuez with her
parents, she was received by the Infantes Francisco
de Paula and Don Carlos, and so the first formal
words of welcome in the name of the King were
addressed to the bride by him who afterwards
became her most bitter enemy and rival.
The impression made upon the Spanish people
by the Italian Princess during her journey from
Barcelona to the capital was favourable. Her
beauty and youth appealed strongly to the sus-
ceptible Spaniards, and her kindness of heart was
seen in her suggestion that the soldiers should put
their cloaks on in the inclement weather ; and on
the day of her triumphal entry into Madrid as
their Queen, with the King at the right side of her
carriage and the Infantas on the left, the people
went wild with joy at what they considered as the
dawn of a new era for the realm. It was soon
evident that the young Queen had great influence
over her husband. Unlike her predecessor on the
throne, Maria Cristina loved to take an active
part in the affairs of the realm ; and Don Carlos,
who had always had ascendancy over Ferdinand,
found that his position in the confidence of his
brother was gradually on the wane.
The beautiful Princess tempered Ferdinand's
fury against those who had revolted against him,
and her gentle words and calm counsel were a
beneficent antidote to the advice of Calomarde
and the Bishop of Leon.
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
As the influence of Maria Cristina increased, the
power of the Portuguese Princesses was lessened,
and the enmity of the parties became more and
more marked.
When it was evident that an heir to the throne
might be expected, Don Carlos and his wife placed
all their hopes on the chance of it being a girl,
for in that case he laid claim to be heir to the
throne by virtue of the Salic Law of Philip IV.
Although Charles IV. had privately abrogated
this law, Don Carlos still considered thai his right
was valid, as he was born in 1788, a year before
its abrogation.
The power of the Queen over the King was still
more marked after the birth of their little daughter
on October 10, 1830. As heiress to the throne,
Ferdinand commanded the same honours to be
accorded the infant Princess as were customary
to be given to a Prince of Asturias. With fresh
hopes for the future of his family, the King turned
his thoughts to more liberal forms of Government
than he had ever before entertained. By an auto-
graph letter he decreed the establishment of a
Liberal Ministry. But Calomarde and the Bishop
played on the King's natural -vacillation and
cowardice to persuade him that the Liberals
would abuse the power against the throne.
Gout meanwhile made great inroads in the
health of the King. One attack followed another,
until it became evident that the King's life would
not be a long one. In view of her unsettled posi-
tion, Queen Cristina determined to ingratiate
herself with the army, and to this end she cele-
108
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
brated the completion of Isabel's first year by
bestowing on different companies of the soldiers
banners worked by her own hands.
The ceremony took place in the historic Hall of
Columns in the Palace of, Madrid, and as the
Queen graciously handed her beautiful work to
the Generals, she said : " On a day so dear to my
heart I wished to give you a proof of my affection
by placing these banners in your hands, which I
trust they will never leave. And I am quite per-
suaded that you will always know how to defend
them with the valour which is proper to the
Spanish character, sustaining the rights of your
King, Ferdinand VII., my very dear husband, and
of his descendants." A public proclamation to
the army expressed the same sentiments, and
the bestowal of the gifts received wide appre-
ciation.
However, the intrigues in the palace grew apace,
and one of the most constant companions of the
Queen was Teresita, a dressmaker, who was raised
to such a high position of favour that even Ministers
asked her intervention with Her Majesty for the
introduction of people of such high degree as
grandees of Spain, etc. As Maria Cristina's influ-
ence increased, she managed to get rid of the
Portuguese Princess de Beira, under the pretext
that her brother required her in her native
land.
After the birth of a second little Princess, the
King was with his wife at La Granja, when he fell
dangerously ill. The Infante Don Francisco and
his wife were in Andalusia, and Don Carlos with
109
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the Princess of Beira ; Don Sebastian and Dona
Amalia were at the palace with the King.
The attack of illness, which commenced on
September 13, became so serious that his life was
despaired of. It was then that Cristina showed
her true wifely affection. Dressed in the costume
of Senora del Carmen, the royal lady was a constant
and indefatigable attendant on the patient. It
was from her hands alone that he received his
medicines, and it was she who administered all
the means of alleviating his sufferings. Ferdinand
seemed to cling to his wife during this terrible
time, and to her he confided his distress at the
thought of leaving her a widow with the orphaned
Princesses.
Indeed, distress of mind added so much to his
physical sufferings that Cristina sent for Calo-
marde to see what he could do to calm his master.
Calomarde gladly profited by the permission to
enter the royal apartment, for the Infantas were
refused admittance.
When the King, between the fits of exhaustion
that followed the attacks of pain, explained to his
Minister with great difficulty the ground of his
anxiety, Calomarde perfidiously expressed his
opinion that, in the event of his Majesty's demise,
the kingdom would declare in favour of Don Carlos,
and that the only means of saving the crown for
his daughter would be to associate his brother in
the Government. It was, indeed, suggested that
the Queen was to be authorized to despatch
business during his illness, but it was to be with
the help and advice of the Prince.
no
Maria Cristinat Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
The Bishop of Leon was then called into the
King's chamber to give his opinion, and he echoed
the advice of the Minister.
In the meanwhile the apartments of Don Carlos
were a hotbed of intrigue. " Now or never " was
the feeling of the Pretender to the throne, and
self-interested people came and went in constant
consultation with the Prince, and to bring news
of the condition of the King. The Portuguese
Princesses were keen and intent on all that went
on, whilst their faces betrayed their anxiety.
When the Count of Alcudia appeared with the
King's decree, Don Carlos definitively declined to
share any duties of government with the Queen,
and on the departure of the messenger the Infante
again reverted to his silent and thoughtful attitude.
The Count soon reappeared with a new decree;^
to the effect that Don Carlos, in company with
Cristina, should be appointed guardian of the
Infanta Isabel. To this Don Carlos also gave a
haughty refusal, saying that he could not thus
resign the legitimate rights which God gave him
at his birth ; and with these words he closed the
door to all negotiations for recognition of the
little Princess's right to the throne. So the King
was again a prey to anxiety, and the Bishop of
Leon and Calomarde so worked on Cristina' s
nerves in their accounts of the horrors that would
beset the country under the civil war, which was
imminent with little Isabel as Queen, that, at her
wits' end to know what to do, the poor lady finally
exclaimed : " Only let Spain be happy and tranquil
with the benefits of peace and order !" And in
in
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
this overwrought state she herself besought the
King to revoke the Salic Law. So the deed was
done, and the King commanded a codicil to be
drawn up, declaring that he had made this supreme
sacrifice for the tranquillity and peace of the
kingdom, but the fact was to be kept secret until
after his death.
This moment seemed to follow very quickly on
the portentous deed; for Ferdinand fell into a
lethargy which was believed to be death, for he
lay without any signs of life, and all efforts of
the doctors to revive him were useless.
Poor Cristina put her hand to her husband's
heart, and even as she failed to detect any move-
ment, and thought she was a dethroned widow,
she saw Calomarde, the Bishop of Leon, and all the
other councillors, leave the room without a word of
sympathy or an offer of help. That moment taught
the Queen more of the worthlessness of friends
of the camarilla type than she could have believed
possible. The sight of those men leaving her in
that callous way, alone with her supposed-to-be-
dead husband, showed her that Madrid would be
no place for her and her little children were Don
Carlos on the throne.
So, with tears pouring down her face, Cristina at
once began to collect her jewels and make ready
for her departure, whilst her brother-in-law was
already addressed as " His Majesty " in the ante-
chamber, and the Portuguese Princesses embraced
each other with joy at the success of their plans.
But two unexpected events happened which put
a check to the triumph of the Carlist party — the
112
DON CARLOS DE BOURBON, DUKE OF MADRID
To face page 112
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
King showed signs of life, and the Infantas Don
Francisco and Dona Luisa Carlota suddenly
arrived from Andalusia. A few minutes' conversa-
tion with her sister put Luisa Carlota in possession
of the whole story.
After reproaching Cristina for the weakness
which had led her to sacrifice her daughter's throne
to the intrigues of the Infantas, the Princess sent
for Calomarde, and a terrible scene took place.
She upbraided the Minister for the treacherous
way he had played into the hands of the Queen's
enemy, and had abandoned her in time of need ;
and when he sought to justify himself, she gave
way to such fury that she struck him on the face.
For a moment the Princess seemed shocked at
her own loss of temper, but Calomarde's courtier-
like remark, that " white hands offend not,"
showed that no further resentment on his part
would be shown. In the meanwhile, as the King
was supposed to be dead, the secret societies noised
abroad the news of the Revocation of the Prag-
matic Sanction, and Don Jose O'Donnell sent a
secret circular to the authorities and persons of the
places in favour of Don Carlos.
In fact, albeit after September 28 immediate
anxiety about the King's life was past, Maria
Cristina felt that she was on the brink of a revo-
lution.
It was due to the magnanimity and kind-hearted
nature of the Queen that the King at this time
finally signed the decree which buried the hatchet
of the revolution in Seville, and allowed all people
to return to their native land ; and it was by this
113 H
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
deed that the beautiful young Queen gained a
surer hold on the hearts of her subjects.
Cristina was, moreover, relieved from the
presence of Calomarde on the recovery of the King,
for, as he could no longer expect the favour or con-
fidence of his Sovereigns, he left Spain for France,
and there remained until the day of his death.
It was on October 19 that Ferdinand and
Cristina returned to the capital after all the events
which had so surely sifted true friends from false
flatterers. The atmosphere seemed clearer ; the
King saw that it was necessary to make Cristina
Regent during his daughter's minority, and with
this triumph of her authority Cristina wore the
bright and joyous look of a tender wife, a loving
mother, a heroic Queen, and the liberator of Spain.
Ferdinand was certainly a wreck after his severe
illness. As Don Carlos said, " he was more a
corpse than a man" ; but he was alive, and, after
that terrible moment when Cristina had thought
she was alone and unprotected with the dead body
of her husband, the fact of his being by her side
gave her a sense of protection.
The entry of the Sovereigns into Madrid was
followed by a manifesto from the Queen, in which
she set forth her love to Spain, and a declaration
was published by the King, in which he annulled
the codicil which would have abrogated the Prag-
matic Sanction. After stating the facts of the
Pragmatic Sanction, the King said :
" Perfidy completed the horrible plot which
sedition commenced. . . . Being conversant now
114
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
with the falsity with which the loyalty of my
beloved Spaniards was calumniated, as they are
always faithful to the descendants of their Kings ;
and being quite persuaded that it is not in my
power, nor in my desires, to break with the im-
memorial custom of the succession established
for centuries past, sanctioned by the law, and
followed by the illustrious heroines who have
preceded me on the throne ; and solicited by the
unanimous votes of the kingdoms, and free now
from the influence and coercion of those fatal
circumstances — I declare solemnly of my own free
will that the decree signed at the time of my
illness was torn from me by surprise, and that it
was the effect of the false terrors which upset me,
and that it is now null and void, being contrary
to the fundamental laws of the monarchy and the
obligations which I owe my august descendants,
as father and as King.
" In my Palace of Madrid,
"December 31, 1832."
Ferdinand's feeling for his wife was shown in
the public letter of gratitude which was published
soon after his return to Madrid. It ran thus :
t( The King to my very dear and beloved Wife,
the Queen.
" During the very grave and painful illness with
which the Divine Providence saw fit to afflict me,
the constant care and inseparable companionship
of Your Majesty have been my consolation and
delight. I never opened my eyes without seeing
you by my side, and finding palliatives for my pain
115 H 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
in your face and words ; I never received food
which did not come from your hand. It is to you
I owe consolation in my afflictions and the assuage-
ment of my pain. Weakened by so much suffering,
and condemned to a long and tedious convales-
cence, I then gave you the reins of government, so
that the despatch of business should not be de-
layed; and it is with joy that I have seen the
singular wisdom and diligence with which you have
directed them, and have abundantly justified my
confidence. All the decrees that you have expe-
dited have been to advance public education, to
dry the tears of the unhappy, or to increase the
general prosperity and the receipts of my Ex-
chequer. In fine, all your determinations have,
without exception, pleased me much as the wisest
and the best for the happiness of the people.
" Recovered from my illness, I once more take
over the affairs, and I give Your Majesty the most
heartfelt thanks for your zeal in my assistance,
and for your efficiency in the government.
" The gratitude for such signal offices, which will
always live in my heart, will be a fresh stimulus
and justification for the love with which your
talents and virtues have inspired me from the
beginning.
" I am proud, and congratulate myself that you
have not only been the delight of the Spanish
people since your advent to the throne, but you
have given me joy and peace, and are now an
example of wifely solicitude to wives and a model
of administration to Queens.
"In the Palace, etc."
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
In another decree the King commanded a medal
to be struck in commemoration of the actions with
which the Queen had immortalized his name.
It was indeed an affecting sight to see the way
in which the King clung to his domestic happiness
at the decline of his life. Seated in his large gilded
chair, he smiled with pleasure at his children,
and he followed every movement of his wife
with eyes in which love and gratitude were
evident. In the light of this love the cruel and
self-interested influence of the camarilla was weak-
ened. His nervous nature found repose in the firm
counsels of Cristina, and, with the confidence with
which she inspired him, he had no need to resort to
the duplicity which is so often born of distrust.
But a secret power was at work in the provinces,
where the Bishop of Leon sought to work the
people up in favour of the Carlists, whilst pretend-
ing devotion to the King. ' What name can be
so sweet to me as the monarch's?" he said — " a
monarch to whom I owe all, and from whom I have
received confidences in matters of grave impor-
tance which I cannot reveal, and therefore I know
how much he desires the order and tranquillity of
his people."
When the time drew near for the administration
of the oath to Isabel as heir to the throne, Ferdi-
nand sent a letter to Don Carlos to ask if it was his
intention to attend the ceremony or not. To this
question the Infante replied that his conscience
and his honour would not permit him to be present
at the function, as he could not resign his legiti-
mate rights to the throne in the event of his brother
117
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
dying without a male heir. God had given him
these rights at his birth, and he hoped his brother
would explain the reason of his absence to the other
Sovereigns at the ceremony.
To this communication Ferdinand replied :
" MY VERY DEAR BROTHER OF MY LlFE, THE
CHARLES OF MY HEART, — I have received your
letter of the 2gth ult., and I am glad to see that
you and your wife and your children are well.
We are the same, thank God. I have always
known how much you have loved me, and I
believe you know the affection which I have
for you. But I am father and King, and I have
to consider my rights and those of my children,
as well as those of my crown^ I do not wish
to thwart the dictates of your conscience, nor
can I hope to dissuade you from your pretended
rights ; as, being founded on a determination of men,
God alone can change them. But my love as a
brother impels me to avoid the disagreeables which
would attend you in a country where your sup-
posed rights are not recognized, and the duties of
a King oblige me to remove the presence of an
Infante whose pretensions might serve as a pre-
text to malcontents. So, as you cannot, for high
political reasons, and by the laws of the kingdom,
and for the sake of the tranquillity of the country,
return to Spain, I give you permission to travel
henceforward with your family in the Pontifical
States, acquainting me with your destination and
the place of your residence.
" One of my men-of-war will arrive shortly at
118
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
Lisbon to take you. Spain is independent of all
action and foreign influence in what concerns
internal arrangements, and I should be acting
against the free and complete sovereignty of my
throne, and against the principle of non-interven-
tion adopted by the Cabinets of Europe, were I
to make the communication you ask me to make
in your letter.
" Good-bye, my dear Charles ; believe me that
you have been loved, you are loved, and you will
be always loved, by your most affectionate and
unchangeable brother,
" FERDINAND/*
It was thus that Don Carlos made himself an
exile, and the two brothers, who had always been
together in the many vicissitudes of their lives,
were now parted for ever.
To the King in his declining days it was doubt-
less a grief to be so separated from one with whom
he had always shared his thoughts, and on whom
he had so much depended. The companionship of
Don Carlos during his years of enforced residence
at Valengay had saved him being forlorn. How-
ever, the bright and -cheerful society of Cristina
during these days, when the letters of Don Carlos
showed how irreparable was the breach between
the brothers, was a great solace to the King.
The Queen was always energetic, bright, and
busy. The painting of " Cupid and Psyche " by
her own hand, given to the Academy of San
Fernando, showed her talent for art ; and her
interest in literature was seen in her asking Fer-
119
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
dinand to have a bust of Cervantes placed on the
front of the house of the great author. Moreover,
the School of Music owed its foundation to the
same royal patroness.
The ceremony of the administration of the
oath to Isabel, as heir to the throne, finally took
place with all the pomp and ceremony for which
the Court of Spain is so famous. The King and
Queen stayed the night preceding the function
at the house called San Juan, in the Buen Retiro,
and from thence they proceeded in state to the
same Church of San Geronimo where Ferdinand
himself received the oath of allegiance in 1833,
and where our Princess Ena became the bride of
Alfonso XIII. Gentiles hombres, grandees, and
generals, made a brilliant procession. Then came
the Infantes Don Francisco and Don Sebastian,
followed by Their Majesties, walking on either side
of the heir-apparent, Princess Isabel, who was
carried in the arms of a lady-in-waiting. The
procession concluded with the Ambassadors and
Chamberlains, and the Royal Guard playing the
national air.
The Patriarch of the Indias was seated in front
of the high-altar to receive the oath, which was
read aloud by a Camarista de Castillo, .
The Infantes came in turn to the altar, where
they knelt and repeated the words of alle-
giance. Then they each Jdssed the hand of
His Majesty, who threw his arms round their
necks ; and they then kissed the hands of the
Queen and the Princess, and returned to their
seats. The same order of procedure was then
120
Maria Cristina, Ferdinand's Fourth Wife
followed by the other Infantes, Cardinals, Arch-
bishops and Bishops, grandees and dignitaries ;
and, the ceremony over, the city was gay with
fetes.
A long correspondence then took place between
the royal brothers, when Don Carlos declined to
leave the Peninsula.
As Don Carlos was favoured by the Jesuits of
Spain, the plots of the party were incessant ; and
in the palace itself the intrigues of the party were
seen in the Royal Guard.
It was on July 29 that Ferdinand died. He had
been left alone with the Queen to rest, when he
was seized with a sudden attack of apoplexy.
As the death was so sudden, the Queen, remember-
ing the recent occasion when the alarm was false,
said she would not have the bo'dy touched for
forty-eight hours. ^
At last the poor King was laid in state in the
Salon of the Ambassadors, and the-iuneral took
place at the Escorial.
" Sefior ! Sefior ! Sefior I" cried the Duke of
Alagon, the Captain of the Guards of the Royal
Person ; and as the solemn silence following
these cries was unbroken, the Captain said, " As
you do not reply, senor, you are really dead,"
and then broke his wand of office and placed it
at the foot of the table on which lay the remains
of his royal master.
121
CHAPTER VI
MARIA CRISTINA AS REGENT AND AS WIFE
OF MUNOZ
1833
THE testimony of Ferdinand to Maria Cristina's
fidelity and devotion was indeed true, and, as the
Queen said afterwards to her daughter Isabel,
when pleading with her not to sacrifice duty to
inclination, she herself had never wavered an
instant in her loyalty to the King, in spite of the
difference of their ages, and the tax upon her time
and temper from his bad health and exacting ways.
Even a Court bristling with intrigue could find no
word of complaint against the Queen in her
matrimonial relations with the King ; and her
grief was very genuine when she found herself a
widow, with her two little girls. When General
Cordova came to pay his respects to the Queen,
he found her weeping bitterly, and the sight of
the poor woman's tears did more to win him over
to her side than any arguments of policy, so he
roundly declared that as he had been loyal to
the father, so he would be faithful to the daughters.
When General Prim was invested as a grandee,
on his return to Spain after his glorious campaign,
he declared it was his first duty to do homage to
122
i\ • •• •• •
^ jm
MARSHAL PRIM
To face page 122
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Mufioz
his Queen and her Ministers for having raised
him to such rank that he could consort with the
noblest in the land. " It is the duty of a general/'
he added, " as that of every soldier, to serve his
Queen and country with all possible loyalty, and
therefore I will defend your rights to the throne
to the last drop of my blood and the last breath
of my body."
But Maria Cristina was not always surrounded
by loyal subjects, for the clerical partisans of Don
Carlos made her position very precarious. Men
who had declared themselves Liberals became lax
in their allegiance, and her only hope of saving
the crown for her child was to bend to the wide-
spread desire for the Constitution of 1812.
The Marquis of Miraflores, who was Ambassador
of Spain in England at the time of the coronation
of Queen Victoria, writes :
" Hardly was the corpse of the monarch cold
when the Queen-Regent did me the honour of
seeing me ; and it was at this critical moment
that I heard her say, amid her tears and sobs :
' Nobody desires more than I do the welfare of
the Spaniards, and for that I will do all that I
can ; and where I do not, it will be because I
cannot/ '
And Miraflores also says, in his " Contem-
poraneous History," that he had himself heard the
King, referring to the codicil to his will by which
the throne would have gone to Don Carlos, say
that, both as a King and a father, he would have
done wrong had this act not been abrogated.
The outbreak of cholera in the city soon after
123
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the King's death cast additional gloom on the
capital. Cristina's partisans declared that the
clerical party had poisoned the water, and a
young man who was said to have been seen throw-
ing powder into the fountain which was then in
the Puerta del Sol was assassinated on the spot.
Such animosity was stirred up against the clerics
that the monasteries were invaded, and the friars
killed at the very altars ; and these deeds were not
limited to the capital. Indignation against these
attacks on the clerics added force to the Carlists
in the north.
Martinez Rosa's position as Prime Minister was
fraught with difficulty. It was characteristic of
the courage of the Queen-Regent that in such a
time of danger and dissension she calmly repaired
from the Pardo to Madrid to fulfil her duty of
opening the Parliament.
It was very soon after this act that Don Carlos,
in defiance of all political obligations, appeared
in Madrid to join his troops ; and Miraflores
advised the Queen putting herself at the head of
her army.
The immense power of the secret societies in
Spain was now seen in La Granja. The Govern-
ment flattered itself that the Royal Guard, at
least, was proof against the power of these unions
which permeated the country, and the Queen-
Regent was considered safe with her little daugh-
ters in the Palace of San Ildefonso, with its
barracks flanking the fine promenade in front of
the royal domain. But the secret societies had
gauged the force of money, and 12,000 crowns,
124
iria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Munoz
distributed among those who were bound in
honour to defend their Sovereign, were found
sufficient to cause an insurrection of six or seven
hundred soldiers within the precincts of the
royal palace itself.
A hundred and fifty grenadiers on horseback
sought to quell the emeute, but their superior
officers seemed powerless to still the ever-increasing
cries of " Hurrah for the Constitution !" " Death
to Quesada and San Roman !" " Hurrah for
England !" Maria Cristina was terrified at this
unexpected uproar at her own gates, especially
when she found herself obliged to receive a deputa-
tion of sergeants and soldiers, who pressed for
an audience within the palace. In this historic
scene the Queen was attended by Barrio Ayuso,
the Minister of Grace and Justice ; the Duke of
Alagon, the Captain of the Guards, who had been
such a favourite of the late King ; the Count of
San Roman; the Marquis of Cerralbo^; and the
commanding officers of the regiments.
The deputation was plain and curt in its demand
that the Queen-mother should at once sign the
Constitution of Cadiz of 1812. Maria Cristina
sought to temporize by promising that the Cortes,
which was about to open, would take the matter
into consideration. But the insurgents insisted
on their demand, so she sent them into the ante-
chamber whilst she consulted with her advisers
in the salon.
It was two o'clock in the morning when the
deputation again appeared in the presence of the
Queen, and in this audience the insolent and
125
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
threatening tones of the leaders were emphasized
by the accompanying cries and constant gun-
shots of the rebels without.
In this state of things, Barrio Ayuso resigned
his portfolio, and the Mayor of the place also
offered his resignation ; and Izaga there and then
drew up and presented to the Queen for signature
the following decree :
" As Queen-Regent of Spain, I order and com-
mand that the political Constitution of 1812 be
published ; and in the meantime the nation will
express its will in the Cortes on another Constitu-
tion in conformity with the necessities of the
same."
Maria Cristina read the paper, and in despair
put her name to it.
The rebels were not, however, contented with
Maria Cristina signing this document. They in-
sisted on the chiefs of the palace also swearing
allegiance to it in front of the banners ; and then,
contented with their work, the rebels finally left
the palace at four o'clock in the morning.
This was one of the most bitter experiences in
the life of the Queen-Regent ; and Barrio Ayuso's
laconic message to Madrid — " Send help at once,
or I don't know what will befall Their Majesties "
showed that in his opinion the Royal Family was
in real danger.
By permission of a hurriedly summoned Council
of Ministers, General Roman summoned the troops, '
but enthusiastic cries for the Constitution and \
Liberty were mingled with " Vivas " for the )
126
Maria Cr
aria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Munoz
Queen and the Queen-mother ; and when the
soldiers filed past the palace, its shuttered win-
dows were eloquent of the terror which reigned
within.
It must have been with a heavy heart that
Maria Cristina waited in La Granja till the time
came for her to go to Madrid, for there were
divisions amid the revels as to what she was to
be permitted to do. Those hundred hours of
deep humiliation and disillusion as to her in-
fluence in the land left their mark upon her face.
The winged figures and mythological groups of
statuary in the beautiful Italian gardens of the
palace must have mocked her, with their air of
jubilation, as she walked to and fro on the terrace
and thought over her position ; and the fountain,
topped with the figure of the flying Pegasus drain-
ing the goblet of joy, was symbolical of the
draughts of popularity which she had quaffed,
until now there was nothing but the dregs of
dismay.
At last, after much discussion with the rebels,
the Queen-Regent set out for Madrid, after both
Villiers, the English Ambassador, and the French
Minister, had frankly explained to her the danger
of withstanding the evident will of the nation
with regard to the Constitution.
It was at this time that the gallant Espartero
appeared upon the scene. The danger threaten-
ing Madrid brought him by forced marches to
the city, where he led eleven battalions and
several squadrons in review before the palace.
The severe rebuke administered in the Congress
127
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
by General Sevanes to the commanding officers
whose sergeants had rebelled at La Granja
against all royal authority led to a duel between
the speaker and Captain Fernando Fernandez
de Cordova, in which the General was wounded.
Madrid was soon threatened by another revolu-
tion, for Don Carlos appeared before the city,
with a large number of followers, but, annoyed
at the threat, 20,000 citizens armed themselves
in defence of their Queens. This remarkable
body of loyal subjects was reviewed in the morn-
ing on which they assembled by the Infante Don
Francisco ; and when the Queen-mother, accom-
panied by Isabel, who was then seven years old,
and her little sister, drove down the lines of
Royalists in the afternoon, the enthusiasm of
the assembly was intense.
When Espartero arrived at Madrid, Don Carlos
withdrew from the capital, and from that time
the General became the most influential man in
the kingdom, though he had a powerful rival in
Don Ramon Maria Narvaez.
It was certain that a Government which had
witnessed twice in one year peril at the hand of
rebels could hardly be called successful, and
Espartero thought to put it on a more secure
basis by instituting military rule. He seems to
have wished to act the part of a Roman military
consul, and the fact" of Narvaez leading eleven
battalions past the Palace of Madrid aroused his
jealousy to a great degree.
Don Carlos, whose wife had died in England in
1834, now> in ^SS, married the Princess of Beira,
128
GENERAL ESPARTERO, PRINCE OF VERGARA
From a Painting by Casado del Alisal
To face f age 128
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Munoz
and when this lady came to Madrid she boldly pro-
claimed herself the Queen of Spain, and the eldest
son of Don Carlos the Prince of Asturias. The effect
of two Courts in the country was most disastrous,
and, in this fresh struggle with the Portuguese
Princess, Maria Cristina did not have the support
of her sister Luisa Carlota, as in the early days
of her arrival in Spain, when the same lady had,
with her sister, been so jealous of her popularity
in Spain ; for Luisa Carlota, who had, indeed, been
instrumental in the marriage of Maria Cristina
to King Ferdinand, and who had always been
the ally of her sister, was no longer on friendly
terms with her.
The main reason for this quarrel with the
Queen-Regent was evidently her secret marriage
with Don Fernando Munoz, whose rapid rise in
the royal favour savoured very much of that of
Godoy with Queen Maria Luisa.
The story of this passion of Ferdinand's widow
is graphically told in an unpublished manuscript
by a Don Fermin Caballero, who was a contem-
porary of the episode.
Born in 1806, in Naples, Maria Cristina had
had a very poor education, as her father, Fran-
cisco I. of the Two Sicilies, and her mother, Marie
Isabel, Infanta of Spain, thought that much
intellectual work was unnecessary for a girl, and
the rollicking, jovial maiden herself preferred the
pleasures of horsemanship and hunting to any kind
of brain-work.
Gossip was busy with the name of the handsome
Princess in connection with that of Luchessi
129 i
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Bailen before her marriage with Ferdinand, but
from the time she came to Spain as the wife of
Ferdinand VI I. until three months after his death
there was not a word to be said against her, as she
was a model wife and mother. Her buxom form,
clad in the brown garb of a Sister of the Carmelite
Order, was never absent from the bedside of her
husband, and for two months after his death she
duly mourned his loss.
But the reaction came. The simple, somewhat
ignorant, but affectionate nature of Maria Cristina
was captivated by Mufioz, who certainly could
not be said to belong to the upper classes, as his
parents kept a tobacco-shop ; and it was as the
friend of the fiance of the dressmaker Teresita,
who exercised so much power over the Queen,
that the young man was found a place at Court.
The Queen's new friend was bald, common, and
of poor education, but the influence of his royal
patroness soon raised him to be an officer of the
bodyguard.*
It was abdut five months after Ferdinand's
death that Maria Cristina impetuously took the
reins of her destiny into her own hands, and on
December 17, 1833, she gave voice to her inten-
tion to go to La Granja, under the escort of the
Adjutant-General, Don Francisco Arteaga y Pala-
fox, General of the Guards, theN gentil hombre
Carbonell, and the honoured Mufioz. By chance
or by arrangement, the favourite had the place
in front of the Queen, and the party proceeded
on the way. But the snow was so heavy that the
* " Estafeta del Palacio Real," by Bermejo.
130
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Mufioz
road from the height of Navacerrada was quite
impassable, and they had to turn back, though
not before the royal carriage had collided with a
bullock-cart, loaded with wood, and the broken glass
of one of the windows had cut the hand of the Queen.
The three gentlemen were all loud in their
sympathy, but it was the handkerchief of Munoz
which Cristina accepted, and she also distinguished
him by allowing him to bandage her hand. Un-
daunted by the return to the capital rendered
necessary by reason of the weather, the Queen
commanded the same party to be in attendance
for the same expedition on the following day.
As Arteaga and Carbonell watched their royal
mistress and Mufioz on the long drive to Segovia,
they saw that this expedition, undertaken with-
out the attendance of any lady, signified a very
serious predilection on the part of the Queen for
the parvenu;
The carriage finally turned from the intermin-
able road across the plain, which separates Segovia
from La Granja, into the estate of Quitapesares,
whose gates open on to the Spanish chestnut-lined
avenue.
When the party took a walk in the gardens in
the afternoon, the Queen soon suggested some
commission to Carbonell, and Arteaga was also dis-
missed on the plea of an umbrella being wanted
from the palace.
Thus designedly left alone with Mufioz, the
Queen soon made known to him her royal favour.
" Who is a greater prisoner than a Princess ?"
the Queen may have exclaimed, says Don Fermin
131 i 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Caballero, " for she can never descend to the honest
level of an ordinary woman to show her feelings
and her inclinations with the honourable liberty
dictated by the noble sentiment of her heart ?
Why should the glitter of a crown oblige me to
stifle the purest and most disinterested feelings,
which must necessarily bring upon me the disdain
of those of my rank and the murmurs of the multi-
tude ? Do not let my words surprise and shock
you, Fernando. My young heart requires a solace
for the onerous weight of my affairs. It longs for
the contact of a living soul to assuage the continual
pain caused by the ambition of men and their
party interests. It can never be said that in
search of this consolation I turned my eyes to the
brilliant position of a royal personage, or to the
support of any of the great captains who defend
my daughter's throne, or to the influence of any of
those occupied with the cares of the State. No,
modest in my aspirations, and only obedient to the
impulses of my heart, I have fixed upon a modest
soldier in whose sympathy I believe I can trust.
Yes, Ferdinand Mufioz, nothing need restrain you
from accepting the hand of the Queen-Regent of
Spain, who is disposed to grant it you/'
' Your hand as a wife ?" asked Munoz in
astonishment. And Cristina replied : " What else
do you think ? Have I, like other unhappy Prin-
cesses, prostituted the throne by the caprice of
a disordered appetite ? Did you imagine, at the
commencement of my discourse, that for the satis-
faction of a voluptuous feeling I pursued gallantry
to the injury of honesty ? Did you think that I
132
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Mufioz
did not foresee from the first that religion must
sanctify the bond which I desire ? Is she, who
was chaste and severe as the wife of Ferdinand, to
be wanting in morality as his widow ? My heart
is only vexed that State reasons prevent my
making public my modest inclinations."
The soldier knelt in gratitude and adoration
before the Queen who had distinguished him in
such an unmerited fashion.
So when Cristina was satisfied with the result of
her declaration, she took one or two others into her
confidence, and on December 28, 1833, the mor-
ganatic marriage of the widowed Queen with the
gentil hombre Don Fernando Mufioz took place at
ten o'clock in the morning, the witnesses being
Herrera y Acebedo and the cleric Gonzalez, who
left a bed of sickness to perform the ceremony.
Teresa Valcarcel and a lady in retreat called
Antonia were the other witnesses of the rite.
The fact of this event, if not actually known by
all the Court, was surmised, for Munoz was seen
wearing the cravat pins of the late Ferdinand ; he
had a room in the palace, a magnificent carriage ;
he dined with the Queen, and he was seen driving
with her as an equal ; moreover, he was created
Duke of Rianzares, decorated with the Order
of the Golden Fleece, and raised to the rank of
grandee of the first order.
It was certainly a marriage which, if wanting in
class distinction, was not failing in morality. The
Queen-mother was now so taken up with " Fer-
nando VIII.," as he was called, that she preferred
the more private life of the royal country-seats to
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
that of the palace of the capital. So on March 15,
1834, we find her at Aranjuez, at Carabanchel on
June n, and then at La Granja, whose beautiful
gardens formed a fitting scene for the happiness
she had found with Munoz. It was at Pardo that
her child was born, and to an affectionate nature
like Cristina's the obedience to the law of circum-
stances, which took the baby from the mother's
arms, cost her many a tearful and sleepless night.
The little daughter was confided to the care of the
widow of the administrator Villarel, who had
settled at Segovia, and for this reason La Granja
was the favourite resort of the Queen- Regent, as
she could have her child brought to her to Quita-
pesares, the beautiful estate on the road to the
palace, where she had wooed its father.
Dona Teresa Valcarcel, the daughter of the Court
dressmaker, was, as we have said, the great confi-
dante of Queen Maria Cristina, and it was as her
friend that she first met Mufioz, who soon exercised
such a fascination over her.
When Teresa accompanied the Queen to
Bayonne, she sent letters to her mother with the
official correspondence, and the well-known leader
of a gang of thieves, Luis Candelas, having dis-
covered this fact, determined, with the complicity
of a man in the employment of the dressmaker, to
turn the fact to his advantage. Calling one day
in the uniform of an official, the servant introduced
him as an agent of the French post. The dress-
maker was rather astonished at the visit, but she
admitted him. Hardly had he entered the room
than he was followed by others, and Candelas
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Mufioz
declared he had come to inspect the place. This
act the dressmaker declared was illegal except in
presence of the Mayor. Then, casting off all dis-
guise, the robber and his gang proceeded to pillage
the place, pocketing all the j ewels and money they
could find. Two ladies who called at this time
were bound and gagged like the modiste and her
workers.
The robbery proved considerable, and the fact of
its having taken place in the house of the Queen's
dressmaker led to strong steps being taken for the
capture of this Spanish Robin Hood. For be it
known, that although the adventurer openly took
all he could lay hands on, he never shed blood or
injured anybody if he could help it.
The efforts of justice were successful, and the fact
of the robbery being connected with the corre-
spondence of the Queen- Regent led to the removal
of the scourge from the capital, for hitherto the
police of Madrid paid little heed to these open
attacks against the safety and the property of the
citizens.
Candelas was publicly hanged on December 6,
1837, but his partner in his burglarious campaigns
escaped.
Of course, the luxurious carriage in which the
child visited its mother, and the care which at-
tended the drive from Segovia, opened the eyes of
the people to the relation between Cristina and her
little visitor, and the coach would be followed by
cries of " There goes the Queen's daughter !"
In the revolution of the sergeants in August,
1836, Mufioz was in the Palace of La Granja, but he
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
did not make his appearance on the scene, as he
was not supposed to be there. The apartments in
which he spent his time with his wife were com-
monly termed " Munoz's cage/' and on the night
of the insurrection he escaped from the royal
domain by the channels and conduits of the
fountains.
But the time spent thus with Mufioz in the royal
retreats was not of unmixed joy; for whilst the
Queen sought to please her husband and his rela-
tion by playing lottery with them, or battledore
and shuttlecock with the chaplain, Mufioz soon
showed that he preferred going out after pretty
girls with the Duke of San Carlos. Naturally this
conduct fired the heart of the Queen-Regent with
jealousy, and, woman-like, she gave vent to her
pique by allowing a play called " Making Love to
a Wig " to be acted in the Conservatoire of Fine
Arts, for the play made humorous allusions to the
baldness of Mufioz.
The disaffection of her sister, the Infanta Luisa
Carlota, was a fresh trouble to Maria Cristina, who
was experiencing so many disillusions both in her
private and public life. Naturally the sister, who
had been so proud of the position to which she had
been instrumental in bringing the Queen, was much
aggrieved at the wild fancy shown for Fernando
Mufioz. She called Cristina the " Mufionista,"
and, in virtue of what she termed the nullity of
Cristina' s position to be guardian to her daughter,
she proposed herself and her husband as those
fitted for the office. This fact outraged the poor
Queen-Regent both as a wife and as a mother, and
136
'
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Munoz
her anger was shown by her declining to authorize
the appointment of her brother-in-law, Don
Francisco de Paula, as a senator.
Thus war between^the sisters was declared, and
Luisa Carlota sought by every means to enlist the
support of the powerful Espartero in her favour.
At this time there was some talk of the marriage
of Isabel with a Prince of the House of Coburg.
The report was without foundation ; but the
Infante Don Francisco sent for the Spanish
Ambassador in Paris, and made a solemn declara-
tion of his disfavour to any project of the Princess
marrying with any but a Spaniard. The Am-
bassador was accompanied in the interview by his
secretary, and he sent the Infante's message to
Madrid, adding his own opinion in its favour, and
this was echoed by the Queen and the Government.
In the meantime Don Carlos was obliged by the
foreign diplomats and Vergara to retire to the
frontier of Spain, so the country once more settled
down under the Queen.
But Espartero was the ruling power. The soldier
who, but six short years before, had arrived in
Madrid to take his orders as a brigadier officer was
now Captain-General of the Army, Count of
Luchana, Duke of Victoria and Morella, held
decorations of the highest order, including that of
the Golden Fleece, and was a grandee of Spain.
The enthusiasm for Espartero was unbounded,
for not only was the country grateful for the way
he had led the royal troops to the rout of the
Carlist companies in the North, and thus put an
end to the long Seven Years' Civil War, but he
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
represented the Progressive party, which was
favoured by England.
Queen Maria Cristina wished to share the popu-
larity of the hero, and so she arranged to meet
him at Lerida, on her way to Barcelona, under
the pretext that sea-baths were required for her
daughter Isabella. In the interview with the
General, the Queen suggested that he should take
the post of Prime Minister ; but this honour the
soldier declined, unless the Congress were closed
and the Bill for the election of the Mayors of the
Corporations by royal order abandoned, as it was
contrary to the Constitution of 1837. These
conditions the Queen declined, and she did not
see Espartero again until he entered the Cata-
lonian capital in triumph, after giving the final
blow to Carlism by the rout of Cabrera at Berga.
The ovation given to the General was tremendous.
" Viva Espartero ! Viva la Constitution ! Down
with the Law of the Corporations ! Down with
the Government !" came the cries from the
people.
The Queen-Regent was alarmed, and it is said
on good authority that she sent for the Count
of Lucena, the wzarre Don Leopold O'Donnell,
and told him of t£e difficulty.
' Well, you have only to send for a company
of grenadiers to shoot Espartero/' said the leader
of the Moderate party ; to which Maria Cristina
returned : " Be silent ! You frighten me."
At last the military hero arrived at the palace,
which then stood where there are now some little
houses, opposite the old Custom-house.
138
MARSHAL LEOPOLDO O DONNELL,
DUKE OF TEUTAN
To face page 138
Maria Cr
ria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Mufioz
The interview seems to have been somewhat
stormy. Maria Cristina is reported to have said :
I have made you a Count, and I have made
you a Duke, but I cannot make you a gentle-
man."*
At last the Queen-Regent had to submit, and
she had to agree to the conditions under which
Espartero was willing to accept the post of Prime
Minister.
On August 21 there was a meeting in Barcelona
for the purpose of manifesting loyalty to Maria
Cristina, and when the Queen-Regent appeared
in her carriage, with her little daughters, the
leaders of the meeting exclaimed : " This is the
true expression, lady, of the opinions of Barce-
lona !" It was commonly known as the " frock-
coat meeting/' as it consisted of those of a
superior class ; but the confusion caused by the
' blouse " people led to a cessation of the cries
of ' Viva la Reina !" The matter would have
blown over if Francisco Baimes, a lawyer partisan
of the Queen-Regent, and Manuel Bosch de
Torres, had not been shot in a street fray on the
following day.
Then, unfortunately for Maria Cristina, she
acted under the advice of the French Ambassador,
M. de Redotte, who came to pay her his respects
in the Palace of Barcelona, and declined to dis-
solve the Cortes or to withdraw the project for
the Corporation elections by royal decree.
Maria Cristina was evidently now very un-
* Series of biographies of Spanish generals published in
La Vanguardia during 1907.
139
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
popular, and the press was full of calumnious
attacks about her secret marriage with Munoz.
When, moreover, the Ministry suggested that
the Queen's post as Regent should be shared
with Espartero, the Prime Minister, she proudly
declared that, as she had decided to go abroad,
it could be given to whom they thought fit.
The scene was worthy of Maria Cristina as
Queen and mother. Fate had been against her.
She had failed where success had seemed so easy,
and the most dignified thing was to leave the
field to him who, she declared, whilst pretend-
ing to maintain her influence, had never ceased
to undermine it. So on August 28 the Queen-
Regent left Barcelona for Valencia, without even
bidding farewell to the Corporation.
The parting between the Queen-Mother and her
little girls was very sad, and, while going in the
carriage of Espartero' s^ wife down to the port,
she was eloquent in her injunctions to the General
to protect her fatherless children ; and when the
ship left the port, it was to leave Espartero
practically master of the situation.
The triumph of Espartero was accentuated by
the banquet given in his honour on August 30,
when he was given a crown of gold laurel-leaves.
From Valencia Maria Cristina strove to form
a new Ministry, but, though she would not ac-
cept the Progressists' programme, she was finally
obliged, to put the reins of power in Espartero's
hands, who was proclaimed in Madrid sole Regent
of Spain ; whilst Maria Cristina left her land
for France. The well-known General O'Donnell
140
Maria Cristina as Regent and as Wife of Munoz
accompanied his royal mistress into exile, and
remained with her till Espartero' s overthrow in
1843-
So it was on October 12, 1840, that the royal
children returned to Madrid for the opening of"
Parliament under the new condition of affairs,
in which Espartero was Regent. It was saTd
that he had the same solicitous affection for the
little Queen and her sister as he had for his own
children. He certainly did well in appointing Don
Manuel Jose Quintina, the illustrious poet, as
preceptor to the Queen his charge, Agustin
Argiielles as tutor-guardian, and Martin de los
Heros as steward of the royal household.
When Espartero had the Regency in his hands,
he was practically ruler of the whole country, and
this supremacy of an officer whose ideas of mili-
tary rule left little room for constitutional liberty
was bitterly resented by some of the other
generals. Las Concha, Leon, and O'Donnell,
formed the bold idea of getting possession of the
persons of the young Princesses, so as to use them
as a lever for a less autocratic form of govern-
ment. Espartero was also opposed by the Carlists,
and before many months had gone the bold design
was formed, by the disaffected chief, of getting
hold of the royal children, and putting them in
the hands of the Moderate party, under Maria
Cristina, who was under the protection of the
French.
141
CHAPTER VII
QUEEN ISABELLA'S GIRLHOOD, AND THE DANGERS
WHICH BESET IT
1840 — 1846
THE little Princesses now lived in the imposing
Palace of Madrid, with all the retinue befitting
their position, but far from the mother who, with
all her faults, loved her little girls, and had only
left them to save them from the greater losses
with which they were threatened. Espartero,
who was now a sort of Dictator of Spain, took up
his residence in the Palace of Buena Vista, in the
Alcala in Madrid, which is now the Ministry of
War.
The secret influence which was working in
Madrid in favour of Luisa Carlota and her husband
led to their being suggested as guardians to the
royal children, in a little book called ' The
Maternal Guardianship of H.M. Isabel II. and Her
Royal Highness' s Sister, Maria Luisa Fernanda."
But Government declared against the appoint-
ment of personages who were known to nourish
such hatred to the mother, who sent an indignant
protest from Paris against the project. So
Argiielles was appointed guardian, and in his
choice of coadjutors certainly did his best to
142
Queen Isabella's Girlhood
improve the environment of the little Princesses.
Of course the appointment caused much dis-
content on some sides. The uncle and aunt
declared that it was made in the desire to separate
the Princesses from their relatives, and that it
was wrong to put them under a man who had been
an enemy of their father.
Argiielles had indeed suffered at the hand of
Ferdinand VII., who gave him seven years at
Ceuta when he returned to Spain as King ; but this
had only been for his political opinions. Indeed,
the Minister was so eloquent that he was called
''' the divine Argiielles."
As the army reigned supreme, in the person
of Espartero as Regent, the counter-influence of
Argiielles in the palace was very beneficial.
The Royal Guard, both outside and inside the
palace, was now formed of the famous halberdiers,
and it was on the night of October 7, 1841, that
the valour of this body of soldiers was put to an
unexpected test.
General Don Manuel de la Concha and General
Leon plotted with Queen Maria Cristina to get
possession of the persons of the young Princesses,
carry them off to France, and hand them over
to Don Evaristo Perez de Castro and a Canon, a
partisan of the ex-Regent, by whom they would
be escorted to their mother in Paris ; and for this
bold proceeding they had only a small number
of soldiers. General Concha was to get possession
of the person of the Regent, whilst General Leon
was to carry off the Princesses from the palace.
General Dulce was the guardian angel of the little
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
girls that night. He was standing on the landing
of the grand staircase, when he saw a company of
armed soldiers coming up the steps, under the
command of a young lieutenant called Boria.
' Where are you going ?" asked Dulce.
" Where my duty takes me/' was the curt reply.
" Then, you ought to stop your men in this
shameful course ; you are young, and to-morrow
you will repent your conduct."
As he did not reply, Dulce checked his progress
by putting his sword to his breast ; but the young
man stepped aside, and cried with a loud voice :
" Lads, fire !"
But here General Concha interceded by ex-
claiming : " Stop, Manolito, stop the firing ! For
God's sake remember we are in Her Majesty's
palace !"
So the firing was stopped, and the little girls,
alarmed at the noise, fell into each other's arms,
and cried with fright, whilst the Countess of Mina
strove to still their fears. The noise of firing was
heard down the corridors and the staircases known
by the names of those of the Lions and the Ladies.
General Dulce was not content with quelling
the invasion of the palace by firing down the
chief staircase to prevent the ascent of any inter-
loper, but, leaving Barrientos in command of half
the Guard at that spot, he went with the other half
into the Salon of the Ambassadors, and there fired
on the insurgents from the windows, until the
whole Plaza de la Armeria was swept free from any
more possible invaders of the royal abode.
In the meanwhile Boria, Don Diego Leon, and
144
Queen Isabella's Girlhood
others, were caught in the Campo del Moro, the
gardens of the palace. No mercy was shown to
the would-be perpetrators of such a deed as the
kidnapping of the royal children, and Diego de
Leon, who had been covered with laurels for his
brilliant services in the civil war, was shot with
his accomplices without demur.
In the meanwhile General Espartero, in his
Palace of la Buena Vista, was ignorant of the
tragic scenes enacted at the palace until they were
over. Brought thither by the sound of firearms,
he arrived just as the insurrectionary force had
been driven from the palace, and hastening up the
staircase stained with blood, he found the royal
children in their room weeping bitterly and much
terrified, albeit at the time of the alarming scene
they had shown more courage than could have
been expected at such an early age. The Regent
led the little girls to a window of the palace to still
the fears of the people, who had hastened from all
quarters at the noise of the firing, and the halber-
diers who had defended their young Queen and
her sister so bravely were all publicly applauded,
promoted, and subsequently given the Cross of
San Fernando. The fact of gunshot penetrating
the royal apartment was unprecedented in history,
and although the halberdiers pressed into the room
to protect the royal children, they abstained from
firing there on the invaders without, for fear of
hurting those in their charge. When the Cortes
opened, Espartero escorted the Princesses to the
ceremony, and they were received with enthusi-
astic demonstrations of loyalty.
145 K
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
A short time afterwards Argiielles had to insist
on the Order of the Palace, by which the French
Ambassador was not allowed entry to the palace
without official permission from the Regent.
When the Infante Don Francisco and Luisa
Carlota decided to go to Spain to see what personal
influence could do in obtaining power over their
nieces, the King of France did all he could'to pre-
vent the fulfilment of the plan. Difficulties were
put in the way of the illustrious travellers having
horses for the journey, but Luisa Carlota ex-
claimed : " This new obstacle will not stop us, as, if
we can't get horses, we will go on foot."
The exiled Queen-mother did all she could to
influence her children against their aunt, and she
placed within the leaves of a book of fashions,
which she sent them from Paris, a paper which ran
thus : " Do not trust that woman ! She causes
nothing but disgrace and ruin. Her words are all
lies ; her protestations of friendship are deceptions ;
her presence is a peril. Beware, my child. Your
aunt wants to get rule over your mind and your
heart to deceive you, and to claim an affection totf
which she is unworthy." s/h\
It was in 1842 that, eluding the vigilance of the *
Countess of Mina, the lady-in-chief of the royal
children, Luisa Carlota managed to see a good deal
of her young niece Isabel. The Infanta constantly
joined the young Queen in her walks, and, not con-
tent with talking to the young girl about her cousin
Don Francisco, so as to make her think of him as
an eligible parti, she one day gave her niece a
portrait of her son in his uniform as Captain of the
146
Queen Isabella's Girlhood
Hussars. This portrait Isabella was seen to show
to her little sister, and so annoyed was the Mar-
chioness of Belgida, the chief Lady-in- Waiting, at
what she considered the breach of confidence' on
the part of the Infanta, that she resigned her post.
Argiielles had striven to warn Luisa Carlota against
the imprudence of her course, for the question of
the young Queen's marriage was one in which the
dignity of the Government, the honour of the
Queen, and the good name of the Regent, had all to
be considered. Therefore any attempt to compro-
mise the Queen by forcing any opinion from her
which could not be based on experience was
detrimental to all concerned. In the Cortes he
said : ' I do not believe in absolute isolation for a
young Queen, but I think she ought to be sur-
rounded by those who will give her a good example
of prudence and self-reflection." On the day that
the Marchioness of Belgida's resignation was
accepted the widowed Countess of Mina was raised
to be a grandee of Spain of the first order and
she was appointed to the post vacated by the
Countess. Then, in pursuance of the opinion of
:he Ministers, Espartero had the Princesses taken
to Zaragossa so as to prevent further intrigues
about the Queen's marriage.
In the " Estafeta del Palacio Real," Antonio
>ermejo compares Olozaga with Argiielles. " He
was," he says, "austere like Argiielles, who might
e a little brusque, but never had a word or a single
phrase left the lips of this old man which could
sully the purity of a Princess. Moreover, the new
guardian of the Queen was so dense that he let a/I
K/7- I47 K 2
•V
* «"f<
* -*P
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
book be circulated in the royal apartment, called
' Theresa, the Philosopher/ which was said to be
at the root of much of the light behaviour of our
girls. Who allowed this book in the palace ?
Whence came this vile work, calculated to pollute
the throne of San Ferdinand ? Narvaez and
Gonzalez Brabo saw the book lying on a chimney-
piece in the palace, and they indignantly cast it
into the fire. It was thus that people sought to
shake the foundation of the throne ; it was thus
that the seed of corruption was sown which
resulted in so much weakness and failure !"
148
CHAPTER VIII
MINISTERIAL DIFFICULTIES IN THE PALACE
1843
THERE is doubtless truth in the opinion that the
wish of the Government for the majority of the
Queen to be declared at the age of thirteen instead
of fourteen proceeded from the desire of self-
interested personages to rid the country of the
Regent, and hasten the time when the power would
be fully in the hands of the young Sovereign, when
it could be turned to the designs of the Moderates.
This project soon took form by the Ministry pre-
senting a petition to Isabella, saying :
' The nation wishes and desires to be governed
by Your Majesty yourself. Your Majesty will have
heard the result of the vote taken in the Cortes
which is about to assemble, and there the oath
required by the Constitution from a constitutional
monarch will be received by the same Cortes. "
So on November 8, 1843, the proposal was
carried by a majority of 157 over 16, and Queen
Isabel was endowed with full power as Queen of the
realm — a Queen of only thirteen years of age,
whose education had been grossly neglected, and
who was inclined to follow the dictates of an
undisciplined^sensual nature.
149
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Don Salustiano de Olozaga was then appointed
President of the Ministry which had supported the
deed, whilst Francisco Serrano, who was subse-
quently to play such an important part in the
history of Spain, remained Minister of War, and
Frias Minister of the Marine.
But on November 29 the nation was astounded
by the publication in the Gazette of the decree for
the dissolution of the Government which had put
the full power in the young Queen's hand.
The reason for this course was not far to seek.
Olozaga was not only anxious to free himself from
a Parliament with a majority of Moderates
(Tories), but he wished to be freed from the
influence of Narvaez, who represented the influence
of the Queen-mother in the palace. It was the
fact of this influence which had decided both
Cortina and Madoz to refuse office.
The fact of the Provisional Government having
appointed Olozaga guardian of the young Queen
showed that he was known to have great influence
over her, and whilst holding that appointment he
had been flattered by the grant of the decoration
of the Golden Fleece. This distinction was de-
clared by some to have been the outcome of his
own astuteness, and it certainly made him un-
popular.
The decree for the dissolution of the Parliament
was promptly followed by incriminating whispers
against the President of the Council.
Mysterious allusions were made to Olozaga
having been so wanting in respect to his Queen
that he insisted with undue force on the dissolution
150
. •» • •
• , •
Ministerial Difficulties in the Palace
of the Parliament, and when she objected and
wished to quit the apartment, he locked the door,
and forcibly drew her back to the table, where he
made her sign the document.
' There are/' says Don Juan Rico y Amat,
' those who say that this report was got up by
the Moderates on the exaggerated story of the
young Queen, as they wished to get him out of
power ; but this theory is opposed by the difficulty
of believing that a story which tended to lessen the
dignity of the Crown could have arisen only
through Isabella herself, and those acquainted with
the Minister knew the story was in accordance
with his imperious, impetuous nature, well known
in the palace. It had, moreover, often been
noticed that the Prime Minister had entered the
royal apartments with a freedom unbefitting the
respect due to royalty.
Olozaga wrote to General Serrano, saying that
the fact of the Queen sending him a letter saying
she would be glad to have the decree, granted at
the instance of Olozaga, returned to her, for the
rectification of the first lines, saying, " For grave
reason of my own I have just dissolved," etc.,
showed the absurdity of the invention that it had
been obtained from her by force. " But if any-
body," continued Olozaga, " still insists on such
an idea, I will have the honour of suggesting a
means whereby the truth will be declared in my
presence."
None of the Moderates surrounding the Queen
had the courage to seize the reins of government
at this time of confusion, and Narvaez himself,
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
whose power in the palace was well known, and
whose position as Captain-General of Madrid
would have assured him of a large number of
followers, hesitated to take the rudder of the
deserted ship.
Whilst all was hesitation in the audience
chamber, a young man suddenly made his appear-
ance, and passed with fearless step and bold
bearing through the assembly of timorous people,
right up to within two steps to the throne in the
Salon of Ambassadors, and there assumed the
leadership which was shunned by those who could
have claimed it, by exclaiming in a loud, com-
manding tone : " The Queen before all ! A revolu-
tion or I ... " And thus by this^ splendid coup
the premiership was taken by Gonzalez Brabo, a
man almost unknown in Madrid, except for his
talent as a journalist.
His paper, El Guerigay, had been prohibited for
its gross attacks on the Queen-mother, and his
Liberal ideas were well known. The splendid
coolness and courage with which this young man
thus contravened the storm of revolution in the
very palace itself was calculated to arouse the
hatred of the populace, who had looked to a
revolution as a reform in ail the conditions which
make life burdensome.
Thus three days later, when Gonzalez Brabo
crossed the Plaza de Orierite for his audience with
the Queen at the palace, his coach was stopped
by a mob, and the threatening attitude of the
people would have checked anyone less cool and
determined in his course. *
152
Ministerial Difficulties in the Palace
The day of the reopening of the Congress
after its suspension for the formation of the new
Cabinet was a very anxious one, for it was clearly
seen that the Queen had either been treated with
flagrant disrespect or her report of the Minister's
conduct had been untrue.
The mace-bearers, with their plumed hats and
their breasts bearing the embroidered arms of
the city, were standing in statuesque immobility
on their elevated places directly under the canopy
at the head of the chamber. Every seat was
filled ; the boxes had their full complement of
ladies, and outsiders and representatives of the
press crowded the gangways. The President of
the Congress sat at the official table, flanked by
his officials, and all was expectation when the
slight, dapper figure of Brabo, dressed in black
and bearing the scarlet portfolio of office under
his arm, walked with determined step to the seat
of honour on the black* bench of the Ministers,
and from thence returned the astonished glances
of the deputies with a scornful smile and a con-
temptuous look. After waiting for the storm of
dissentient remarks to subside, the Minister rose to
his feet, and in clear, concise tones declared that
he had been summoned by the Queen to the
palace at 11.30 on November 3, and, being ad-
mitted to the royal presence, he found that the
audience included all the staff of the gentiles
hombres, including General Domingo Dulce, who
had distinguished himself so bravely on the night
of the attempted kidnapping of the little Prin-
* The Ministerial seats are now upholstered in blue.
153
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
cesses ; Don Maurice Carlos de Onis, President of
the Senate ; the Duke of Rivas ; the Count of
Ezpeleta; the Marquis of Pefiaflorida, and the
Marquis of San Felices, Secretary of the Senate,
with Don Pedro Jose Pidal, President of the
Congress of Deputies, the President of the
Academy of Languages, etc. The gathering also
included the Patriarch of the Indias and the
Notary of the King. And it was in the presence
of this august assembly that Her Majesty had
made the following declaration : " On the evening
of the 28th of last month, Olozaga proposed my
signing a decree for the dissolution of the Cortes,
and I replied that I did not wish to sign it, having,
among other reasons, the fact that this Cortes
had declared me to be of age. Olozaga insisted ;
I again objected, rising from my seat and pro-
ceeding to the door at the left-hand side of
the table. Olozaga intercepted my passage and
locked the door. Upon this I turned to the other
door, but he then stepped to that one, which he
also locked. Then, catching me by the dress, he
made me sit down, and seized me by the hand
and forced me to sign the document. Before
leaving me he told me to say nothing of the
occurrence to anybody, but this I declined to
promise/'
" Then," continued Brabo, " at Her Majesty's
request, we all signed the royal declaration, for
its transmittance to the archives."
It was with great dignity and cleverness that
Olozaga followed the statement of Brabo by
refuting the points, holding his own as to his
Ministerial Difficulties in the Palace
innocence, and yet not incriminating the Queen
of untruth. When the unfortunate man had
entered the Cortes with his brothers, cries of
" Death to him !" came from a box filled with
officers of the regiment of San Fernando, whilst
shouts of " Viva !" came from other directions.
" Happen what may/' said Olozaga, " I deserve
the confidence of the Queen, which I won as a
Minister ;" and it was in a voice trembling with
emotion that he continued : " The life I have led
justifies me — the person of my heart, my daughter,
my friends. My colleagues have all found me
always an upright man, incapable of failing in
my duties, and this opinion I cannot sacrifice
to the Queen, nor to God, nor to the Universe.
Being a man of integrity, I must show myself as
such before the world, even if it were on the
steps of the scaffold itself."
It is difficult to get an impartial opinion upon
this episode, so fraught with importance and so
conclusive of the short-sighted policy of putting
the kingdom into the hands of a young girl of
thirteen, who was utterly inexperienced in the
art of government, as the Regent had lived
away from the palace, and fate had sundered
her from mother, aunts, uncles, and relatives,
who, in any other station of life, might have
aided her with their counsels. In the excitement
of the moment the Minister had doubtless treated
the Queen as he would his own daughter, and,
keenly anxious to gain the decree which would
empower him to rid himself of the majority of
Moderates in the House, Olozaga had not stopped
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
to consider how an exaggerated report might
colour his action to the tone of that of a man
guilty of gross lese-majeste. The Queen was but
a child in his eyes, and when she demurred at the
seeming cruelty and ingratitude of dissolving a
Cabinet which had been so favourable to the
anticipation of her majority, it is probably true
that the Minister patted her familiarly on the
wrist, and said, with a smile of satisfaction and
superiority : " I will accustom My Lady to such
cruelties !"
The return of the Queen-mother was now
solemnly demanded by a deputation of grandees,
senators, and deputies. The necessity of the
young Queen having a person of experience at
her side was eloquently set forth ; and those who
were envious of the power of Gonzalez Brabo
eagerly advised a course which would curtail his
influence and lead to the supremacy of the
Moderates. So Maria Cristina returned to Spain
on February 28, 1844, arriving at Barcelona on
March 4, and at Madrid on March 21.
However, Gonzalez Brabo managed to retain
power under the new state of affairs, albeit at
the price of being termed a traitor by his own
party.
In spite of being accused of acting as a panderer
to the Moderates, Olozaga's advice to the Queen
to legalize the marriage of her mother with Don
Fernando Munoz was a step of good policy. The
ceremony in the chapel of the royal palace was
celebrated by the Patriarch of the Indias.
The husband was endowed with the decorations
156
Ministerial Difficulties in the Palace
and dignities of his position, and the Queen
published the following decree :
" With due regard to the weighty reasons set
forth by my august mother, Dona Maria Cristina
de Bourbon, I have authorized her, after listening
to the counsel of my Ministry, to contract a mar-
riage with Don Fernando Mufioz, Duke of Rian-
zares, and I declare that the fact of her contracting
this marriage of conscience, albeit with a person
of unequal rank, in no way lessens my favour and
love ; and she is to retain all the honours and
prerogatives and distinctions due to her as Queen-
mother. But her husband is only to enjoy the
honours, prerogatives, and distinctions, due to
his class and title ; and the children of this
marriage are to remain subject to Article 12, of
Law 9, Title n, Book 10, of the Novisima
Recopilacion, being able to inherit the free pro-
perty of their parents according to the laws.
" Signed by the Royal Hand
and the Minister of Grace and Justice,
" Luis MAYANG.
" Given in the Palace,
" October n, 1844."
Wherever the young Queen appeared with her
sister in the country, their simple, unsophisticated
ways filled the people with love and admiration.
One day, being only accompanied by two Ladies-in-
Waiting, they went to a village fete not very far
from San Sebastian.
" Do you come from San Sebastian ?" asked the
peasants, with the freedom characteristic of the
country-folk in Spain.
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" Yes, we do," replied the Queen.
" And do you belong to the military ?"
" No/' said the Queen, repressing a smile,
" we are not military people."
" But at least you are Castilians ?"
" Yes/' returned the Queen promptly ; "we
are girls from Madrid."
" And do you like this part ?" queried the
interlocutor.
" Very much," replied the Queen. " It is very
cheerful."
" Well," continued the peasant, with frank
familiarity, " sit down a bit and see the lads
dance."
" Thank you very much," replied the Queen,
' but we must be going."
" You will have noticed," rejoined the peasant,
" that the roads are very bad, and you will get
very tired. These mountains are only fit for
strong feet, and not little delicate ones like
yours."
" Never mind," returned Isabel ; " we like to
accustom ourselves to everything. You don't
know, then, who we are ?"
" It is not easy to guess," was the answer ;
" but you are certainly daughters of people of
position and money."
Then Isabel said : " I am the Queen."
" The Queen ! the Queen !" cried the people
with delight ; and cider, fruits, and cakes, were
pressed upon the royal party.
The Queen and her sister received constant signs
of affection in the neighbourhood of Guipazcoa.
158
Ministerial Difficulties in the Palace
They went to Pampeluna to receive the Duke and
Duchess of Nemours and the Duke of Aumale,
the arrival of the distinguished French guests was
celebrated in the city by a magnificent banquet
and bull-fight, and the distinguished Frenchmen
stayed with the Count of Ezpeleta.
The fall of Miraflores, the able Prime Minister,
was heralded by the evident desire of both the
Queens for a change of Ministry, and those who
wished to compass the fall of the Prime Minister
were listened to by the royal ladies.
Miraflores found Queen Isabella alone one day
in the palace, and Her Majesty said to the
Minister :
" I have heard that the scandal this afternoon
in the Congress has been so great that the Presi-
dent of the Congress put on his hat in his want
of consideration for the Court."
Miraflores explained that this act proceeded from
no want of respect for the Cortes.
" Nevertheless it must be dissolved to-morrow/1
was the reply.
Narvaez became Minister of War as well as
President of the Congress. The part played at the
palace in the change of Ministries is seen in the
scene between Pacheco and the Queen-mother.
Maria Cristina remarked to the Minister that
the Government would not last long. Upon this
Pacheco placed two ounces of gold upon the
mantelpiece, saying :
''' I bet you that money that the Cabinet will not
fall to-morrow as you say."
Whereupon the Queen took another two ounces
159
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
from her purse, and placing them beside those of
the diplomat, she said :
" The bet is made : if the Ministry does not fall
to-morrow, the money is yours ; if it does, it is
mine/ And the Ministry did fall.
This insidious influence of the camarilla was
daily becoming more dangerous. Presumptuous
and illegal, it held its sway over all that was pru-
dent and constitutional, and thus the intrigues of
the palace came between the Cortes and the
throne, and the country and the Queen, exercising
power to the detriment of the national representa-
tion, the throne, the nation, and the Sovereign.
" The royal palace/' says Don Antonio Bermejo,
" was a gilded cage where men were slaves to envy
and idleness."
1 60
CHAPTER IX
ROYAL MATRIMONIAL SCHEMES — HOW ISABELLA'S
SISTER FLED FROM PARIS IN 1848
!843 — 1848
ISABELLA'S marriage was now a burning subject
of discussion and intrigue. The objection offered
to her marriage with one of the sons of the Infanta
Luisa Carlo t a was the hatred reigning between the
mother of the proposed bridegroom and Queen
Maria Cristina.
Louis Philippe of France had also his own designs
in these marriage prospects, and would fain have
united the Dauphin to the young Queen. But, as
we know, England put her veto upon this alliance,
as it would have upset the balance of European
power ; so the French King had to be contented
with the marriage of his younger son, the Duke of
Montpensier, with Isabel's sister Luisa Fernanda.
There was a strong party in favour of the Queen's
marriage with the Count of Montemolin, son of Don
Carlos, as this union would have put an end to the
rivalry reigning between these two branches of the
Royal Family.
But finally attention was turned to the sons of
Don Francisco de Paula as the most suitable can-
didates for the hand of the Queen. Miraflores
161 L
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
explains that it was natural for the Duke of Cadiz,
the eldest son of the Infante, to be preferred by the
existing Cabinet in Spain and the Queen-mother,
as he was a quiet, judicious Prince, who had
accepted and fulfilled with honour the post of
Colonel of a cavalry regiment ; whilst Don Henry
was of a turbulent disposition, whose conduct left
much to be desired at the Court of the Queen-
mother, to whom he had written from Bayonne
very disrespectfully, and in Brussels he had dis-
tinguished himself by publishing ideas which
bordered on being revolutionary.
Whilst the royal party was at Pampeluna a
mysterious document in French fell into the hands
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed " Legiti-
mista." The document ran thus :
" To the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
" Before the Due de Nemours and the Due
d'Aumale left Paris as the emissaries of His
Majesty the great ' Pere de famille/ French
legitimists knew that the meeting at Pampeluna
was merely a matter of form. The Due d' Aumale
cannot be the husband of Dona Isabel ; his father
knows it ; M. Guizot and M. Bresson know it ;
and the Queen, wife of the Citizen-King, knows
it, and she is the most strongly opposed to the
union.
" The Due de Montpensier will be the husband
of the Infanta ; this is what is arranged, and what
will take place. The Citizen Louis has made a
plan by which he thinks that in time Montpensier
will occupy the throne of Spain .by the side of
162
ISABELLA II., QUEEN OF SPAIN
After a Painting by De Madrazo
To face page
Royal Matrimonial Schemes
the immediate heiress, Luisa Fernanda, because
experienced doctors in medicine have declared to
Bresson that the Queen is very ill with an heredi-
tary disease which will take her to the grave. Why
has not the Princess got it? That is a mystery
which time will reveal. Who will give his hand
in marriage to Queen Isabel ? We hear that the
candidature of Prince Henry is in favour. But
this illustrious youth cannot be the husband of the
Queen, neither can his brother, Don Francisco de
Asis.
' The Minister whom I have the honour of
addressing is ignorant of the reason, and I can
give it to him.
' The Minister must know that when Princess
Luisa Carlota was on her death-bed she did not,
even in this sad moment, forget the troubles of her
sister ; and impelled by conscientious scruples, she
sent for her illustrious sons, and, taking them each
by the right hand, she said these solemn words to
them, in a sad tone and with a tenderness which
was truly Christian : ' My sons, I wish to reach
heaven, I wish to quit you and the world without
remorse, and therefore I declare I repent having
contributed through imprudent affection to
thwarting the legitimate succession of the Crown
of Spain, and this I swear on my salvation. So I
command you as a mother, as a Princess, and as a
repentant sinner, to swear that neither of you will
aspire to the hand of Isabella/ "
Narvaez showed that this document was a fraud,
as, at the death of the Infanta, Don Henry was at
163 L 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
some distance from Madrid, and Francisco was at
Pampeluna.
Isabella's own feelings about her marriage were
hardly taken into consideration at all. As a
matter of fact, she had been more inclined to
Prince Henry, the younger son of Dona Luisa
Carlota, than to Francisco, and it will be remem-
bered that even as a child she had admired the
portrait of the Prince, which had been secretly sent
by the mother to the young Queen ; but inclination
had no part in the negotiations, which were regu-
lated entirely by self-interest and policy, so the
tide of influence was soon seen to be in favour of
the eldest son of Prince Francisco de Paula.
Don Henry was furious when he found he was
left out in the cold in the negotiation for the
marriages of Isabella and her sister.
In a letter to Bulwer Lytton he writes :
" The old man at the Tuileries is very delighted
and pleased. He has written three letters full of
hypocritical words, telling the great Mama that
she has drawn the first prize, and that she is very
fortunate to be marrying her daughters to Paquito
(Francisco) and Montpensier. A French fellow
has arrived at the palace. You will recollect that
I told you before last night that, judging from the
appearance of things, you and I- were going to have
our noses put out of joint.
" Istarez is very pleased. Cristina is delighted,
and from what I hear the weddings will take place
very soon. When I see you I will give you more
particulars, which I cannot trust to the pen."
164
Royal Matrimonial Schemes
The Queen-mother had been inclined to the idea
of the Count of Trapani, her brother, who had been
educated in a Jesuit college at Naples, as her son-
in-law ; but, as this idea had not been welcome to
the Government, attention had again been turned
to one of the sons of the Infante Don Francisco de
Paula. Don Francisco, Duke of Cadiz, the eldest,
was favoured by France, whilst England gave
preference to Don Henry, Duke of Seville. As
Miraflores says, it was natural for the Queen-
mother to prefer the eldest son of Don Francisco,
as he was a quiet Prince and one who had fulfilled
his duties with credit as Colonel of a cavalry
regiment ; whilst Don Henry was of a more turbu-
lent nature, and his antagonistic conduct to the
Queen-mother had excited some disturbance in the
palace. In the letters he sent from Brussels to
Madrid he had manifested a revolutionary spirit,
which filled the Moderates with alarm. However,
poor Isabel preferred this hot-headed Prince to his
more peaceful-minded brother, and long were the
arguments the young Queen held with her mother
against the project of her union with the elder
brother. Fortunately, however, the young Queen
seemed somewhat pleased with the appearance of
Don Francisco, and at the fetes given in honour of
the engagement she seemed very cheerful.
In an interview with Queen Maria Cristina,
Bulwer Lytton said : " I can understand your joy
as a mother at seeing your eldest daughter destined
for a Prince who will make for the happiness of the
royal domestic hearth ; but as to the marriage of
the Infanta "
165
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Here Cristina interrupted him, saying : " It
is decided that her union with Montpensier will
take place on the same day as that of the
Queen."
The Duke of Rianzares had evidently favoured
the alliance of the Princess Luisa Fernanda with
the Duke of Montpensier, for when the matter was
fully arranged Louis Philippe wrote to Queen
Maria Cristina :
" Please give my kind regards to the Duke of
Rianzares, and thank him for the part he has taken
in the matter I have so much at heart."
So France and her supporters in Spain gained the
day, and the double wedding of the young sisters
was fixed for October 10, 1846. It was with all
the magnificent state for which the Court of Spain
is famed that the reception by Isabel and Fernanda
took place at the palace (for" the publication of
the marriage contracts) in thfe Salon of the Am-
bassadors. Alexandre Dumas was among the
distinguished Frenchmen accompanying the bride-
groom of the Infanta Fernanda, and the great
author attended a bull-fight with the noblemen as
toreadors, and the fetes all the week were of sur-
passing splendour/
The religious ceremony itself was held in the
Church of Atocha with all imaginable pomp and
splendour. The Patriarch of the Indias received
the brides at the door of the church, and noticeable
among the French guests was Alexandre Dumas,
author of " The Three Musketeers." All the
Diplomatic Corps were there with the exception of
the English.
166
Royal Matrimonial Schemes
In the ceremony the Patriarch placed upon the
open palms of the Queen's bridegroom the thirteen
pieces of money pledged as his dowry, which was
then passed by the bridegroom to the hands of his
bride, saying, " This ring and this money I give
you as a sign of marriage/1 and the Queen replied,
" I accept them."
The same ceremony was used with the Infanta
and her bridegroom, and then the prelate, with
his mitre and crook, escorted the royal couples to
the altar, and there read the Mass. During the
Epistle the Patriarch presented the candles, veils,
and conjugal yoke, and at the conclusion of the
Gospel the Patriarch turned to the Queen and her
bridegroom, and said to the latter : " I give Your
Majesty a companion, and not a servant ; Your
Majesty must love her as Christ loves His Church. "
And then the same words were said to the other
couple. The periodical which published this
account of the wedding remarked that the Queen
and her husband looked smiling and pleased, but
the Infanta looked sad.
The attempt on the life of the Queen soon after
her marriage caused great excitement, and the
trial of Angel de la Riva, a native of Santiago, in
Galicia, and editor of a paper called El Clamor
Publico, who was caught just after firing the shot,
was followed with the deepest interest.
The testimony of Don Manuel Matheu, officer
of the Royal Guard of Halberdiers, a man of
thirty-five years of age, gives some idea of the
etiquette of the time.
He declared that on May 4, 1847, he was on duty,
167
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
so when the Queen returned from her drive he
went as usual to receive her at the foot of the
staircase with his little company of six halberdiers,
and a Captain with a lamp, and two other atten-
dants with their axes. On descending from the
carriage, Her Majesty said to him : " Do you know
that on passing through the Calle de Alcala two
shots were fired at me."
The officer returned : ' Two shots at Your
Majesty ?"
" Yes/' was the reply ; " you cannot doubt it ; I
saw them get down from a carriage or cab."
The Colonel was not aware if Her Majesty said
an open carriage or a shut one.
" I felt something," she added, " pass over my
forehead which hurt me."
" And as this was evident," continued the
officer, " I could but give credit to Her Majesty's
words. Moreover, Her Highness the Infanta
Dona Maria Josefa added : ' There is no doubt of
the fact, for I myself saw the men/ '
Then Her Majesty told the witness he was to
inform the Ministers of what had happened. This
he did, leaving a message at the door of the Secre-
tary of State, and sending a halberdier to inform
the Minister of War.
It is not necessary to give further particulars of
the long trial of the accused. He was, as we know,
first condemned to be beaten to death, and being
saved from this dreadful fate by the able defence
of Perez Hernandez, he was in November, 1847,
condemned to twenty years' imprisonment. But
on July 23, 1849, the Queen showed her generous
168
Royal Matrimonial Schemes
spirit by commuting the sentence to four years'
exile from Madrid and all the royal resorts, as Her
Majesty nobly gave full benefit to the representa-
tion of the murderous lawyer's madness, or the
influence exercised by others.
In the rapid and unexpected flight of the French
Royal Family from the Palace of the Tuileries,
Princess Clementina, wife of the Duke of Saxony,
and the Duchess of Montpensier, were separated
from the King and Queen. When the Duke of
Montpensier accompanied his father to the car-
riages waiting for them in the Place de la Concorde,
he thought he would have no difficulty in returning
to fetch his wife, who had been confined for some
days in her apartments on account of her interest-
ing condition of health. But the crowds which
had collected meanwhile in the gardens made it
impossible for the Prince to return to the palace.
He had fortunately left the Princess in the care of
some of his suite and Monsieur Julio de Last eyrie,
who was distinguished for his loyalty and popu-
larity. So the Duke mounted his horse and fol-
lowed his father.
Directly Monsieur Lasteyrie saw that the palace
was invaded, he gave his arm to the Duchess of
Montpensier, and in the confusion of the moment
they passed unnoticed from the gates and mingled
with the crowd. Monsieur de Lasteyrie hoped to
arrive in time to put the Princesses into the royal
carriages, which, however, started off at a gallop
just as they arrived within sight of them.
So Lasteyrie escorted the royal ladies to the
house of his mother. In a few minutes Princess
169
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Clementina left the timely refuge, and continued
her way to the Trianon, where she met her father ;
whilst the Duchess of Montpensier remained for
the night under the protection of Madame de
Lasteyrie.
There she heard from her husband at Dreux
that she was to join him at the Castle of Eu,
whither the King was going.
But the monarch found it impossible to get to
this haven, so when the young Princess arrived
there the following day she found the place
deserted. Hearing an alarming rumour that a
party of workmen were coming to pillage the
Palace of Eu, as they had ransacked the one at
Neuilly, the Duchess quietly left the place, and
repaired to the house of Monsieur Estancelin, a
diplomat of the Bavarian Embassy. Under the
escort of this gentleman and that of General
Thierry she started off for Brussels. On passing
through Abbeville, the sight of the carriage at-
tracted attention, and the people cried : " There
are royal fugitives in that coach \" Monsieur
Estancelin put his head out of the window, and, as
his name was known in the district, he declared
that the lady was his wife, and he was going abroad
with her. To put the people off the scent, he then
gave orders to the postilion to drive to the house
of a friend of his, well known for his republican
opinions. Arrived at the house, Estancelin whis-
pered in the ear of his friend the name and rank
of the lady under his escort.
But the man, in fear of the consequences of the
discovery of the secret, declined to give his aid
170
Royal Matrimonial Schemes
in the matter, in spite of all arguments of both
gentlemen in charge of the Princess, setting forth
the dreadful consequences of her being frightened
or subjected to imprisonment in her delicate con-
dition.
It was all in vain ; the republican declined to
receive the Princess, and they had to turn away
from the door in despair, for several people had
gathered in front of the house, curious to see who
could be seeking shelter at such a late hour.
So Monsieur Estancelin bade General Thierry
conduct the lady out of the town by a particular
gate leading to the bank of the river, whilst he went
in search of other friends, who might aid him to
get fresh horses and a carriage with which he
would meet them.
So the poor Princess started forth with her
military ally. Unfortunately, the gate of the
town led through a narrow exit only meant for
pedestrians. So they wandered along in the cold
rain, picking their way over the stones and rubbish
of this out-of-the-way road. The General, alarmed
at the drenched condition of the Princess and her
evident exhaustion and fatigue, decided that he
had better let her sit on a stone to rest, whilst he
went in search of a guide or a refuge.
The officer hastened along the road, fearing to
call the attention of the enemy to the lady in his
care, and yet anxious to get a guide to the rendez-
vous appointed by Estancelin. Finally, to his
delight, he was accosted by a friend of Estancelin,
who had sent him in search of the couple, and,
quickly returning to the Princess, they escorted her
171
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to the carriage which was waiting on the highroad
to Brussels.
" What dreadful adventures this awful night !"
exclaimed General Thierry, as the Duchess of
Montpensier sought to recover one of her shoes
which had slipped off her weary wet feet in the
mud.
' Never mind/' returned the brave Princess ; " I
prefer these adventures to the monotony of the
round table of work in the sumptuous salons of
the Tuileries."
The relief with which the letter announcing the
safety of her sister was received by Queen Isabella
can well be imagined, as in those days the limited
communication by telegraph was stopped on
account of the fog.
The fall of Louis Philippe relieved England of
the fear of the upset of the balance of European
power from the astuteness with which he had
arranged the marriages of the Spanish Queen
and her sister.
There was no doubt of the intentions which had
led to the Duke of Montpensier being the brother-
in-law of the Queen, and the unsuspicious girl was
a prey to the reports which were spread by the
ambitious Orleanists.
172
CHAPTER X
ROYAL QUARREL AND THE RECONCILIATION
IT was soon seen that General Serrano's influence
with the Queen surpassed the ordinary grade, —
and the Moderates were alarmed. "
There were two parties in the royal palace-
one on the side of the Queen, and the other
on that of the King ; and the leaders of these
parties fostered the difference between the royal
couple.
Francesco Pacheco, the King's partisan, declared
that a President of the Congress was wanted who
would give more independence to the Crown, and
who would receive the counsels of an intelli-
gent husband of the Sovereign ; for the King-
Consort should not be in a position so secondary
to that of the illustrious rnother-in-law that she
can boast of having more power than he has.
When Isabella saw that Queen Maria Cris-
tina's influence in the State was much resented
by the Ministers, she advised her to go on a visit
to her daughter, the Duchess of Montpensier, and
this counsel was followed.
However, the want of union between the King
and Queen was soon evident to the world, and
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
when it was announced that Isabella was going
to spend the rest of the summer at Aranjuez
alone, whilst the King remained in Madrid, it
was seen that the Serrano influence had become
serious enough to cause a separation between
the royal couple. Isabella's naturally good heart
seemed softened when she was leaving the palace,
and it was evidently remorse which prompted
her to look anxiously back from the carriage, in
search of a glimpse of the husband at one of the
windows of the royal pile. But the coach
rattled on, and the Queen's search was in
vain ; whilst her sad face, with its traces of tears,
showed that things might have been better had
not the differences of the royal couple been
fostered, for their own ends, by intriguers of the
camarilla.
Forsaken by his wife, Francisco followed the
advice of his friends, to enjoy himself in his own
way ; so he repaired to the Palace of the Pardo,
where banquets, hunting - parties, and other
festivities deadened his sense of injury at his
wife's conduct.
Those interested in the welfare of the land were
disappointed when the birthday of the Queen
was celebrated by her holding a reception alone at
Aranjuez, whilst the King had a hunting expedi-
tion at the Pardo. The Ministers came to the
reception at Aranjuez, and then promptly returned
to the capital, leaving the Queen with her trinity
of Bulwer, Serrano, and Salamanca. General
Salamanca was at last sent by the King to
Aranjuez to advise Isabella to return, but she
174
A Royal Quarrel and the Reconciliation
would not accept the condition of a change in
the Serrano position.
This refusal made the King decline to assist at
the reception of the Pope's Nuncio at Aranjuez,
and he was forbidden to return to the royal Palace
of Madrid.
Benavides, a courtier, anxious to heal this un-
happy division in the Royal Family, came to
Francisco, and said :*
" This separation cannot go on ; it is not good
for the Queen or for Your Majesty.7'
"That I can understand/' returned the King;
"but she has chosen to outrage my dignity as
husband, and this when my demands are not
exaggerated. I know that Isabelita does not
love me, and I excuse her, because I know that our
union was only for State reasons, and not from
inclination ; and I am the more tolerant as I, too,
was unable to give her any affection myself. I
have not objected to the course of dissimulation,
and I have always shown myself willing to keep
up appearances to avoid this disgraceful break ;
but Isabelita, either from being more ingenuous
or more vehement than I am, could not fulfil this
hypocritical duty — this sacrifice for the good of
the nation. I married because I had to marry,
because the position of King is flattering. I took
the part, with its advantages. I have no right
to throw away the good fortune which I gained
from the arrangement. So I made up my mind
to be tolerant, if they were equally so with me, and
I was never upset at the presence of a favourite."
* " Estafeta del Palacio Real," Bermejo, vol. ii.
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Here the King was interrupted by Benavides
saying :
" Allow me, Sire, to observe one thing. That
which you now say with regard to tolerance of
a favourite is not in accordance with your present
line of conduct, for do you not demand the with-
drawal of General Serrano before agreeing to the
reconciliation we are asking ?"
Then, with a singular calmness, the King re-
turned :
" I do not deny that this Serrano is the main
drawback to an agreement with Isabelita, for the
dismissal of the favourite would be immediately
followed by the reconciliation desired by my
wife ; but I would have tolerated him, I would
have exacted nothing, if he had not liurt me
personally by insulting me with unworthy names,
failing in respect to me, and not giving me proper
consideration — and therefore I hate him." He is
a little Godoy, who has not known how to behave ;
for he at least got over Charles IV. before rising
to the favour of my grandmother/'
The Minister of the Government listened with
astonishment to the King's words. Don Fran-
cisco saw it, and continued :
" The welfare of fifteen million people demands
this and other sacrifices. I was not born for
Isabelita, nor Isabelita for me, but the country
must think the contrary. I will be tolerant, but
the influence of Serrano must cease, or I will not
make it up."
Benavides replied that the Ministry deplored
this unhappy " influence," which was getting
176
A Royal Quarrel and the Reconciliation
burdensome to the Queen herself ; but Serrano
had such a fatal ascendancy everywhere, and had
won over to his side the opposing elements, that
any sudden step to put an end to the evil would
result in deplorable consequences for the nation.
" However, the Ministry has decided to get rid
of this pernicious influence/' continued Bena-
vides. " It is seeking a way to do so without a
collision and its consequences ; and one of the
things which would help to this course of the
Cabinet would be the immediate reconciliation
of Your Majesties, as the preliminary to the other
steps which will lead to Serrano's overthrow."
The King refused. He said that his dignity
demanded the withdrawal of the " influence."
Fresh evident proofs had been given that this
hateful man was the cause of the Queen's separa-
tion from him, and therefore he was not inclined
to go back from his word about him.
So Pacheco and all the other Ministers, except-
ing Salamanca, determined to resign if Serrano
did not retire from the Court.
Benavides and Pacheco were among the depu-
tation who petitioned the favourite to agree to
this step, but it was in vain. The Ministers went
backwards and forwards to La Granja without
gaining their purpose. Finally, in pursuance of
the Pope's advice, the Queen decided to return
to Madrid ; and Salamanca, as Prime Minister,
went to the Escorial to report the fact to Bulwer.
It must be noted that Salamanca's name was
not in the list of Ministers suggested by Narvaez.
The Queen wished it to be added, but Narvaez
177 M
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
declined to follow suit, as he knew that this
statesman was supported by Bulwer, whose dis-
like of the King was well known ; and the way
he had spoken of Francisco before his wedding
naturally made the King averse to seeing him.
Bulwer worked with Bermejo against Isabella
during the premiership of Salaancam, and the
publication in The Times of a demand for the
royal divorce was due to him.
At last Francisco and Isabella were reconciled.
It was on October 13 that the King returned to
the capital. He entered the gate of the palace
in a carriage drawn by six horses, with a mounted
escort of the Guardia Civil. He was dressed
quietly in black, and Brunelli, the Pope's Legate,
was seated on his left. Narvaez, Count Alcoy,
Count Vistahermosa, rode by the coach, and two
carriages followed with the high dignitaries of the
palace.
The King looked pleased. General Serrano,
whom he hated so cordially, had left Madrid, and
the Queen was waiting for him at the window.
Brunelli was about to follow the royal couple as
they walked away after their first meeting, but
Narvaez said : " Whither away, Your Eminence ?
Let them be alone with their tears and kisses.
These things are done better without witnesses/'
The Queen arrived that day at her dwelling in
the Calle de las Rejas. "There was a ^family
dinner-party in the evening at the palace, and,
in a private interview with her daughter, Maria
Cristina begged her to be more discreet in future ;
and she reminded her that although she had, as
178
A Royal Quarrel and the Reconciliation
a widow, allowed herself to be captivated by a
commoner, whilst she was the wife of the King
she had never allowed her thoughts to wander
beyond the circle of her rank and her duty.
The reckless extravagance of the Queen excited
muchremark. Courtiers are still living who recollect
seeing Isabella give her bracelets to the beggars
who sometimes infest the courtyard of the palace.
When Miraflores, who was considered the soul
of truth, received a reckless order from the Queen
to dispense a certain amount of money on some
petitioner, he had the sum put in pieces on a table,
and it was only the sight of the large sum which
was thus laid before the Queen which showed her
the extravagance of her command.
A great influence was soon found to be at work
in the palace in the person of Sister Patrocinio,
whose brother, Quiroga, was one of the gentlemen-
in-waiting.
179 M 2
CHAPTER XI
ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF QUEEN ISABELLA—
THE OVERTHROW OF THE QUEEN-
MOTHER, MARIA CRISTINA
1850-1854
THERE was much variety of feeling when it was
known that an heir to the throne was expected.
On the day of the birth, July 12, 1850, the clerics,
Ministers, diplomats, officers, and other important
personages of the realm, assembled at the palace
to pay their respects to the expected infant. But
the bells and cannon had hardly announced to
the nation the birth of the girl-child when it
expired. So the dead form of the infant, which
had only drawn breath in this world for five
minutes, was brought into the assembly of digni-
taries, and after this sad display the gathering
dispersed in silence. The kind-heartedness of the
Queen was shown in her thoughtful generosity to
the nurses who were disappointed of their charge.
" Poor nurses, they must have felt it very
much !" she exclaimed. " But tell them not to
mind, for they shall be paid the same as if they
had had my child."
In February, 1852, an heir to the throne was
once more expected, and the birth of the Infanta
180
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
Isabella was celebrated by the usual solemn pre-
sentation. When the King showed the infant
to his Ministers, he said to the Generals Castanos
and Castroterreno :
" You have served four Kings, and now you
have a Princess who may one day be your
Sovereign."
It was on February 2, 1852, that the dastardly
attempt was made on the life of the Queen, just
before leaving the palace for the Church of Atocha,
where the royal infant was to be baptized. The
Court procession was passing along the quad-
rangular gallery, hung with the priceless tapestries
only displayed on important occasions, when
Manuel Martin Merino, a priest of a parish of
Madrid, suddenly darted forward from the spec-
tators lining the way, with the halberdier guard.
The petition in the cleric's hand and his garb of
a cleric led to his step forward being unmolested,
and the Queen turned to him, prepared to take
the paper. But the next moment the other hand
of the assassin appeared from under his cloak
with a dagger, which he swiftly aimed at the
royal mother. Fortunately, the Queen's corset
turned aside the murderous weapon, and, although
blood spurted from her bodice, the wound was not
very deep ; but she was at once put to bed and
placed under the care of the royal physicians.
The royal infant was promptly seized from the
arms of its mother at the moment of the attack,
by an officer of the Royal Guard, and for this
presence of mind the soldier was afterwards given
the title of the Marquis of Amparo.
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
With regard to the assailant, the Queen said to
her Ministers : " You have often vexed me by
turning a deaf ear to my pleas of mercy for
criminals, but I wish this man to be punished
immediately." And, with the outraged feeling of
the object of such a dastardly deed, Isabella
turned to the would-be murderer, and said:
' What have I ever done to offend you, that you
should have attacked me thus ?"
During the trial in the succeeding days the
Queen softened to the criminal, and said to her
advisers : " No, no ! don't kill him for what he
did to me !"
However, justice delivered the man to the hang-
man five days after his deed.
The efforts to discover Merino's accomplices
were fruitless, and it was thought that the deed
had been prompted more by the demagogue party
than by the Carlists.
The cool, cynical manner of the cleric never
left him even at the moment of his execution.
When the priest's hair was cut for the last time,
he said to the barber : " Don't cut much, or I shall
catch cold."
The doomed man's request to say a few words
from the scaffold was refused. When asked what
he had wished to say, he replied : " Nothing
much. I pity you all for having to stay in this
world of corruption and misery."
The ovation which the Queen had when she
finally went to the Church of'Atocha to present
the infant surpasses description." 4 Flowers strewed
the way, and tears of joy showed the sympathy of
182 *
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
the people with the Queen in her capacity as
mother, and at her escape from the attempt on
her life.
From 1852 to 1854 Isabella failed to please her
subjects, and the outburst of loyalty which had
followed the attempt on her life gradually waned.
Curiously indifferent to what was for her personal
interest, as well as for the welfare of the country,
Isabella turned a deaf ear to the advice of her
Ministers to dissolve, a Cabinet which was under
the leadership of the Count of San Luis, who was
known to be the tool of Queen Maria Cristina,
now so much hated by the Spaniards. Miraflores
wrote a letter to Isabella, advising the return of
Espartero, the Count of Valencia, but the letter
never reached its destination.
Remonstrances which had been made upon the
Government were now directed straight to the
Throne.
" You see/* said her advisers, " how the persons
whom you have overwhelmed with honours and
favours speak against you !"
The Generals O'Donnell and Dulce finally took
an active part against the Ministry, supported by
the Queen-mother and Rianzares.
The Count of San Luis was a man of fine bearing
and charming manners. He had been conspicuous
in his early days for his banquets and gallantries,
but he had also been known for many a generous
deed to his friends ; and it was noticeable that
when the tide of favour left him he was deserted
by all those to whom he had been of service.
The birth of another royal infant in 1854
183
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
excited little or no interest in the capital, where
discontent with the reigning powers was so
evident. General Dulce was accused in the
presence of the Queen and San Luis of having
conspired against the Throne. This the officer
indignantly denied on the spot, declaring that
never could he have believed in the perfidy
which had prompted the report.
At last the storm of revolution broke over
Madrid, and the parties of the Generals O'Donnell
and Dulce came into collision with those of the
Government. Insulting cries against the Queen-
mother filled the streets, and during the three
days' uproar the house of Maria Cristina, in the
Calle de las Rejas, was sacked, as well as those of
her partisans. The furniture was burned in the
street, and Maria Cristina took refuge in the
royal palace.
After the Pronunciamento of Vicalvaro and
O'Donnell to the troops, it was evident that the
soldiers of the Escorial would also revolt against
the Government.
It was then that Isabella was filled with the
noble impulse to go alone to the barracks of the
mutinous regiments and reason personally with
them. With her face aglow with confidence in
her soldiers and in herself, she said : " I am sure
that the generals will come back with me then to
Madrid, and the soldiers will return to their
barracks shouting ' Vivas ' for their Queen."
But this step, which would have appealed with
irresistible force to the subjects, was opposed by
the Ministers, who objected to a course which
184
w -B
23 C
< '3
C/3 Pi
S
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
would have robbed them of their portfolios by
the Sovereign coming to an understanding with
those who were opposed to their opinions.
At this time Isabella received from the Infanta
Josef a, daughter of the Infanta Louisa Carlota
and Francisco de Paula, a letter which showed
that the Princess had inherited her mother's
hatred of the Queen-mother, Maria Cristina ; for
she wrote :
' Your Majesty should distrust the artificial
and partial counsels of the Queen-mother. This
lady, to whom you owe your birth, is sacrificing
you to her insatiable greed of gold. Beyond your
life you do not owe anything to Maria Cristina.
She has done nothing for Spain that you should
give her submission and obedience in your conduct
as Queen. Hardly had Your Majesty's father
gone down to his grave than his widow gave you
the pernicious example of an impure love, which
began in a scandal, and ended, ten years later,
in a morganatic marriage, to the incalculable
harm of the country.
" Maria Cristina is lax in the principles of
morality, which ought to be the foundation of
the education of Princes, and she knew not how
to inculcate them in the mind of Your Majesty.
Whilst you were a child, she did nothing but
accumulate money and arrange for her future
booty.
' The disinterestedness and the generous senti-
ments which enrich Your Majesty's heart, and the
high tendencies which have shone in your mind,
and which have only been suffocated by the
185
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
pettiness of your entourage, are exclusively a
gift from Heaven, and under favourable circum-
stances they would have developed into great
and glorious deeds. When the time arrived for
the marriage of Your Majesty — an event of such
import to your destiny — Your Majesty knows
that the Queen-mother only used her influence to
make you marry a man whose sole merit lay in his
power of ministering to her omnivorous nature.
Never did a mother behave in such a self-interested
way in what concerned her daughter's domestic
happiness ! And now she continues the soul of
the Government, counselling Your Majesty for
her own ends, and with utter disregard of the
wishes of the people/ '
This letter, which gives an idea of the dis-
sensions of the Royal Family, and the expression
of feeling against Maria Cristina, was shared by
the people. Indeed, the hatred of the Queen-
mother was publicly shown after she took refuge
in the royal palace. The Plaza de los Ministros
resounded with the cries from the townsfolk of
" Death to Cristina !" A storm of stones broke
all the windows of the palace. The soldiers fired
on the people. The palace gate of El Principe
had to be guarded by two cannon commanding
the Plaza de Oriente. Twelve guns were stationed
in the great courtyard called the Plaza de las
Armas, and all the cavalry at Madrid was sum-
moned to the defence of the royal abode ; and
during the siege there was serious anxiety that the
provisions would not last long.
Queen Isabella sought to encourage and sup-
186
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
port her mother, but she saw that the stream
of public hatred was now too strong to be
stemmed.
The arrival of Espartero in Madrid, on July 29,
raised the siege of the palace, and the people,
delighted at the sight of their favourite leader,
gave a loyal ovation to Queen Isabella when she
appeared at a window of the palace.
The days from July 17 to August 28 were fraught
with anxiety for the Queen of Spain. The cries
for the dismissal of the Queen-mother, and for
her trial for the appropriation of State moneys,
could no longer be silenced, and the day came
when the royal lady found that her personal
safety demanded her departure from the country.
So, accompanied by a mounted escort, Maria
Cristina submitted to the decision of Espartero,
as the mouthpiece of the people, and she finally
bade farewell to her weeping daughter at the
palace door, and left the country, never more to
return.
Espartero made a crusade against the undue
priestly influence at Court. The weak-minded
King was quite under the power of " the bleeding
nun," as Patrocinio was called, and his constant
visits to her apartments in the palace were said
to have been in search of spiritual counsel, with
which she was supposed to be miraculously
endowed by reason of the wounds in her forehead
and hands, which refused to be healed, as they
were said to be illustrative of those of the Saviour.
The Queen and all the Royal Family became
hysterically hypnotized by this phenomenon.
187
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
But Espartero soon put an end to the matter
by having the lady put under the authoritative
care of a doctor, who had her hands tied so as to
prevent her irritating the wounds ; and thus in
a short time the supposed miracle was over, and
the power of the religieuse and her brother, the
Archbishop Claret, was at an end.
Espartero had O'Donnell as his Minister of
War. Dissensions broke out again in the Cabinet,
and O'Donnell reaped the success of his camarilla
influence at the midnight Council meeting held
before the Queen in July, 1856. For when
Espartero found that his measures for the new
Constitution were rejected, he offered his resigna-
tion ; and then, to his surprise, the Queen, by a
prearranged concert, turned to hife colleague with
her sweetest smile, saying, " I aiii sure you won't
abandon me, will you ?" and he was sworn in as
Prime Minister the following day.
But O'Donnell had a powerful rival for favour
at the palace in the person of Narvaez, a General
of some fame, whose alert ^ dapper little figure,
said to have been improved by corsets, made him
popular at Court as a dancer.
This officer was extremely arrogant, and noting
that the grandees, by right of their special pre-
rogative, stood covered in the royal presence
during the ceremony of the King washing the
feet of the poor, and feeding them in the historical
Hall of Columns, he promptly put his own cocked
hat on his head, and bade his officers do the same.
O'Donnell, who was of a heavier, clumsier build
than his rival, suffered much at the sight of the
188
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
success of Narvaez in the arts of society. One
day at a state ball at the palace the two Generals
stood in readiness to conduct the Queen through
the mazes of the rigodon. As Prime Minister,
O'Donnell considered that the distinction of taking
Isabella's hand for the figures was his by right,
but Isabella could not resist the temptation of
having for a partner a man distinguished as a
follower of Terpsichore, and she therefore singled
out Narvaez as her partner.
In a fury at what he considered a public slight,
O'Donnell gave in his resignation the next day
as President of the Council, and General Narvaez
was chosen to fill the vacant place.
It was well known at Court that the British
Ambassador, Bulwer Lytton, was working against
the Court of Spain in England, and consequently
he was an object of great aversion to the military
leader of the Government.
Irritated at the Englishman's assumption of
authority, Narvaez said one day to Bulwer
Lytton that Spain did not interfere with the
affairs of Queen Victoria like England did with
those of Isabella II. To this remark the British
diplomat returned that Victoria did not owe her
throne to foreign intervention, as Isabella did.
One day Narvaez was in his bureau in a great
state of irritation about some action of the British
Ambassador, when Bulwer Lytton was announced.
He drew a chair close to Narvaez, and, although
the Spaniard pushed his back, drew his seat
still closer. ^Upon this Narvaez jumped up in
his excitable manner, and then, wishing to seat
189
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
himself again, he missed the place and found
himself lower than he wished.
Upon this the Ambassador made some remark
which added fuel to the fire of the General's
wrath, and, advancing to the Englishman, he
made him rise from his seat, took him by the
neck, and kicked him so that he nearly fell to the
ground. The Ambassador took his papers for
England that day, and this incident doubtless
added to the bitterness with which Bulwer re-
ported on the affairs of Spain.
The incident just related, of this last interview
of Sir Bulwer Lytton with the Spanish Premier,
was evidently never reported in all its bearings,
but enough was known for it to be seen that the
Ambassador was apt to embroil matters. For
in " The Letters of Queen Victoria/' vol. ii.,
p. 207, Her Majesty writes :
23, 1848.
11 The sending away of Sir H. Bulwer* is a
serious affair, which will add to our many embar-
rassments. The Queen, however, is not surprised
at it, from the tenor of the last accounts df Madrid,
and from the fact that Sir H. Bulwer has, for the
last three years, been sporting with political
intrigues. He invariably boasted of being in the
confidence of every conspiracy, though he was
taking care not to be personally mixed up in them ;
* " Lord Palmerston had written a letter to Bulwer (which
the latter showed to the Spanish Premier) lecturing the Spanish
Queen on her choice of a Minister. This assumption of
superiority, as Sir Robert Peel calls it, led to a peremptory
order to leave Spain in twenty-four hours. — EDITOR."
190
Attempt on the Life of Queen Isabella
and, after their various failures, generally har-
boured the chief actors in his house under the
plea of humanity. At every crisis he gave us
to understand that he had to choose between a
revolution and a palace intrigue, and not long ago
he wrote to Lord Palmerston that if the Monarchy
with the Montpensier succession was inconvenient
to us, he could get up a Republic."
But Isabella's realm was still torn by insur-
rections. In January, 1860, the Prefect of the
Police reported that a rebellion was being pre-
pared in Spain against the throne by the Carlist
party, under Don Carlos Luis de Bourbon y de
Braganza, Count of Montemolin. When justice
was prepared to take its course against the insur-
rectionists, Don Carlos wrote to Isabella, saying :
" I am certain that your compassionate heart,
which has always shown pity for the unfortunate,
will not fail to have mercy on your cousins, and
not deny the pardon that we crave."
This mercy was also eloquently pleaded for
by the unhappy mother of the delinquents. So,
obedient to the impulse of her kind heart, Isabella
said to the weeping parent : "Be at rest ; your
son shall not die."
However, the Carlist family soon forgot the
clemency of the Queen, and the letter of Juan de
Bourbon, son of Don Carlos," Ferdinand's brother,
showed that the spirit of animosity burnt as power-
fully as ever in the breast of the claimant to the
throne.
' Twenty-seven years you have reigned/' ran
191
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the Prince's letter to his royal cousin, " and you
must confess that the hand of God has not helped
you. I know the country ; I know equally well
that your heart is good, and that you do good
when you can, and you regret the evils which
afflict Spain. But you try in vain. You cannot
fight against Providence, which never wills that
evil should prosper. Be assured, dear cousin, that
God did not choose you to make the happiness
of Spain, and that Divine Providence has denied
you the lot of being a great Queen. Descend,
Isabella — descend from the throne ! Show your-
self great in this matter, and take the place to
which you have a claim in my family as my dear
cousin, and as having occupied the throne for so
many years, and do not expose yourself to final
disaster and bring ruin on the family."
192
CHAPTER XII
COURT INTRIGUES
1864—1868
ON November 28, 1857, " the birth of
Alfonso XII.," as Martin Hume says, " added
another thong to the whip which the King-
Consort could hold over the Queen for his personal
and political ends, and it also had the apparently
incongruous effect of sending Captain Puig Molto
into exile.
Of course there were the usual rejoicings at the
birth of a Prince, but things were far from satis-
factory at the Court. The Queen had now a taste
of personal power and a higher notion of her own
political ability. The Congress was in slavish
servitude to the palace, arid, acting in accordance
with this sentiment, it had managed to get rid of
the men in the Senate who had been working for
the constitutional privileges of the country which
would have led to the indispensable protection of
the prerogative of a true suffrage ; and freed from
these patriots, the press was silenced and Parlia-
ment was suspended.
The return of Maria Cristina, the Queen* s
mother, was another step which added to the
unpopularity of Isabella II. Once more wearied
193 N
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out with waiting for the realization of consti-
tutional rights, the people's exasperation was
voiced by the soldiers at the barracks of San
Gil, within view of the royal palace of Madrid.
O'Donnell at once took steps for the suppression
of the insurrection.
The cries of " Viva Prim !" " Viva la Libertad !"
showed that the spirit of republicanism was
rampant.
Swiftly as O'Donnell went to the scene of action,
Narvaez was before him, and so the Prime Minister
had the mortification of seeing his rival carried
into the palace to be tended for the slight wound he
had received in the conflict.
The rebellion was soon quelled, and the insur-
gents were shot ; but disinterested advisers of the
Queen might have shown her that such emeutes
proved that the fire of discontent was smouldering,
and with a strong Government for the consti-
tutional rights for which the country was clamour-
ing the revolution of i868^would have been avoided.
On the day following the San Gil insurrection a
man of influence at the Court went to plead pardon
for two of the insurgents from Her Majesty herself.
The interview was characteristic of the kind-
heartedness of the Queen.
After waiting for half an hour in the ante-
chamber, the gentleman was shown into the royal
presence.
" You have been quite lost/' said Isabel
graciously, as her visitor bent over her hand.
"It is a thousand years since you have been to
see me."
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Court Intrigues
Whilst excusing himself with courtly grace,
Tarfe noticed that during the two years in which
he had been absent from the palace the Queen
had grown much stouter, and had thus lost some
of her queenly dignity. She seemed 'distrait and
troubled, and the red lids of her limpid blue eyes
gave her an expression of weariness. They were,
moreover, the eyes of a woman who had been
brought in contact with the encyclopaedic array of
the various forms of the despoilers~of innocence.
The petitioner submitted his plea for mercy for
his friends by saying that his request was
backed by a letter from the holy Mother, begging
her to write two letters to General Hoyos for their
release. To the delight of the intercessor, the
Sovereign at once wrote the letters. When this
was done, the surprise of the courtier was in-
creased when the Queen, <who was generally
mananista, said in a quick, nervous tone : " Do
not delay giving these letters ; do not wait till
to-morrow ; do it to-day !"
Before leaving the royal presence, Tarfe ven-
tured to say that O' Bonn ell was much upset by the
events of the preceding day, and the Queen replied
in a tone curiously devoid of feeling : " Yes, I like
O'Donnell very much." This she said three times
in the same passionless voice, and then, seeing
that he was dismissed, Tarfe took leave of Her
Majesty ; and after fulfilling the mission to Hoyos, he
went to see O'Donnell at his palace of Buenavista.
The General declined to believe the reports of
his friends, of the intrigues which were to compass
his fall.
195 N 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
The victor at Tetuan was more able to repel the
open advance of an enemy than the underhand
plots of a palace.
But when Ortiz de Pinedo suddenly came in,
and said, " Gonzalez Brabo has left San Juan de
Luz to-day, and he is coming to form a Ministry
with Narvaez," the General was somewhat taken
aback.
On the following morning, after finishing a long
despatch for the royal signature, he repaired to the
palace, and, anxious to know the real state of
affairs, he submitted to Her Majesty the list of
appointments to the Senate-house, many of
which had been suggested by Isabel herself.
To the surprise of the Minister, the list was
rejected by the Queen in a cold, disdainful way, so
O'Donnell found himself forced to offer his resigna-
tion. This was accepted with the usual meaning-
less smiles and compliments.
Then O'Donnell returned to his house, where
his friends were waiting for him. His face be-
trayed his rage and mortification, and, throwing
his gloves on the table with an angry gesture, he
exclaimed :
" I have been dismissed just as you would
dismiss one of your servants ."
" My General/1 exclaimed one of the partisans
of the ex-Minister, '" the camarilla delayed the
change of Ministry for two days after the mutiny ;
why was that ? And Ayala returned because it was
better for Narvaez that we should have the odium
of shooting the insurgents. Now he can take his
place in Parliament with all the airs of clemency ."
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Court Intrigues
O'Donnell, who could not deny the truth of this
remark, took General Serrano by the arm into
another room, but they could plainly hear their
indignant followers saying : " Eso, sefiora, es
imposible !"
The Marquis of Mira-flores says that a General
Pierrad, the head of the Pronunciamento, told
a chief of the halberdiers that he had better tell
the Queen that there were no means of putting
down meetings, and this for two reasons : Prim and
his friends only wanted a change in the power by
a disciplined Pronunciamento, but the artillery,
through some strange influence, would not recog-
nize military chiefs. He who said this was to have
been shot down by them ; he saw them drunk and
faithless to their commands. This communica-
tion was made to the Queen. In 1867 an im-
portant interview took place in the Palace of
Madrid between Isabel II. and her sister, the
Duchess of Montpensier.
It will be remembered that, after the adventures
of the royal couple in the revolution of 1848, the
Duke and Duchess retired to Seville, where they
lived in the Palace of San Felmo with all the state
dignity of sovereigns. The Queen had made the
Duke an Infante of Spain, and he had also been
appointed Captain-General.
The Duke decided to take his wife to Madrid to
counsel her sister to adopt a more liberal policy.
The Duchess was expecting another child, but she
was advised not to postpone her visit to the
royal palace of Madrid. The interview was far
from satisfactory, for Isabella had no intention of
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allowing Montpensier to have an active part in the
Government. So the Princess returned to Seville,
and Isabella afterwards wrote her a letter, in
which she expressed displeasure at her aims. This
letter received an angry reply, first from the
husband, and then from the wife. So a coldness
grew up between the sisters, and, indeed, Isabella's
want of confidence in Montpensier was proved by
the subsequent events in 1868, when Prim himself
rejected the Duke's offer to raise forces in his
favour.
During all this time the little Prince of Asturias,
who was nine years old when the insurrection
broke out in the barracks of San Gil for Prim, was
pursuing his education in the palace. The style
of the Prince's education is given in the remark of
the royal child's playmate to his father, when he
had been to spend a day at the palace.
" Papa," said the boy, " Alfonso does not know
anything. He is taught nothing but religion and
drilling. After the religious lesson, which was
very dull," the child continued, " Alfonso was
given a spear and a sword, and he waved them
about so much that Juanito and I were afraid he
would hurt us."
A record was kept of the little Prince's doings
during the day. His frequent colds, his coughs,
his acts of devotion, his appetite at meals, his
games, his toys, his little^jtempers, his deeds of
obedience, were all entered in the register as signs
of his temperament and as indications of his
future character as a man.
The Prince's apartments were dreary. The
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Court Intrigues
windows were high up in the thick walls, the
ceilings were low, and, as a grandee says when
speaking of this fact, it seemed strange that the
light and air so essential for a child should be
insufficiently supplied to a future King. General
Pavia, who was gentleman-in-waiting to Alfonso,
only shrugged his shoulders at this remark, but
Senor Morphy ventured to say : ' That is our
opinion, but she who commands, commands."
When the grandee was introduced to the little
Prince, he returned the salutation with the
manner of one accustomed to it, but with a pretty
smile which was very attractive.
" Yes," said his attendant, " His Royal High-
ness is better to-day. He only has a little cough
now, but the doctor says he is not to be tired
with lessons to-day ; he is only to rest."
" Last night," said the General, " His Highness
asked for his lead soldiers to play with in bed.
He did not want to say his prayers. So I had to
fetch the new prayer-book which Her Majesty
sent a few days ago, and I read the prayers whilst
he repeated them after me. So in this way te
said his prayers, but not willingly."
Hereupon Alfonso protested, saying : " But this
morning, Marquis, I said my prayers without
your reading anything."
" Yes, yes," returned the gentleman ; " but
Your Highness did not want to get up, so I had
to read stories to you until the doctor came."
A few pages from the diary of the young Prince
of Asturias gives some insight into the dreary
daily life of the delicate child :
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" October i, 1866. — His Highness breakfasted
at ii o'clock. At i o'clock he had drilling till
1.40. At 2 o'clock a writing lesson with Sefior
Castilla ; at 3 o'clock religion with Senor Fer-
nandez ; 4.30, rice soup as usual ; 4.50 he went
up to the rooms of Her Majesty to go for a drive
with her.
" October 4. — His Highness played about till
2.15. He had no lessons to-day, as being Her
Majesty's saint's day. At 2.43 he went up to
the Queen's apartments to assist at the reception.
He wore the uniform of a sergeant, with the Cross
of Pelayo. The ceremony over at 6.15, when His
Highness came down with Senor Novaliches, as
a boot hurt him (not the Marquis, but His High-
ness). The said Marquis took off the boot, and
carefully examined the foot, but he found nothing
to account for the pain. Mention is made of this
circumstance as the Chief of the Chamber of His
Highness thinks it fitting to do so. . . .
" October 6. — My Lord Prince lunched at 12
o'clock. I gave him his lessons. He went to
the Church of Our Lady of Atocha. He went
to bed at 10 o'clock, and slept ten hours. He
took some chocolate, made his confession at 9.30,
and Father Fernandez celebrated Mass.
" October 9. — He breakfasted with appetite. He
had his lessons at the marked hours, and he was
somewhat restless. At 4 o'clock he took some
soup, and went out for a walk with the Mayor-
domo, Senor Marquis de Novaliches, Professor
Sanchez, and Juanito. He had supper at 8 o'clock,
and played till 10 o'clock with Juanito, but left
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off when he knocked his left leg against a table.
He slept from 10 o'clock till 9 o'clock in the
morning. He got up at 9.30 without feeling any
pain in his leg from the blow. He did his orisons,
assisted at the Mass in his room ; he went out for
a walk with his Mayordomo, returned at n o'clock,
and assisted at the Mass with Their Majesties and
the Princesses ; and at 11.45 he had his hair
cut/'
As Perez Galdos says in his works, the long
hours of religious instruction every day would
have qualified the little Prince for the Council
of Trent. When any Bishops came to visit Isa-
bella, they were sent to the apartments of her
little son ; and thus Morphy writes in the register :
" I gave the lesson to His Highness in the presence
of the Bishops of Avila, Guadix, Taragona, and
of other dioceses whose names I do not remember."
And Losa wrote : " He opened his eyes at 8.30 ;
he dressed and gave thanks to God ; he took his
chocolate with appetite, and at 10 o'clock had his
religion lesson in the presence of the Cardinal
of Burgos, who was pleased with his progress,
and noted that His Highness was ' magnificent in
everything.' "
Courtiers who were true of heart saw with
apprehension the artificial character of the Prince's
education.
" Ah !" said a man who would gladly have been
frank with the Queen, but he felt he was powerless
against her crowd of flatterers, " Alfonso is a very
intelligent child. He has qualities of heart and
mind which would give us a King worthy of the
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people, were they only properly cultivated ; but
we shall never see this ideal realized, because he
is being brought up like an idiot. Instead of
educating the boy, they are stultifying him ;
instead of opening his eyes to science, life, and
nature, they blind them so that his sensitive soul
remains in darkness and ignorance."
The same courtier implored the Prince's edu-
cators to give the lad a chance. " Take him
out of this atmosphere of priests and nuns, and
devotional books by Father Claret. If you want
Alfonso to be a great King, let him breathe the
pure air of fine deeds. Take him away from the
gloomy atmosphere of the royal palace ; let him
inhale the fresh breezes of liberty. His talents
will develop, and he will become a different boy."
It was indeed true the little Prince was in an
unnatural atmosphere in the palace, where the
tunic of the nun Patrocinio had become an object
of worship, and where the King, in his stuffy
apartments, gave himself over to the study of
relics which were brought to him at a high price
by the priestly folk, who made harvest out of his
credibility.
The situation of Queen Isabella is graphically
given by the historian Galdos in the reflections
of a loyal courtier whilst having, with his wife,
an audience of Isabella II. :
" Oh, your poor Majesty !" he said to himself.
" The etiquette invented by the set-up gentle-
men of the Court to shut you off from the national
sentiment prevents me telling you the truth,
because it would hurt you to hear it. Even
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Court Intrigues
those on the most intimate terms with you shut
you out from the truth, and they come to you full
of lies. So, kind-hearted Isabella, you receive the
homage of my gilded untruths. All that I have
said to you this afternoon is an offering of floral
decorations, the only ones received on royal
altars. . . . You, who are more inclined to the
ordinary and the plebeian than other Kings — you
let the truth come to you in external decorative,
and verbal matters, but in things of public con-
sequence you like nothing but lies, because you
are educated in it, and falsity is the religious
cloak, or rather the transparent veil, which you
like to throw over your political and non-political
errors. Oh, poor neglected, ill-fated Queen . . . !"
The reflections of the courtier were here inter-
rupted by Isabella saying to his wife : " Maria
Ignacia, I want to give you the ribbon of Maria
Luisa. ... I shall never forgive myself for not
having done it before. I have been very neglect-
ful—eh ?"
The Marchioness was eloquent in her thanks,
and Beramendi could only say : " Senora, the
kindness of Your Majesty is unbounded. . . .
How can we express our gratitude to Your
Majesty ?"
But the Marquis said to himself : " We take it,
because even as you accept our lying homage, so
we receive these signs of vanity. King and
people we deceive each other ; we give you painted
rags of flattery, which look like flowers, and you
bestow honours on us which take the place of real
affection."
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Isabella continued : " I must give you a title of
Count or Viscount, which your son can take when
he comes of age."
The Marquis's wife returned : " Our Queen is
always so good ; that is why the Spaniards love
her so."
" Ah, no, no !" exclaimed Isabella in a melan-
choly tone, " they do not love me as they did. . . .
And many really hate me, and yet God knows I
have not changed in my love for the Spaniards. . . .
But things have got all wrong. ... I don't know
how it is ... it is through the heated passions of
one and the other. But, Beramendi, it is not my
fault."
" No, indeed," returned the courtier ; " you have
not caused this embroiled state of affairs. It is the
work of the statesmen, who are moved by ambition
and egoism."
This indeed was true, for even as Serrano used
the Queen's favour to his own ends, and had his
debts twice paid by Her Majesty, he was the first
to lead the country against her.
" Do you think that matters will improve, and
that passions will calm down ?" asked Isabella
anxiously.
" Oh, senora, I hope that the Government will
confirm your authority, and that those that are
in rebellion will recognize their error."
" That is what they all say," said Isabella, with
a little satirical smile. " We shall see how things
will turn out. I trust in God, and I don't believe
He will forsake me."
" Ah !" said Beramendi to himself, whilst his
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royal mistress continued in the same strain of
religious trust to his wife, " do not invoke the
true God whilst you prostrate yourself before the
false one. This god of thine is an idol made of
superstition, and decked in the trappings of
flattery ; he will not come to your aid, because he
is not God. I pity you, blind, generous, misled
Sovereign. . . . Those who loved you so much
now merely pity you. . . . You have been silly
enough to turn the love of the Spaniards to com-
miseration, if not to hatred. I see your goodness,
your affection, but these gifts are not sufficient to
rule a nation. The Spanish people have got tired
of looking for the fruit of your good heart."
When Isabella gave the sign of dismissal of the
courtier and his wife by rising to her feet, he
said to himself sadly :
"Good-bye, Queen Isabella; you have spoilt
your life. Your reign began with the smiles of all
the good fairies, but you have changed them into
devils, which drag you to perdition. ... As your
ears are never allowed to hear the truth, I cannot
tell you that you will reign until O'Donnell will
permit the Generals to second Prim's plans. Oh,
poor Queen ! you would think me mad if I said
such a thing to you ; you would think I was a
rebel and a personal enemy, and you would run in
terror to consult with your devilish nuns and the
odious set which has raised a high wall between
Isabella II. and the love of Spain. Good-bye,
lady of the sad destiny ; may God save your
descendants, as He cannot save you !"
The good-heartedness of the Queen was, indeed,
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seen by all about her, and there are people still
at the Palace of Madrid who remember seeing
Her Majesty take off her bracelets and give them
to the beggars which infest the royal courtyard.
All the best impulses of Isabella were turned to
her own ruin for the want of true patriots, who
by supporting the constitutional rights of the
nation would have secured the sovereignty to
the Queen. The self-interested conduct of the
generals and statesmen, whose command in the
camarilla of the palace meant rule over the heart
of Her Majesty, tended naturally only to the over-
throw of personal rivals, and to the neglect of the
welfare of the land.
Prim therefore became the hope of the nation.
With his return to the capital, thought the people,
crushed down by taxation and deprived of consti-
tutional liberty, there will be an end to the
camarilla, Narvaez, and Patrocinio, and we shall
have the pure fresh air of disinterested policy.
The death of O'Donnell at Biarritz relieved
Narvaez of the fear of his rival's return, but the
General had the mortification of seeing his royal
mistress utterly in the hands of Marfori, who had
been raised from the position of Intendente of the
Palace to the position of supreme personal favour.
When the Queen heard of O'Donnell's death,
she is reported to have said : "He determined not
to be Minister with me again, and now he can
never be."
•, The Queen now committed the suicidal act of
making Gonzalez Brabo Prime Minister in the
place of Narvaez. The poor lady seemed quite to
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have lost her head, and there was no one to put her
on the right path, surrounded as she was with
harpies.
According to a letter from Pius IX., found in
the Princess's prayer-book in the royal palace
after the Queen had taken flight, the Pope coun-
selled the marriage of the Infanta Isabella with
a Neapolitan Prince. Even whilst the fetes of
the marriage were going on, Gonzalez Brabo was
concerting with the revolutionary Generals, and
the name of " Prim and Liberty !" was heard on
all sides, and messengers were sent to consult with
the leader of the Republican party in London.
The supporters of the Montpensier party hoped
that the dethronement of Isabella would mean the
acceptance of the Duchess of Montpensier as
Queen, and her husband as Prince-Consort. But
this idea was soon nipped by Monsieur de Persigny,
the President of the Privy Council of the Emperor
of the French, saying to Olozaga, who was then
Spanish Ambassador at Paris, that he would never
consent to the crown of Spain being on the head
of either the Duke or the Duchess of Montpensier.
After the historic day of September 29, 1868,
when Prim made his successful coup at Cadiz, the
Royal Family fled to San Sebastian.
The haste with which the flight was made could
be seen in the collections of jewels and money
which had been thrust into bags which were after
aU left behind.
In the Hotel d'Angleterre of the seaside resort
Isabella still seemed to expect a miracle to take
place in her favour. A throne does not fall every
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
day, and a crowd hovered about the hotel to see
how the Queen would accept her overthrow.
A murmur of satisfaction broke out among the
bystanders when the loyal-hearted Marquis de
Beramendi was seen entering the hotel. " That is
a good thing/' they said, " for Isabella will listen
to his advice, which is certain to be wise."
The courtier's remarks to the Lady-in- Wai ting
were short and to the point.
" I have come to tell you," he said, " that, if the
Queen keeps to the good idea of abdicating, certain
infatuated people ought to be kept from opposing
it. I have had direct news from Serrano, and he
says that, if Dona Isabella will abdicate in favour
of Don Alfonso, he will save the dynasty, and she
herself will be saved. The Duke of Torres will
not put obstacles in the way of this course."
" Better than that," returned the Lady-in-
Waiting, in a voice which a cold rendered almost
inaudible, " I thought that Her Majesty had the
same idea, ' that she had better go to Logrono, and
abdicate in favour of the Prince of Asturias in the
presence of Esparterq/ '
" That's admirable !" said Beramendi.
" And then, after abdicating, the Queen will
depart immediately for France, leaving the new
King in the power of the Regent Espartero."
" Admirable ! splendid !" cried Beramendi ; " but
there is not a minute to lose."
" The departure will be arranged, this evening."
" But, my God, I fear delays will be fatal ; I am
afraid that some bad friend, some plotting courtier
of the camarilla, will spoil this saving step—
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Court Intrigues
" Well, I must go upstairs now," returned the
lady. " The Sefiora, Don Francisco, and Roncali,
are busy with manifestoes for the nation."
" And Spain will say, ' Manifestoes to me !'
Now is the time to show the country fine deeds,
and not empty rhetoric."
On the following morning, when Beramendi
went to the hotel, he came upon Marfori; and
although he had had little to do with this nephew
of Narvaez since royal favouritism had raised him
to such undue importance, he said, in a tone of
assumed respect : " So Her Majesty is going direct
to France ? Something was said about her
travelling to Logrofio ?"
Upon this Marfori frowned angrily, saying :
' You don't understand, my dear Marquis, that
it would be very humiliating for the Queen of
Spain to ask protection from a General, although
he bear the name of Espartero. All concert with
Progressists is dangerous. The Queen is leaving
Spain under the conviction that she will soon be
recalled by her people."
" I knew it was useless to say more. Don Carlos
Marfori was busy giving orders to the servants. I
regarded him with resentment, because he was the
personification of the evil influence which brought
the Queen to her ruin.
" His Arab type of handsomeness, with his large
mouth and heavy jaw, was eloquent of sensuality,
and his obesity robbed him of the attraction which
he had possessed in earlier days. He was im-
petuous, overbearing, and wanting in the courtesy
common to a superior education."
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The Marquis was then taken into the presence
of the Queen, and as he bent over her hand she
whispered : ' ' You know we have given up the
idea of going to Logrono. No more humiliations I
I am going away so as not to aggravate matters,
and to prevent bloodshed ; but I shall be recalled,
shall I not ?"
" I had to console Her Majesty with one of the
usual Court lies, and the Royal Family soon took
its departure, the Queen leaning on the arm of
Don Francisco, the little Infantas with their
Ladies-in- Waiting, and the Prince of Asturias, in
a blue velvet suit, led by Sefiora de Tacon. The
poor little fellow looked pale and sad ; his great
eyes seemed to express the royal and domestic
sadness of the scene, and nothing was now wanting
but the order for departure."
Marfori was always much disliked by people at
Court. It was in the summer of 1867. Many
courtiers and ladies of high rank were promenading
in the beautiful gardens of La Granja. The soft,
well-kept turf of the shady alleys by the countless
sparkling fountains set off the beauty of the
dresses, when, with his usual courtly grace,
General Narvaez advanced to meet the Countess
of Campo Alange.
This illustrious lady, whose salons in Madrid
were graced by the highest in the land, was
soon to give a ball.
" I have received your invitation," said the
General, after he had greeted the Countess.
" It is almost the first that I have sent," re-
turned the lady.
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" I have just met Marfori," said the Duke of
Valencia, " and he tells me he has not received
his."
" Neither will he," replied the lady sharply.
" And why, being a Minister ?" queried the
General in surprise, knowing how the slight to
the Queen's favourite would be resented at Court.
" Simply because Cabinet Councils are not held
at my house," returned the lady caustically,
firm in her decision to show her dislike of the
man.
General Narvaez, whose dapper figure and
perfect dancing made him always a welcome
guest at the Spanish Court, was still unmarried
when he had to withdraw to Paris as an exile.
He had always been fond of feminine society,
but, gay butterfly as he was, he did not fix his
affections upon any one lady.
The beautiful Leocadia Zamora had been once
the object of the officer's attention, and, indeed,
the charming way she accompanied herself on
the harp fascinated other admirers beside the
Count of Valencia. She was a constant visitor
in the salons of the Countess of Montijo, where
the lovely Eugenie shone with the brilliance and
charm which were so soon to be transported to
the Court of France.
But fate did not reserve the joy of a happy
marriage for the lovely Leocadia, and the sweet
spirit, disillusioned by an unhappy love, retired
to a convent in Oviedo, where she passed the
rest of her life performing the duties of a Lady
Abbess.
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It was said that it was the gallant Don Salvador
de Castro who had taken Leocadia's heart captive,
when she was young ; and, indeed, it is not sur-
prising if this report be true, for he was a typical
courtier of his time, and when he was home from
his duties as Ambassador in Italy he seemed to
dwarf all the attractions of the lady's other
admirers. Leocadia was, in truth, a star of the
Court of Spain, and the beautiful picture by
Frederick Madrazo shows the perfection of her
charms, with no other ornament than a white
rose to adorn her simple white dress. Salvador
de Castro was honoured by the friendship of
King Francis II. and Queen Maria Sophia when
the Italian Revolution robbed them of the throne
of the Two Sicilies, and he was able to render
them marked services and prove himself as loyal
a friend as he was perfect a gentleman. After
the capitulation of Gaeta, the King and Queen
rewarded his loyalty by granting him the title of
Prince of Santa Lucia, with the gift of the beauti-
ful palace on the banks of the Tiber which is
known by the name of the Farnesina, whilst the
gardens were sold to the Emperor Napoleon. The
place was deserted, and so near to its ruin that
sheep and goats fed in its grounds, and the cus-
todian took his meals in the beautiful hall of the
frescoes of Sodon.
It was in this palace that Michael Angelo
painted a head on the wall, which is known by
the name of " The Visiting Card/' as he left it as
a sign of his call on Raphael when the artist was
out.
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Court Intrigues
The Prince of Santa Lucia had the palatial
dwelling restored, and he gave magnificent enter-
tainments in this palace, of which it was not
destined that the lovely Leocadia should be
mistress. Indeed, the lady abandoned all thoughts
of love and pomp^when she entered a convent in
Oviedo, where she ended her days as Lady Abbess ;
whilst the daughter of her old admirer wedded
the Marquis of Be~y, and made a mark in Court
society of Madrid."
But to returrl to the gallant little General.
His affections were at last taken captive by another
friend of the young Empress of the French, the
beautiful daughter of the Count of Tacher. The
Empress Josephine had belonged to this family,
and her parents, the Duke and Duchess de Tacher
•• <tie la Pogerie, were much beloved by Queen Marie
Amelie, wife of King Louis Philippe.
It was General de Cordova, who had played
such an important part during the Regency of
Queen Maria Cristina, who first took him to the
house of the Tachers. When Narvaez paid a
second visit to the palace on the Boulevard
Courcelles, he found that nobody was at home ;
and he was waiting in the drawing-room for the
return of the lady of the house, when the daughter
came in, looking beautiful in a white dress, but
with her face tied up.
" Are you ill ?" asked the General, with concern.
" Yes," she returned ; " I have a swelled face/'
" How sorry I am !" said the soldier sym-
pathetically, "for I came this afternoon in the
hope of hearing you sing/'
213
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
" And so you shall/' returned the girl kindly.
" You shall not go away disappointed." And,
taking the bandage from her face, she sang song
after song to the fascinated General.
The progress of the courtship was swift, and
the marriage was celebrated with great magnifi-
cence in the palatial abode of Queen Maria Cristina
in Paris, with the attendance of representatives
of the most distinguished families of France and
Spain.
When General Narvaez returned to Madrid he
became Prime Minister of Spain.
Unfortunately, the marriage did not prove a
happy one, and, indeed, it would have been diffi-
cult for anyone to live peacefully with the irascible
Spaniard. This irascibility was seen at the
funeral of General Manso de Zuniga, who had
died in the expedition against Prim, in the moun-
tains of Toledo. General Narvaez was chief
mourner on the occasion, as the deceased officer
had been husband of Dona Valentina Bouligni,
a lady of great importance at this epoch, with
whom he was connected ; and the Bishop of
Pharsalia was master of the ceremonies.
At a certain point in the function the order
was given to kneel. But, probably absorbed in
some knotty State question, the Duke of Valencia
still stood. Upon this the Bishop quickly ap-
proached the grandee, and said :
" Kneel down, kneel down !"
" But I don't want to kneel/' returned the
General petulantly, and so he remained standing
for the rest of the service.
214
GENERAL NARVAEZ
To face page
Court Intrigues
When she came to Madrid as the wife of the
great General, the Duchess of Valencia was ap-
pointed Lady-in- Waiting to Queen Isabella, and
she never failed in her loyalty to the dynasty
which was in power when she came to the country
of her adoption by marriage.
Many years later she was in an hotel in Switzer-
land, where she purposed making a long stay,
when Don Carlos happened to come to the same
hotel, accompanied by his secretary. As the
Duchess of Valencia was unacquainted with the
Pretender to the throne of Spain, she wondered
who the imperious-looking new arrival could be,
who was greeted so respectfully by everybody.
Her curiosity was soon satisfied, for the gentle-
man's secretary presented himself before her to
say that the Duke of Madrid begged the honour
to pay his respects to her.
The message filled the Duchess with dismay, for,
although she held the Princes of the blood in great
respect, she had no intention of receiving one who
disputed the throne with the reigning Queen.
So, summoning all her dignity to her aid, she
said, in a tone of icy politeness :
" Tell the Duke of Madrid that I am very sorry
not to have the honour of receiving his visit, but
to-morrow I leave for Paris/ '
And in effect the lady left the hotel on the
morrow, and thus the meeting of one of the oldest
and most valued Ladies-in- Wai ting with Don
Carlos was avoided.
Isabella certainly never expected that she would
be dethroned, for a few weeks before the revolution
215
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of September, 1868, the celebrated General Tacon,
Duke of the Union of Cuba, announced the forth-
coming marriage of his daughter Carolina with the
Marquis Villadarias, of the premiere noblesse, and a
perfect type of a Spanish grandee, and she said :
" I congratulate her sincerely on her engagement ;
but/' she added sadly, " for myself I am sorry, as
I shall see her no more at Court/' The Queen
here referred to the well-known 13arlist opinions
of the Marquis Villadarias, which would have made
it impossible to receive the Marchioness at the
palace if she had remained there.
So Isabella II. was dethroned in 1868, and she
can truly be said to have been the victim of cir-
cumstances. From the moment King Ferdinand
died his daughter had been the object of intrigue
and ambition. Whilst our Queen Victoria was
carefully educated and drilled in high principles,
Isabella was the prey of those who wished to rise
to power by her favour. Ministers made love to
the Sovereign instead of discussing" the welfare of
the nation ; flowery speeches on patriotism meant
merely the gratification of the orator's vanity to
be remarked by Her Majesty. Personal advance-
ment was the end and aim of those in the Govern-
ment, and thus poor Isabella's susceptibilities were
worked upon to an awful extent.
It is well known that General Serrano, who
might have been thought to have the welfare of
his country at heart, gained an undue influence
over the Queen by means of her affections, and
fomented to a great extent the matrimonial
differences between her and her husband. Generous
216
Court Intrigues
to a degree, Isabella paid the debts of this courtier
twice, and yet it was this same General who was
the first to have her hurled from the royal palace.
When the great Canning visited Madrid, Bulwer
Lytton showed him at a Court ball the many
women who were the favourites of the Ministers, and
there was, indeed, hardly a statesman who would
not sacrifice principles to the pleas of his mistress.
It was at this Court, steeped in immorality, that
Isabella was brought up with little or no know-
ledge of right and wrong, and even in her marriage
she was a victim to the intrigues and ambitions of
other Courts of Europe as well as those of her own.
She was, in fact, a scapegoat of the nation.
Harassed and in desperation at being pressed
on to a miserable marriage destitute of all that
could justify it, Isabella, after one of those long
and fruitless discussions with her mother, once
addressed a letter to our Queen Victoria ; but in a
pure Court like that of England little idea could
be formed of the stagnant atmosphere of the
Spanish palace from which the poor young Queen
sent forth her plaint. Beyond the Court raged
the stormy discontent of the country, which had
been thwarted for more than thirty years of the
fulfilment of its constitutional rights promised by
Ferdinand VII. as the condition of his return to
the throne of Spain.
Whilst Queen Victoria was daily increasing in
the knowledge of constitutional rights which are
the base of a Sovereign's power, poor Isabella's
Prime Ministers resigned at any moment in pique
or jealousy of some other politician, and the
217
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
people grew daily more discontented at finding the
Parliament was a farce, and it meant neither the
progress of the land nor the protection of the people.
Bulwer Lytton was constantly sending de-
spatches to England about the shortcomings of
Isabella II. as a woman, but he seemed to lay no
stress on the cause of her failure as a Queen. Under
proper conditions Isabella doubtless would have
been a good woman and a great Queen, but choked
with the weeds of intrigue she was lost. Un-
disciplined and uneducated, the poor Queen fell a
victim to what, if properly directed, would have
been virtues instead of vices.
The marriage to which Isabella was forced by
intrigue was, of course, the greatest evil which
could have befallen such an impulsive, warm-
hearted girl, who knew no more how to turn a deaf
ear to a claimant for her favour than to keep her
purse shut to the plea of an unfortunate beggar.
The Right Hon. Henry Lytton Bulwer wrote a
little later from the British Embassy at Madrid
to the Court of St. James's, saying that he " looked
at the Queen's conduct as the moral result of the
alliance she had been more or less compelled to
contract, and he regarded her rather with interest
and pity than blame or reproach."
Isabel's natural intuition of our Queen Victoria's
good heart prompted her letters to her. They
were sent by a private hand, and who knows what
evils might have been prevented in the Court of
Spain if the long journey, so formidable in those
days, had not placed the sister-Queens so far apart ?
Espartero's plea for Isabel to marry Don
218
Court Intrigues
Enrique de Assisi, the man of her heart, met no
support in a Court torn with intrigue, and the sad,
bad story of Isabel doubtless had its source in the
tragedy of an unhappy marriage. At the plea of
a persistent wooer, who knew that the Queen had
the right of dissolving a Ministry, a Government
would fall ; and as the station of her favourites
became lower and lower, as time went on the ill-
regulated Sovereign had a Government as unde-
pendable as her friends.
Treachery was the keynote of the Court of
Spain, and some of the leaders of the revolution
were those who had used the Sovereign's ignorance
and foolhardiness to their own ends. In such an
atmosphere of untruth and treachery such men as
Espartero, Prim, etc., could play no enduring part.
Hardly had Espartero swept the Court clean of the
Regency of Queen Maria Cristina than his fall was
encompassed by O'Donnell, his rival. The flagrant
falsification of the Parliamentary election returns—
which is still the cankerworm of the country —
was the check to all progress. Count San Luis
made a primitive effort for the reform of the
elections ; he suggested that the names of the
candidates as deputies should be put in a bag, and
drawn out by a child blindfolded, for the law of
chance seemed to him ^better than the custom of
deception.
Isabella's acts of generosity are still quoted with
admiration at the royal palace of Madrid by those
who served her as Queen.
Four hundred girls owed their marriage dots to
Isabella, and it was the fathers of these four hun-
-219
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
dred royally endowed brides who treacherously
worked for her expulsion.
One day, hearing the story of the penury of
a clever man of letters, Isabella commanded
20,000 francs to be sent to him. The adminis-
trator of her finances, thinking the Queen could
hardly know how much money this sum repre-
sented, had twenty notes of 1,000 francs each
changed into small money, and put out on a table
by which she had to pass.
" What is all this money for ?" asked Isabella,
when she saw it spread out to view.
" It is the money for the man of letters, and this
shows Your Majesty how large is the sum of
20,000 francs/'
" So much the better," was the prompt reply ;
and the courtier saw it was not by proving the
amount of the boon that he could check his
Sovereign in her generous actions.
A Court official at Madrid, who has been sixty
years in office at the palace, told me he often saw
Isabella take off her bracelets, and give them to the
beggars who pressed upon her as she crossed the
courtyard of the royal domain.
" And who could help loving her ?" said the old
courtier, with tears in his eyes ; " T know I could
not."
Caught in the darkness of ignorance and
intrigue, Isabella was naturally enraged at the
revolution. When her son Alfonso was nearly
made captive by the Carlists at tucar, she said :
" I would rather my Alfonso be ^ prisoner of the
Carlists than a captive of the revolutionists."
220
Court Intrigues
Isabella had a faithful friend in the Marquis of
Grizalba, and he said to Croze :*
" It is the loss of faith which causes our woes ;
the charm of death has been destroyed with the
hope of a hereafter. But Spain will die like a
gentleman."
From September 19, 1868, to 1870 there is no
history of the Court of Spain, as there. was no
King, and it was not known if there ever would be
one again. Isabella lived, as we know, in Paris,
and her son pursued his education in Vienna, in
the Theresan College, and later at Sandhurst.
The young ex-Prince was devoted to society and
to gaiety, and, seeing how his mother was feted in
Paris, he was often heard to say :
" I should rather like to be a dethroned King
and live in Paris with plenty of money."
In Spain, meanwhile, Serrano, Duke de la
Torre, was enjoying his long-sought- for ambition
of being supreme in the country, whilst General
Prim was President of the "Council of Ministers.
The Duchess of la Torre made an ineffectual
attempt to gather a Court around her at La
Granja ; but a palace made after the essentially
royal abode of Versailles, with its countless well-
kept alleys and its many panoramas of fountains
adorned with allegorical scenes and figures, did
not lend itself to anything but the stately en-
tourage of a royal Court.
Whilst the Republican party grew in power in
the Parliament, the Generals who had made the
revolution sighed after a monarchy.
* The author of " La Vie intime d'Alfonse XIII."
221
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
The Duke of Montpensier, the brother-in-law of
the ex-Queen, might have had a good chance as
candidate to the throne, and he was supported by
Topete and the three Liberal Generals ; but Spain
could not forget his treachery and ingratitude to
Isabella by joining with her enemies against her,
and he found he could gain no real support from
the country. And this coldness became more
marked after the tragedy in which he was the
chief actor made a dreadful stain on Court history.
It will be remembered that Prince Henry of
Bourbon, the brother of the ex-King, whom
Isabella had personally preferred to the husband
she was finally obliged to accept, and who married,
in 1849, Helena, daughter of the Count of Castellvi,
had been removed from his position of a General
of the army, to which he had been appointed by his
cousin, and expatriated for a writing which was
very insulting to the Queen.
Having thus associated himself with republic-
anism, Prince Henry became the source of many
disloyal publications against the Queen and her
Ministers, and when the blow was struck for the
dethronement of Isabella, he openly welcomed the
revolution.
The final opinions which caused the tragic ending
to his life were expressed in an article entitled
" The Montpensiers," and this so enraged the candi-
date to the throne that he called out the author
of the pamphlet in a duel, and a wave of horror
swept over the Court of Spain when the ex- King's
brother thus met his death at the hand of the
Duke of Montpensier.
222
Court Intrigues
The funeral of the Prince was solemnized with
all the insignia of his rank as Lieutenant-Colonel
and the owner of the Collar of Charles III., and
with the rites due to a Freemason of high office.
He was buried in the Escorial, and it is said that
his remains will be finally removed from the simple
niche where they now lie to the imposing tomb of
" the Infants."
Another tragedy befell the family of the ex-
Queen of Spain in December, 1871. On May 13,
1868, the Infanta Isabella, the eldest daughter of
Queen Isabella II., married Count Frederick Gir-
genti, who created a most favourable impression in
the country by the valiant way he fought in the
Battle of Alcolea under the Marquis of Novaliches.
But the brave young Prince was subject to
epileptic fits, and one day in December, 1871, to
the horror of his wife, he shot himself in Lucerne.
The poor man lived for some hours, tended by his
sorrowing wife. But neither love nor science
could avail in such a case, and the Infanta Isabella
found herself a widow at the age of twenty. How-
ever, the Infanta never allowed sorrow to kill her
sympathy for her compatriots, and to go to Spain
is to find that no philanthropic scheme or project
is considered complete without the patronage of
the Infanta Isabella.
223
CHAPTER XIII
THE COURT OF SPAIN UNDER ITALIAN SWAY
IN February, 1869, Serrano was chosen head of
the Executive Government, and in June of the
same year Serrano, Duke de la Torre, was ap-
pointed Regent until a King should be elected.
To General Prim, whose ideal had always been
that of Liberty, it was not surprising that, in
seeking a Sovereign who, it was hoped, would
steer the country through the shoals of self-
interest, and stagnation, set up by an autocrat
monarchy, his eyes should turn to Prince Amadeus
of Savoy, whose father had led such a splendid
struggle for the freedom of the country from the
despotism of clericalism. A deputation, formed
by deputies who subsequently became Ministers
of Alfonso XII., presided over by Ruiz Zorilla,
who was later a pronounced republican, were
thus sent to Italy to submit the offer of the throne
of Spain to the Prince of Savoy. Their mission
to the Prince over, they proceeded to the bed-
room of his young wife, who had recently been
confined, and there conveyed to her in due form
the invitation to become Queen of Spain^
The claim of the Italian Prince to the throne!
rested on the royal decree of Philip V. of Spainj
224
EMILIO CASTELAR
To face page 224
The Court of^Spain under Italian Sway
which formed the integral part of the Treaty of
Utrecht, November 5, 1712. This decree set forth
the claim to the throne of Spain through failure
of legitimate line by the Duke of Savoy, and
through failure of the male line by Prince Amadeus
of Carignano and his sons, as descendants of the
Infanta Catharine, daughter of Philip II. When
the question of the claims to the throne of Spain
was put to the vote, it was found that Amadeus
registered 199, Esparterd" 8, Alfonso 2, and for a
Republic 63.
Castelar used all his eloquence against the
Italian candidate. " Who" are these wretched
Dukes of Savoy ," he said, " that run like hungry
dogs in the wake of the coacfi of our Kings ?"
Courage was a great characteristic of young
Prince Amadeus. When only twenty-one, in
1866, he saved a wounded soldier's life by carrying
him out of danger on his own mule, in one of
the skirmishes during the struggle for Italy's
liberty.
The young man's calmness in the hour of danger
was shown in 1867, when the boiler burst on the
ship on which he was returning to Italy, after
attending the function of the opening of the
Suez Canal. The Count of Castiglione was killed,
and the panic on board threatened more disaster.
But Amadeus was cool and collected. He calmed
the people and insisted on the sailors' return to
their several duties, and the ship was successfully
brought back.
Fortunately, the young Prince was allowed to
marry the lady of his choice, who proved a devoted
225 P
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
friend and companion in all the vicissitudes of
their lives.
When Signer Francisco Cassini, the President
of the Chamber of Deputies, told King Victor
Emmanuel whom his son wished to marry, the
royal father said : "Do the young people love
each other ?"
" They idolize each other," returned the states-
man.
" Then very well ; they shall be married/'
was the reply. " It is not for me to stand in
opposition to the sentiment of my son."
So the royal couple were married, and thus
fate led to Princess Maria del Pozzo becoming
Queen of Spain.
Naturally, Amadeus was not attracted by all
he heard of the country over which he was called
to reign. However, when his father said, " Of
course, it is very hot in Spain at this time, and
by going there you would also run the risk of a
disagreeable adventure, and perhaps even get a
bit of lead in your ribs," the natural courage of
the Prince was stimulated, and he declared he would
accept the invitation to the throne, come what may.
As the new King of Spain's wife had not re-
covered sufficiently from her recent confinement
to travel, her husband went alone to Spain. Before
starting for his new country, Amadeus said to his
friends :
"I go to fulfil an impossible mission. Spain,
now divided into various parties, will unite against
a foreign King, and I shall soon be obliged to
return the crown they offered me."
226
AMADEUS OF SAVOY, DUKE OF AOSTA, AFTERWARDS KING
OF SPAIN
To face page 226
The Court of Spain under Italian Sway
However, the Italian Prince knew he had a
valiant supporter in General Prim, who used all
his oratory and influence to get the sympathy of
his countrymen on the side of the new-comer.
But, as we know, it was not the fate of the pioneer
of Liberty to see the realization of the scheme
which he had hoped would be for the welfare of
the country, and on December 30, 1870, the day
on which Amadeus landed on Spanish soil, Prim
was foully murdered by Spaniards.
Long inquiry and investigation never revealed
convincingly the hand that shot the General in
the street. It was supposed by some to have been
a partisan of an unsuccessful candidate to the
throne ; others think it was a gipsy, who did it
as a deed of outlawry. Be that as it may,
strong suspicion fell upon Senor Paul y Angulo,
who expressed his indignation strongly in the
prologue to his paper on " Revolutionary
Truths ":
" The sacrifices that I have made for my country
have been no light matters, and all I have in return
is to find myself obliged to leave my poor country,
to be the victim of vile calumniators, and to have
to fly from persecution as if I were some horrible
criminal."
Prim's death was accompanied with much
suffering, for some of his fingers were so seriously
injured by the shot, it was thought that their
amputation would save his life. But the opera-
tion was in vain, and the General died in two
days, just as Amadeus landed at Carthagena.
When the sad news reached the new King, that
227 p 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
his ardent supporter had fallen a martyr to his
cause, he said :
" Gentlemen, my duty is clear : I must go on
to Madrid."
Arrived at the Spanish capital on January 2,
1871, where a fall of snow added gloom to the
occasion, Amadeus at once repaired to the Church
of Atocha, to pay his respects to the remains of
the man to whom he mainly owed the throne of
Spain.
As the young King gazed at the corpse of the
great leader, who had inspired trust and confi-
dence in all with whom he came in contact, he
prayed for strength to be able to fulfil the hopes
which the Spaniard had directed ''to himself.
With Prim, the pioneer of Liberty in Spain, young
Amadeus, who had fought for the -same cause in
his own country, had always felt in" sympathy.
Those who had suffered for their religious
opinions had looked to the great soldier as the
herald of a new era. Juan Cabrera, the leader of
the Protestant movement, who had fled to Gibral-
tar for fear of imprisonment, and there led a life
of exile and hardship, hastened to meet Prim after
the coup which put Spain practically in his hands.
" May I return to my country ?" asked Cabrera,
when he saw him at Gibraltar.
" Yes, yes, my man/' replied the General,
whilst fixing his keen eyes on the Protestant's
face, worn with study and anxiety, ' you can
go back to Spain now with your Bible under
your arm."
And this the preacher of the reformed faith
228
The Court jpf JSpgig un^gr^giljan Sway
found to be true, for Spain had no longer to fear
the active persecution of those who resisted the
introduction of the Bible into their land.
As Amadeus gazed at the features of the General,
set in death, he sighed deeply in sorrow at his
loss, and when he arrived at the royal palace, the
magnificent setting of so many scenes of struggle
for supremacy in the country, he sat down wearily,
and said :
" I feel sure that my loyalty will not be able
to save Spain from the fury of contending
factions."
When the new King took up his abode in the
fine domain, with Prim dead, he felt as if he
were starting for a voyage on a ship of which the
rudder was lost, for he knew not whom to trust
or to whom to turn for counsel.
But Amadeus was not a man to let himself be
enervated by fears and doubts for the future,
although the first few weeks of his residence in
the palace were additionally anxious from the
fact of his wife being ill at Alassio. For the new
young Queen of Spain had not been able to
accompany her husband to Spain, as she was
not sufficiently recovered from her confinement ;
and when, in her desire to join Amadeus in the new
sphere of influence, the journey was made too
soon for her health, she was for some time ill at
Alassio.
At last the new Queen was able to undertake
the ten days' journey by sea to Alicante, where
she was received with great delight by the young
King.
229
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
The bright spring day which saw the arrival at
Alicante of Queen Maria Victoria seemed to augur
well for the success of the young couple. A thrill
of pride passed through the young wife when she
saw her husband come out to meet her in a white-
and-gold launch, his face bright with hope, and
looking every inch a King. As the Bright barque
cut through the sunlit waters, with Amadeus
accompanied by his Ministers, who had come to
welcome her in state, she stepped to tlie prow with
pretty words of greeting on her lips, and when she
was finally taken off from the Italian ship to set
foot on Spanish soil, a storm of cheers burst from
the throats of the Italian sailors, to "be echoed by
those from the Spanish crews and sight-seers
anxious to welcome the new Sovereign. The
bright and intelligent young wife" did indeed
seem to bring sunshine to Spain, andsin the opening
of the Senate there was a sincerity in the royal
speech which found an echo in the hearts of those
who really wished for the welfare oi the country.
" When my feet touched Spanish soil/' said
Amadeus, in a voice which penetrated to every
part of the house, " I determined to merge my
ideas, my sentiments, and my interests, in those
of the nation who elected me as its head, and
whose independent character would never submit
to foreign and illegitimate intrigues. My sons will
have the good fortune to receive their first im-
pressions of life here ; their first language will be
Spanish ; their education will be in accordance
with the customs of the nation ; they will learn to
think and feel as you think and feel ; and we shall
230
The Court of Spain under Italian Sway
unite with imperishable bonds our own fate with
your fate."
But no patriotic sentiments could entirely ex-
tinguish the sparks of smouldering resentment that
a foreigner should fye set over Spain.
The pride of the Castilians was wounded, and
no salve of sympathy could prevent the canker
caused by such a hurt. Everything the Italian
King and Queen did was purposely misinterpreted.
He was dubbed " King Macaroni," and this
mocking appellation expressed the resentment of
the Court and country.
The very democratic simplicity of the young
couple was an offence to a land which revels in
old-world ceremony and stately Court etiquette,
and the clerical party never let the people forget
that it was Victor Emmanuel, the father of their
new King, who had ousted the Pope from his
position of political supremacy.
Of course Isabella was very indignant when she
heard who had been elected as ruler at the Court
of Spain, and she expressed her feelings in a
torrent of speech.
" The revolution continues," she said, whilst her
eyes blazed with indignation, " and it has just dis-
avowed the rights of my son, who is to-day your
legitimate King according to all the Spanish con-
stitutions, by calling to the throne of St. Ferdinand
a foreigner, whose merits, however great, cannot
entitle him to be your Sovereign, in the face of the
rights of a whole dynasty, which is the only one
that has in its favour the legitimacy which has
been consecrated by the lapse of ages and by con-
231
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
stitutions which it has been a signal folly to
disavow."
Of course the Bourbon party echoed these senti-
ments of its ex-Queen, and Amadeus felt the want
of unity which has ever been the main defect of
the country.
People who came into contact with Amadeus
at the Court of Spain admired the sense of his
opinions, although the form of their utterance was
not in accordance with that adopted by former
rulers at the palace ; for the King had many habits
of a nervous man. One of these was to take hold
of a chair when he was talking, and twist first one
of his long legs, and then the other, inland out of
the woodwork as he turned it about before him.
As simplicity was a very marked trait in the
young royal couple's tastes, they rejected the
idea of establishing themselves in the magnificent
apartments used by the ex-Sovereigns, and chose a
simple suite of somewhat small rooms commanding
a beautiful view of the Casa de Campo,~and there
the King passed the happiest hours of the day with
his wife and children. The young Queen's fine
intelligence rendered her an able confidante for
her consort's State difficulties, and she was
generally present at the discussions with the
Ministers.
Sunday generally saw an intellectual gathering
round the royal dinner-table, but the admiration
of the select few who began to appreciate .the gifts
and aims of the young couple did not, unfortu-
nately, represent the feeling of the country, and it
required all the charity and philosophy of King
232
The Court of Spain under Italian Sway
Amadeus and Queen Maria Victoria to ignore the
half- concealed sneers of those at Court who
mocked at the foreigners and their simple, superior
tastes.
Indeed, the Alfonsists never lost an opportunity
of testifying their allegiance to the Bourbon
dynasty, and, as they studiously avoided the
royal palace from whence it had been expelled,
the Court society of Madrid presented a strange
medley of people who were so little conversant
with the customs of such centres that Amadeus
began to doubt if Madrid had any really good
society.
A certain Senor B., who was subsequently a
Minister during the Regency, was invited to a
function at the palace. So he went to a first-rate
shirt-maker and ordered a shirt for the occasion.
The shirt came with the fine embroidered cambric
frill set out over blue tissue-paper. So, thinking
the blue paper was meant to be worn with the
shirt, Senor B. strutted into the royal presence
quite proud of his attire— paper and all.
So naturally Don Amadeus was constantly
saying : " But there is no society in Madrid."
This remark was repeated in one of the salons of
the aristocracy on the eve of the funeral of Blanca
Osma, the Marchioness of Povar, mother of the
present Duke of Arion, who had been renowned
for her beauty and elegance, and, stung at this
slight to their circles, somebody said : "-Well, to-
morrow Amadeus shall see whether there be any
good society in Madrid, for we will all parade
in front of the windows of the palace "after the
233
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
funeral." And so they did, and thus the demon-
stration of sympathy for the family of Osma and
Malpica became one of political importance.
February 10, 1872, was celebrated at the palace
of the Dukes of Bailen by a magnificent ball.
The minuet was danced by ladies in most beautiful
Pompadour dresses, trimmed with handsome lace,
and their hair powdered in the style of the last
regime, and the gentlemen showed their high
degree in dress and dignity." This minuet was
repeated in the Palace of the Plaza del Angel by
request of the mother of the Empress Eugenie,
and society kept alive the feeling for the ex-
regime by the same sort of fefes until the day
dawned for the restoration, which doubtless these
gatherings aided, for the little rooms adjoining the
salons were the scene of manyj^eouncils in the
cause of the Bourbons. '
One day this feeling of antagonism was ex-
pressed in a more patent and painful form.
It was a hot evening, which the King and Queen
had spent listening to the music in the gardens of
the Buen Retiro. The royal couple was returning
to the palace by the Arenal, when suddenly a
vehicle opposed the passage of the carriage by
crossing just in front of s it. The coachman
checked the horses and cleverly prevented a
collision, and just then a shot was directed
towards the royal party.
Upon this the King sprang boldly to his feet,
exclaiming :
" Here is the King ! Fire at him, not at the
others !"
234
The Court of Spain under Italian Sway
But no further attempts were made at assassina-
tion, and the retinue reached the palace in safety,
where the young Queen sougnt to still her tremors
of anxiety by the sight of her brave young husband
standing sound and well before her.
To the King the late hours of the Court were
particularly disagreeable. At work from six
o'clock in the morning, he ran^ at eight o'clock for
breakfast ; astonishment was on the lackey's face
when answering the summons ; he heard that it
had never been customary for their ex-Majesties
to be served before eleven o'clock. So Amadeus,
wishing to avoid any friction by insisting on
earlier hours, adopted the habit of going to a cafe
for his early meal after long application to State
matters had made him conscious of the necessity
of breaking his fast.
Thus the maids, who sally forth in Madrid with
baskets on their arms to be filled with necessaries
for the household, would often return and regale
the ears of their mistresses with how they had
brushed against His Majesty as they did their busi-
ness in the market-place. In one of these peregri-
nations Amadeus noticed that Castelar, the leader
of the Republican party, raised his hat to him.
Surprised at this sign of respect from the enemy,
the young man stopped, and said he wondered
that anybody of Castelar' s opinions should salute
royalty, to which the great orator replied, with all
the grace and charm of an accomplished Castilian :
" My salute was not to royalty, sire, but to the
bravest man in Christendom."
And it was this bravery which aroused the
235
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
admiration of Spain. However, no quality could
overcome the country's rooted prejudice against
" the foreigner/' and when Amadeus had taken
his seat on the throne in the magnificent crimson-
and-gold setting of the state salon of the palace, it
was not to take real possession of his subjects'
hearts. There was no antagonism against the
Italian King, but utter indifference for him, which
was much more difficult to deal with. He was
unknown to the Spaniards, a mere guest, and the
necessity of forming a Court for his wife was
attended with the difficulty of the ladies of high
degree being Alfonsists or Carlists, and thus many
of them considered themselves superior to the lady
on the throne.
The ladies of the last regime openly showed the
Italian royal couple that their loyalty was still
directed to the Spanish ex-Sovereigns, by con-
stantly presenting themselves in the Buen Retiro,
and other resorts where they drove or walked, in
the white lace mantillas and other characteristics of
costume especially Spanish.
As a counterfoil to these signs of disrespect to
those in power, the ladies who were followers of
King Amadeus and his wife arranged a cortege
formed of women of the town, who were all
dressed like the Spanish donas of high degree, and
they were accompanied by a noisy, bullying sort
of fellow who obviously represented the King's
Chamberlain, the Duke of Sexto.
Thus the feeling of the Court of Spain at this
epoch was manifested in a series of spiteful acts
unworthy of people of high position.
236
,
e Court of Spain under Italian Sway
The Court ladies showed little sympathy with
the philanthropic aims of Queen Maria Victoria.
The existing Home for the Children of Laundresses
is still a standing proof that the sight of the
thousands of women on their knees by the side of
the River Manzanares, washing linen, had evoked
a feeling of pity in the heart of the young royal
mother.
The King found it impossible to take any action
for good in his adopted country. The want of
sympathy, and suspicion, which met every sug-
gestion of the young King, allied with the confusion
reigning in every department of the Government,
made progress unattainable, and the King, having
nothing to do with his time in a serious way, was
soon found to be an easy prey to the seductions of
designing Spanish women, and it was not known
till some time afterwards that the Government
had to interfere in ridding the Court of an
adventuress who managed to get into the Court
circle.
As Queen Maria Victoria wrote to a valued
friend in Italy, she seemed wanting in the essential
to make her a good Queen of Spain, and that was
the desire to remain in the country.
Sensitive as the young Sovereign was, she was
ever conscious of the half-concealed looks of scorn
of those about her, who wondered that she pre-
ferred the simple customs of a happy domestic life
to the pomp and etiquette of an old Court regime.
The Countess della Alinma and the Marquis of
Ulugares sympathized with Their Majesties' tastes,
but these two friends could not stop the whispers
237
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of discontent and disapprobation reaching them
from the large circles of the great palace.
Much of the rigidity of Court etiquette was
abandoned during the short reign of Amadeus
and Maria Victoria. The custom of courtiers pros-
trating themselves on their knees before Their
Majesties was abandoned, and, thanks to the
good sense of Alfonso XII., it was never more
resumed.
Queen Maria Victoria created an Order which
was called by her name, but it lapsed after her
departure from the palace.
We read in " Cosas del Ano 1873 " (Things of
the Year 1873), by Carlos Frontaura, that many
open insults had been levelled at the Italian
Sovereigns during the last few weeks^of their reign.
At the Court reception which is always customary
on New Year's Day in Spain,xthe Conservative
deputies were conspicuous by their absence, and
Generals Serrano, Concha, Infante, Rivero, Al-
lende, Zabala and Hoyos, Topete, Malcampo,
Martinez Espinosa, and the ex-Ministers Rios,
Rosas, etc., all excused themselves from attending
the banquet which took place in the evening.
The Countess of Heredia-Spinola gave a mag-
nificent ball in her house in Calle Fernando el
Santo, and all the guests wore the fleur-de-lis
as a sign of their devotion to the Bourbon
family.
Society at the Court of Spain was very different
in the year 1872 from what it had been during the
late dynasty.
As Napoleon I. said, " You may confer titles
238
The Court of Spain under Italian Sway
and dignities, but you cannot give that particular
cachet which goes with real Court society. "
The Countess of Campo Alange always said,
" Did So-and-so learn the minuet when he was
young ?" For if the answer to this question were
in the negative, it showed that the courtier only
belonged to the new dynasty.
The Marquis of San Rafael was then Prime
Minister, but when the Marchioness wished to
enter the Queen's presence she was not allowed to
pass, whereas an arrogant lady of the old aris-
tocracy quickly forced her way in. The Prime
Minister was advised to report this slight to
Amadeus himself. When the King heard of the
matter, he only shrugged his shoulders, and said,
" Let them fight it out."
The King and Queen felt that their days in
Spain were numbered, and it only wanted some
incident to put the match to the train of discontent.
The ostensible cause of the break of the King
with the Government was the appointment to the
command of the artillery of Hidalgo, who five
years before had been in command of the company
which had made the insurrection in the barracks
of San Gil in 1866. The King himself did not
favour this appointment, but when Ruiz Zorilla
showed him a vote of confidence in the course
carried by the Congress, Amadeus thought it time
to resign the crown which meant nothing but
mortification to himself and his wife. So on that
evening (February n, 1873) the republic was
proclaimed, and six o'clock the following morning
saw the sad exit from Spanish Court life of the
239
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Italians who had been so fruitlessly summoned to
its circle.
Queen Maria Victoria had also been wounded in
her susceptibilities as a mother. When her second
child was born to her about a fortnight before the
proclamation of the republic, the young Sov-
ereigns naturally expected that the Ministry,
Diplomatic Corps, military dignitaries, and clerical
leaders, would be ready to greet the baby Prince
according to the Court etiquette of the country.
But the representatives of the country did not feel
sufficient interest in the birth of " the little
foreigner" to hasten to pay him their respects;
and although the red and yellow flags waved
triumphantly above the royal palace, it was several
hours before there gathered ' in the audience
chamber an assembly sufficiently large and august
to receive the presentation of the son of Amadeus
and Maria Victoria.
It was hardly a fortnight later when the die was
cast, and the Italians decided to abandon the
throne of Spain.
The personal attendants of the Queen wept as
they saw her carried to the entrance of the palace
still weak and ill from he-r recent confinement.
The dethroned young King took the frail form of
his wife in his arms when she was taken from the
litter at the foot of the grarid staircase, and, after
placing her in the carriage waiting in the archway,
proudly saluted the Guard and stepped in by
her side.
In a departure arranged so hurriedly, all the
necessary comforts were forgotten, and the royal
240
'he Court of Spain under Italian Sway
invalid was faint for want of nourishment, which
was only attainable after hours of travelling.
Amadeus was grateful indeed for the soup he
was at last able to procure at a little railway-
station on the line, and he boldly met the remarks
and curious looks of the people who crowded to
see the royal fugitive as he bore the cup from the
restaurant to his wife. ;
Once in Portugal, Amadeus, had nothing more to
fear for the personal safety o^ the family, and it
was from thence they soon sailed quietly for Italy.
7*
241
Q
CHAPTER XIV
SOME TRUTHS ABOUT THE REPUBLIC
1873—1874
WE have an interregnum in the history of the
Court of Spain during the republic which held
rule from February n, 1873, until the restoration
of the monarchy on December 30, 1874 ; but
those readers, who like to have some idea of what
was passing in Spain whilst the palace was empty,
may be interested in the following particulars,
drawn from a book entitled " Contemporaneous
Truths/' by His Excellency Vicente Lafuente.
These truths were republished by Colonel Figuerola
Ferretti * in 1898, with an able prologue from the
officer's pen, to show those malcontents who
wished to return to this form of government
how baneful it was for the welfare of the
land.
Queen Maria Cristina graciously accepted the
book from the Colonel, who was then a Chamber-
lain at her Court, and it doubtless served to dis-
perse the false ideas as to the nature of a Spanish
republic which had arisen in the minds of those
* This Spaniard is connected on his mother's side with Pope
Pius IX. (Mastai-Ferretti), whilst his father was Figuerola,
the patriot of Cuba.
242
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL LUIS DE FIGUEROLA FERRETTI
From a Painting by Miss A. J. Challice, exhibited at the Royal Academy, London
To face page 242
Some Truths about the Republic
^— . — .. -— ~ •^'^s^*-^. ^- <~"*^ —^•'~*>—
who were absent from the country whilst it held
sway.
Twenty-five years had elapsed since Spain
adopted the republic, but, as Figuerola Ferretti
reminds his readers, that time had not obliterated
the horrors of that period from those who belonged
to that time.
Those who were inclined to regard a republic
as an ideal form of government were reminded that
the fatal night of February n, 1873, saw the
opening of the Pandora box, whence issued all
sorts of moral and political calamities, which
spread like a black cloud over the Spanish nation
in both worlds. With the enthronement of moral
and material disorder, licence and anarchy came
from all sides, to the increase of impiety and
corruption of customs, the ruin of families, the
debasement of the public credit, the demoraliza-
tion of the forces on sea and land, the loss of
honour and national dignity, and the peril of
the independence and integrity of the country
both in the Peninsula and in America.
Such is the picture of the republic from the
night of February n, 1873, until the morning
of January 3, 1874, when it was dissolved by the
coup of General Pavia. This opinion is no mere
expression of party rancour, for, as it is founded
on the facts and events recorded in the Gazette
and the Journal of the Sessions of the Cortes, which
were noted day by day, they became, under the
pen of the historian Lafuente, the true history
which, according to Cicero, is " the light of truth
and the master of life."
243 Q 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
A few quotations from this diary of facts, which
Ferretti republished as an antidote to the anti-
dynastic feelings which were aroused by the
loss of Cuba, give some idea of the effect of the
republic on Spain :
" February 16, 1873. — Assassinations in Mon-
tilla under shocking circumstances. Eight houses
sacked and burnt ; Senor Robobo assassinated
and quartered. Abolition of the oath of loyalty
in the army.
" February 20 and 21. — During these days the
theatre of Barcelona was the scene of dreadful
military orgies and acts of immorality and bar-
barism. The column of Cabrinati rebelled in
Santa Coloma de Fames, at the instigation of
the republicans, and the cry of ' Down with the
officers !' was heard all over Catalonia.
" February 24. — There was a general Car list
rising in Navarre, and a call to arms of all men
between twenty and forty years of age.
" February 28. — The neighbourhood of Madrid,
in view of the prevailing want of discipline and
the ease with which dwellings could be invaded,
began organizing armed bands.
" March 15. — The battalion of ' the Cazadores
of Madrid ' committed unspeakable horrors in
Falset, and several companies of Catalonia began
a course of pillage and immorality.
" March 17. — General Hidalgo harangued the
savage soldiers of Falset, but he was so hissed
that he was obliged to retire, like almost all the
other officers.
" March 18. — A great meeting was held at San
244
Some Truths about the Republic
Isidro, where the public commemorated what they
called ' the glories of the Commune of Paris/
which they were evidently seeking to imitate."
The record of March closes with the mention
of the occupation of the churches of Barcelona as
barracks and theatres.
April 3 we read : " The republicans of
Manresa invade and profane a church, take
possession of the library and rooms of the
seminary, and the town-hall of Tarragona.
" May 13. — An electoral meeting in Barcelona ;
the popular Mayor Buxo is wounded by a
stone. The voluntary troops of Madrid knock
down and wound the chaplain of the hospital,
insult the officials who seek to release him, and
commit various robberies and assassinations, so
that the troops have to be called out against them.
" June 3. — In Madrid and other places the
procession of the Corpus Christi could not take
place on account of the uproars in the streets.
Orgies in the churches of Belen and San Jose at
Barcelona, and indecent balls, in which the
mysteries of our redemption were mocked at.
" June 16. — Horrible assassinations at Bande
(Orense). Sixty unhappy beings of all ages and
both sexes fell victims to this savagery/*
After three days' fighting the international
incendiaries and assassins were expelled from
Seville, leaving the city stained with blood and
injured by fire.
" September 23. — General Don Manuel Pavia was
appointed Governor of Madrid/'
Carlism was rapidly gaining ground during
245
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
these months. There were 8,000 Carlists in
Aragon and Valencia, and as many more in
Catalonia, 12,000 in Navarre, and more than that
number in the Basque provinces, thus making
more than 40,000 Carlists in all Spain.
"November 7. — Senor Castelar, the President of
the Republic, was daily losing power in the Con-
gress, where neither eloquence nor good sense
seemed to have any sway over the turbulent
spirits."
When the Corporation of the city became
disaffected from the Government, it seemed to
the Governor of Madrid that it was time for him
to assert the power of military rule.
So on December 2, when the chamber of the
Congress was nothing but a scene of riot and
disorder, each deputy striving by his loud voice
and violent actions to overpower his fellow, the
cultured Castelar, the head of the republic,
whose orations would have reflected honour on
the Areopagus of old, was met by a vote of want
of confidence.
Then was the time for General Pavia's action.
Arthur Houghton, correspondent to The Times
at Madrid, gives, in his " French History of the
Restoration of the Bourbons/' the account of
this coup in the General's own words ; for, favoured
by the soldiers' friendship, Mr. Houghton had the
opportunity of hearing the story first-hand, and
the smart General, looking spruce and trim in
his well-cut black frock, would often talk to the
Englishman, when he met him in the salons of
Madrid, of the way he took matters into his own
246
Some Truths about the Republic
hand when the republican Parliament could not
manage the Congress.
:< No, no/* said the former Governor of Madrid,
" I admitted nobody into my counsel, but, under
the stress of circumstances, I took all the re-
sponsibility upon myself. When I heard how the
Assembly had given voice to a vote of want of
confidence in Castelar, I thought the hour had
come ; and as the session the next day increased
in force and disorder, whilst the hours of early
dawn succeeded those of the evening and the
night in fruitless and violent discussion, I called
a company of the Civil Guard, and another of
the Cazadores, and, to their surprise, I led them
to the square in front of the Congress, and
stationed them all round the building. Then,
entering the Parliament with a few picked men, I
surprised the deputies by ordering them to leave
the House. A few shots were fired in the corridor
on those who sought to defy the military order,
so the members did not long resist, and by four
o'clock in the morning I found myself in complete
command of the House. I called a Committee, with
the power to form a Ministry, of which General
Serrano was once more elected President, and
thus ensued the second period of the republic."
This brilliant and successful coup reminds one
of that of our Oliver Cromwell when he freed the
country of a particular Government ; but in this
case of military sway in Spain General Pavia
acted from no aims of self-interest, but only for
the restoration of order, which it was his duty
as Governor of the city to preserve.
247
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
During the second period of the republic,
which lasted from January 4, 1874, till Decem-
ber 30 of the same year, Serrano had his hands
weighted with two civil wars — the never-ceasing
one of Carlism in the Peninsula, as well as that
of Cuba — and, as Francisco Pare] a de Alarcon
says, in the criticism which he publishes in the
above-mentioned work on this period, the Govern-
ment formed under Serrano proved unable to
restore order and save Spain from the dishonour
which was threatening it.
So when the Ministers heard of the rising at
Sagunto, on December 29, 1874, for the restoration
of the monarchy, they knew that the movement
was really supported by leading military men, who
had been inspired thereto by the ladies of the
land, who resented the irreligion and disorder of
the republic ; and, as they saw that resistance
would only lead to another disastrous civil war,
they resigned their posts peacefully.
It was thus that the son of Isabella II. was
raised to the throne. And Alarcon says : " The
hypocritical banner of ' the country's honour '
was set aside ; for had it not meant the support
of a foreign monarchy, destitute of prestige ;
and then an unbridled, antisocial, impious, and
anarchical republic, which was a blot on the
history of our unhappy Spain in these latter days,
which have been so full of misfortunes under the
government of the ambitious parties which har-
rowed and exploited under different names and
banners ?"
The Circulo Hispano Ultramarino in Barcelona,
248
Some Truths about the Republic
agitating continually for the restoration of Al-
fonso XII., was a strong agent in the monarchical
movement. Figuerola Ferretti worked strenuously
as secretary of the society, and this officer is the
possessor of the only escutcheon signed by
Alfonso XII., in which he paid tribute to the
Colonel's valiant conduct in the Cuban War of
1872.
It is interesting to see that the opinion of
the republic published in " Contemporaneous
Truths " by this Ferretti was echoed by the great
leader of the party himself, for Sefior Castelar
writes : ' ' There were days during that summer
of 1874 in which our Spain seemed completely
ruined. The idea of legality was so lost that any-
body could assume power, and notify the fact to
the Cortes, and those whose office it was to make
and keep the laws were in a perpetual ferment
against them.
" It was no question then, as before, of one
Ministry replacing another, nor one form of
government substituting another ; but a country
was divided into a thousand parts, like the Kalifat
of Cordova after its fall, and the provinces were
inundated by the most out-of-the-way ideas and
principles/'
When the great republican speaks in such a
derogatory way of the republic of which he was
the leader, it is not strange that public opinion
turned to the restoration of the Bourbons as the
salvation of the country. Society clamoured for
such balls and entertainments as had formerly
taken place at Court, or which had been patro-
249
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
nized by the palace, and the dreary disorder
wearied both politicians and patriots.
The house of the Dukes of Heredia-Spinola
never ceased to be the scene of the reunion of
Alf onsists, and as General Martinez Campos played
his daily game of tresillo at their table, many ex-
pressions of hope for the return of the ex-Queen's
son fell upon his ears ; whilst the Countess of Tacon,
who had been Lady-in- Waiting to the little Prince
of Asturias as a child, was loud in her opinions.
It is interesting to note that this lady subsequently
filled the same office for the restored King's little
daughter, the Princess of Asturias, Dona Maria de
las Mercedes.
From a social point of view the salon of the old
Countess of Montijo ranked foremost in Madrid,
and it assembled within its walls the frequenters
of Court society in the reign of Isabella. Scenes
from " Don Quixote " were given with great suc-
cess at the Countess's little theatre ; and the year
of the restoration was marked by a very successful
dramatic representation, in which some of the
members of the old nobility took part.
Moreover, the services held every Friday in
the private chapel of the mansion, where great
preachers made remarkable orations, were a pro-
test against the irreligion of the period. On these
occasions ladies of Court society, among whom
may be noted Clara Hunt, wife of one of the diplo-
mats of the English Embassy — who was quite a
notable singer — gave proofs of their talent.
The niece of the Count of Nava de Tajo was
another of the distinguished ladies who frequented
250
Some Truths about the Republic
the salon of the Countess of Montijo. The Count
was varied in his interests. One afternoon he
paid a series of visits, beginning with the Pope's
Nuncio, going on to the house of Canovas, then to
Roque Barcia, who was asking for subscriptions
for his famous dictionary, and ending with the
unhappy Lopez Bago, who was seeking support for
his Review of the Salons, of which only three or
four numbers were ever published.
251
CHAPTER XV
THE REVIVAL OF COURT LIFE IN SPAIN
UNDER ALFONSO XII.
1874—1884
THE foregoing brief sketch of the political and
social life in Spain during the republic will have
given some idea of the joy which filled Spanish
hearts at seeing the Bourbons once more on the
throne of Spain in the person of Alfonso XII.
Madrid indeed was wild with joy when the little
Prince whom we saw at eleven years of age, in his
blue velvet suit and lace collar, leaving his country
as an exile, with his mother and family, re-
entered the royal palace as a young man eighteen
years old in January, 1875, having wisely passed
through Catalonia, which Martinez Campos had
gained over to the cause, and pleased the
people by saying : "I wish to be King of all
Spaniards. "
As Isabella had abdicated in favour of her son
on June 26, 1870, there was no impediment to his
taking the oath of coronation soon after he was
summoned to the Spanish capital. Of a good
figure, gentlemanly, and well cultured, Alfonso
added the art of good dressing to his other attrac-
tions, and the excellent taste and cut of his clothes
252
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Court Life in Spain under Alfonso X1L
led to his being called " the Beau Brummell of
Spain."
The Countess of Campo-Alange, who had as-
sisted at the ceremony, in Paris, of Isabella's abdica-
tion in favour of her son, was one of the first to pay
her respects to Alfonso XII. on his return as King
to the Court of Spain. She went in a beautiful
costume of crushed-strawberry-coloured satin, and
she carried in her hand a snuff-box decorated with
a picture of the entry of Charles IV. into Badajoz,
and it was with a graceful speech that the Countess
drew the King's attention to the miniature.
" What a memory you have, Marchioness !"
" Oh, facts and people remain in my mind when
they are forgotten by others/' returned the lady ;
and the affectionate look she cast at the King
reminded him of her fidelity to his family.
In his youthful exuberance of spirits, the young
King was always ready to join in any frolic,
although he was not lacking in serious and
ftelligent application to matters of State.
It was the Monday preceding Shrove Tuesday,
and Alfonso had remarked somewhat regretfully
that the rollicking spirit of the season seemed
somewhat subdued. This the Duke of Tamanes
determined to remedy, so, when the Cabinet was
assembling for a royal audience, he swiftly emptied
a bag of flour over the head of the Minister of
War, who gravely sat down to business in his
transformed condition, much to the amusement of
Alfonso.
The young King was always genial and affable,
and anxious to avoid too much ceremonial eti-
253
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
quette when it might cause discomfort to those
who followed it.
One day he came unexpectedly into the Archaeo-
logical Museum of Madrid with an Austrian Prince.
There he found two men studying with their hats
on ; for all those who use public institutions in
Madrid know that the cold is intense during the
winter in these buildings. At the entrance of
Alfonso the students promptly bared their
heads.
" Don't do that/' said the young King kindly ;
" put your hats on again, or I shall have to take
off mine."
Alfonso was a bright and attractive figure in
Spanish Court society. His gift of making verses,
either gay or sentimental, as the occasion war-
ranted, was always attractive, and he slackened
the stiff rules of Court life as much as possible.
The Ilustracion Espaflola y Americana publishes
an excellent account of the historic ball given by
the restored monarch :
•" The festivities which celebrated the restoration
of King Alfonso XII. in the feudal mansions of
Spain finally saw their culmination in the magnifi-
cent ball given at the royal palace by the young
monarch and his widowed sister, the Infanta
Isabella, the heir to the throne, on January 15,
1877.
" The state apartments were illuminated by
millions of candles in the crystal chandeliers ; the
double-winged splendid staircase — guarded at the
foot by the historic white marble lions, and lined
with the Royal Guard of thejHalberdiers in their
254
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
high black-cloth leggings, slashed scarlet cutaway
coats, tricorn white-banded hats, and their glitter-
ing Toledan steel halberds, at attention — was
crowded with thousands of guests in gorgeous
uniforms and lovely toilettes, who were radiant at
this opportunity of once more greeting royalty at
a great fete.
" The King, with his sister, looked smiling and
happy, and their genial words of welcome warmed
the hearts of the guests.
" The fine ballroom was soon filled with the
stream of people in gorgeous array ; the large
mirrors on the wall reflected the dancing of the
stately rigodons, so that they could be seen from
the entrance of the room even by those who could
not obtain a place within its precincts.
" A magnificent supper was served, and so
perfect was the arrangement that 3,000 people
were able to partake of it without confusion.
" To the royalties who gave this ball it offered
little real enjoyment, for the strict Court etiquette
only allowed them to dance a few rigodons accord-
ing to the protocol, and to pass through some of
the illuminated salons, where they greeted those
privileged to approach them."
In his anxiety to make acquaintance with his
kingdom, Alfonso went this year to Barcelona,
Granada, Malaga, Seville, Asturias, Galicia, etc.,
and he took his place as the head of the grandees
of Spain when, with all due pomp and ceremony,
he was made Grand Master of the Orders of
Santiago, Alcantara, Calatrava, and Montesa.
It was on December 8 in this year that the Duke
255
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of Sexto went to Seville to formally ask for the
hand of Dona Maria Mercedes, the seventeen-year-
old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Mont-
pensier, in marriage for her cousin Alfonso XII.
The royal suitor had long been attracted to this
charming girl, and during the years of his exile
many were the happy days he spent with his cousin
in his vacations from Sandhurst at Vichy. When
walking out together in the watering-place, the
thoughts of the young people would sometimes
wander to the possible future, and the young
cadet, whose purse was occasionally very at-
tenuated, would regretfully turn away from some
pretty present he would gladly have bought for
his cousin, saying : " It is rather dear ; but never
mind, I will buy it when I am King."
The account of the delicate mission of the Duke
of Sexto, the Marquis de la Front era, the Chamber-
lain, and Don Fernando Mendoza, Secretary of the
Etiquette and Mayordomo of the Royal Palace, is
given in the publication mentioned below.* The
Duke and Duchess of Montpensier were in the
white salon of their palace when they received the
request for the hand of their daughter in marriage
to the reigning King of Spain ; and they were well
pleased with the suggested alliance, as they
trusted that the hope of Louis Philippe, that his
descendant should sit upon the throne of Spain,
would soon now be fulfilled.
When Alfonso followed the favourable reception
of his request by a visit to Seville, all went merrily
enough in the royal circle.
* "The Wooing and Marriage of Alfonso XII."
256
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
A magnificent Court ball was given at the
Palace of San Telmo on December 26, to celebrate
the royal engagement. The first rigodon was led
off by the King with his fiancee, looking fascinat-
ing, gowned in white and glistening with jewels ;
the Infanta Dona Luisa Fernanda danced with the
Duke of Sexto, and Alfonso excited much admira-
tion by the able way he conducted the cotillon.
However, the Princess of Mercedes had not been
the only girl friend young Alfonso had had during
his exile. For when he could not go to the Mont-
pensiers at Vichy, the ex-King liked to visit the
Austrian Archduke and Duchess at Biarritz, as
he found their daughter Maria Cristina tres bonne
camarade, and well able to hold her own with him
in a game of tennis or billiards. Maria Cristina
seems to have been attracted by Alfonso, for when
his marriage was announced with Mercedes of
Montpensier, she joined the rich and noble Chapter
of Prague, of which she accepted the responsible
office of Lady Abbess, with an annual income of
20,000 marks.
The marriage of Mercedes and Alfonso took
place on January 23 with all befitting ceremony.
The Patriarch of the Indias blessed the union in
the Church of Atocha. The ex-King Francisco
was best man, and the Infanta Isabella represented
her grandmother, Queen Maria Cristina, as the
chief lady at the ceremony.
The retinue of the palace, the grandees, the
fine caparisoned horses with their bright-liveried
lackeys, the gorgeous coaches with their magnifi-
cent trappings, all made a striking show as they
257 R
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
swept through the Spanish capital from the church
to the Court.
But a note of horror was struck when a sudden
awful sound was heard, and a woman fell dead
struck by a bomb ; but no other fatality occurred,
and cheers filled the air as the troops of the capital
filed before the palace, where the Royal Family
witnessed the review from the windows.
The genial character of the young King was seen
in a letter to an Archduke, a college friend,
shortly before the death of his beloved Mercedes.
This friend, with all due respect to Alfonso as
King, mentioned the fact of his marriage with a
young Princess of Spain. To this communication
the King replied that he never forgot college
friends, whom he preferred in many cases to later
ones.
"I forbid you to address me as 'Majesty';
treat me as you treated me in the Teresiano. When
you marry, come to Madrid with your wife, whom
I shall at once regard as a friend. Mercedes is
very kind ; we will hunt, and we will chat about
old times, and so your honeymoon will be spent as
happily as mine was. . . ."
But a telegram soon followed this bright and
happy letter. It ran thus :
" MY DEAR FREDERICK,
" Queen Mercedes is dead. May God give
you in your marriage the happiness which He has
denied me! In your approaching days of joy
remember the woe of your friend.
" ALFONSO."
258
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII.
It may be mentioned that Queen Isabella wrote
to Madrid to signify her displeasure at her son's
marriage, for the fact that the daughter of Mont-
pensier, who had intrigued to succeed her on the
throne, became Queen of Spain was rather a
bitter pill to swallow.
However, all animosity on that score ceased at
the death of the beautiful and lovable Queen,
who had had undisputed sway in the heart of her
young husband, and whose intelligence and good
feeling at the age of eighteen had promised so
much good for the country. There were not
lacking those who attributed the dreadful event
to the enemies of the Montpensiers, but others said
it was due to a chill. During the sufferings of the
last few hours the young husband sat in sorrow
by the bedside, and the much-loved wife strove
between her attacks of pain to comfort him with
the hope of meeting in a future world.
At last all was over, and the poor young Queen
was laid out in state on a low couch in the stately
Hall of Columns. This Hall of Columns was often
used for state banquets, but, after being the scene
of the last sad functions in honour of his beloved
wife, Alfonso had a new banqueting-hall built, and
the salon of such sad memories has never since
been used for any but solemn ceremonies, such as
the washing the feet and feeding the beggars by
royalty on Maunday Thursday, the Chapter of one
of the grand military Orders, etc.
The corpse of the young Queen was dressed in
the white garb and black cape of a nun of the
Convent of Don Juan de Alarcon ; the lower part
259 R 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
of her face was covered with a white gauze hand-
kerchief ; her beautiful white hands, which looked
like wax, were crossed on her bosom ; and her face,
which had been so admired a few short weeks
before — when, according to the custom of Spain,
she passed through the streets on foot on Holy
Thursday, to make her visits to the churches in
company with her husband and the Court-
looked drawn with pain and fever as it lay in the
light of countless candles.
The public denied sadly through the mortuary
chapel, and many were the Masses celebrated by
the Church dignitaries on the altar erected at the
end of the hall.
On the day of the funeral the royal cortege
solemnly passed down the soldier-lined streets to
the station. The sound of the horses' hoofs was
deadened by the tan with which the roads were
strewn, and the silence was only broken by the
piercing note of an occasional clarion or the dull
tattoo of the muffled drums. Grandees, Gentle-
men-in- Waiting, mace-bearers, and officers, all with
crape badges, preceded the catafalque, before
which was borne the standard of the Sisterhood
of the Royal House, followed by the cross and
the clerics in their vestments. Finally came
the band of the halberdiers, whose soblike
strains of a funeral march was in tune with the
occasion.
At last, for the first time in history, the remains
of a Queen were placed on a railway-train for the
Escorial, and so the coffin of Mercedes left the
station amid the booming of the cannon and the
260
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
strains of the Royal March played for the last
time in her honour.
A short time after the death of the Queen,
Alfonso was the object of a regicidal attempt as
he was passing No. 93 of the Calle Mayor, on his
way from the station to the royal palace after a
visit to Asturias. The criminal was a young fellow,
twenty years of age, from Tarragona, named Juan
Oliva Montcousi, and he was caught with the
pistol in his hand before he had time to discharge
it. The young King was enthusiastically ac-
claimed when he calmly pursued his way home as
if nothing had happened.
Alfonso's three younger sisters, Dona Pilar, Dona
Paz, and Dona Eulalia, were often seen at this
time in a quiet carriage making excursions to-
gether, so when the news of the death of Dona
Pilar spread through the capital it gave quite a
shock to Spain.
It was said that the death of the Infanta Dona
Pilar was indirectly due to a shock received during
the review held in honour of the Prince of Austria.
This Prince was known to have made a favourable
impression on the Infanta, and if she had lived it
would probably have resulted in a marriage. But,
unfortunately, as the artillery carriages in the
military function were passing down the Alcala,
one blew up and killed several soldiers on the spot.
Perhaps for a moment the Infanta feared that the
honoured guest was among the killed and wounded.
Be that as it may, she and other members of the
Royal Family were upset in the carriage, and she
died six weeks later.
261
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Talk of the second marriage of the King followed
very soon after the death of Queen Mercedes, as a
direct heir to the throne was so essential to the
country, and all eyes turned to Maria Cristina
Enriqueta Reniera, daughter of Charles Ferdinand,
Archduke of Austria, as the future Queen of Spain.
The Duke of Bailen went to Vienna to ask the
Emperor Joseph of Austria for the hand of his
daughter, the Archduchess Maria Cristina. for
his Sovereign, King Alfonso of Spain.
On August 22 Alfonso arrived at Arcachon,
incognito, under the title of the Marquis of Cova-
donga, to claim in person the hand of the
Archduchess.
Alfonso had reason to expect he would be
favoured by Maria Cristina, as she had always
seemed to enjoy his society when he came to visit
her family, as a young cadet from Sandhurst. The
royal wooer gave expression to his poetic feeling
when he found himself on such a delicate mission
at the beautiful spot which had been so frequented
by our poet Shelley. People in the place seemed
at once to recognize the royal visitor, especially
as he wore his arm in a sling, from the effect
of a carriage accident which had been noised
abroad.
Anxious for the interview which was to decide
his fate, Alfonso took a basket pony-carriage from
Monaco to Arcachon, and, in company with the
Duke of Tetuan and the Spanish Ambassador from
France, he soon found himself at the Villa Belle-
garde, the abode of the Archdukes of Austria.
When the young King passed into the salon,
262
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
where he was soon welcomed by Maria Cristina,
his eyes fell upon the portrait of Mercedes, whom
he had lost a few short months before, and he
soon found that his bride-elect was in sympathy
with his sorrow for his loss, for, in a voice trembling
with emotion, she said :
" My dearest desire is to resemble Mercedes in
all things, and even if I am to succeed her I can
never dare hope to supplant her/'
Such a sympathetic speech could but unseal the
heart of the widowed King, and, having succeeded
in his wooing, Alfonso could hardly tear himself
from the side of the young Archduchess, with
whom he could talk so freely of the wife he had
lost.
On August 29 the young King finally left
Arcachon ; the Archduchess accompanied him as
far as Bordeaux, and the royal marriage was fixed
for November 29.
When the Archduke and Duchess and their
daughter arrived at the Casa de Campo on
November 23, they were met by the King, his
three sisters, and the royal retinue, who accom-
panied them to the Palace of the Pardo, where
the marriage settlement was signed on the 28th.
The bride-elect won all hearts by her delicate
and sympathetic behaviour on the occasion, for,
turning to the Patriarch of the Indias, she
said, in a voice broken with feeling : " Pray
that I may make the King happy, for it is
a difficult task to succeed a Queen who was a
saint, and who will always live in the affections
of the King and the people of Spain ;." and
263
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
here she drew a miniature of Mercedes from her
bosom, and gazed at it with respectful admiration.
This ceremony took place in the banqueting-
hall of Ferdinand VII. , and, to the delight of the
Spanish people, it was graced by the presence of
the ex-Queen, Isabella II.
" The great Isabella is coming !" was the cry
that rang through the capital, and the dethroned
Queen was moved at the enthusiasm of her
quondam subjects as she passed through the city,
for she saw that there was more fidelity in her
people of low degree than there had been gratitude
in the hearts of the great whom she had over-
whelmed with favours.
The wedding ceremony took place in the
Church of Atocha, and hardly was the service
concluded when the King's bride went and knelt
at the feet of Isabella and kissed her hand. It
was a tribute of gratitude to her royal mother-in-
law, for it was a fact that the influence of his
mother had led the young King to take his new
bride from the House of Austria. Isabella had
signified her disapproval of the union with the
Montpensiers by not being present at that wed-
ding, but this marriage she favoured from the
beginning.
A few days after the royal marriage an attempt
was made on the lives of the young couple, by a
man named Francisco Otero Gonzalez, as they
arrived at the chief entrance to the royal palace ;
but, fortunately, although the bullet almost
grazed the forehead and' neck of the King and
Queen, they escaped unwounded.
264
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII.
Queen Maria Cristina is a very accomplished
woman, and she soon set herself to learn the
language of her adopted country. In her eager-
ness to master the tongue, she often turned to
King Alfonso to supply her with the word she
required, and, in fun, he would often supply her
with some expression which she saw, by the looks
of her entourage, was hardly fitting for a lady.
Maria Cristina proved she had made great pro-
gress in Spanish when she was able, with all the
gracious courtesy for which she was noted, to ask
of a certain academician, who was complaining
of the hatred of Sagasta, would he not do better to
use the word inquina than inqmnia ?
The affection with which the Queen inspired
the young King was seen in his daily letters to
the Court when journeys on State business obliged
him to absent himself from Madrid.
I have jus£ put your carnation in water/ ' he
would write ; and the many other allusions to
their little domestic joys showed that the heart
the King was with the Queen in his absence.
The Queen had to contend with national
r*J
lousy at Court when she intimated her wish
it her Austrian physician, Dr. Riedel, should
attend her in her forthcoming accouchement.
Court etiquette was not, however, to be set aside
even by the chief lady in the land, so the matter
was finally settled by the doctors of both countries
presiding jointly over the event. Thus the little
Princess of Asturias made her entry into the
world, on September n, 1880, with her right
hand held by the Austrian physician, Dr. Riedel,
265
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
and her left in the grasp of the Court doctor of
Spain.
The young King proudly presented his little
daughter to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet,
the Court officials, and the military diplomats and
clerical dignitaries, assembled in the antechamber,
as she lay in a nest of costly lace on the historic
silver tray.
On September 14 the baptism of the infant
Princess of Asturias was celebrated with all the
pomp usual to the occasion. The galleries were
hung with the historic tapestries, representing
Bible scenes. The Royal Guard, in their classic
dress and with their shining halberds, formed a
line on either side of the gallery between the
people and the royal procession.
First came the Gentlemen-in- Waiting, de casa y
boca (of the house and the mouth), their gold
or silver keys signifying the respective offices
of attendance ; then came four mace - bearers,
grandees of Spain, the men-at-arms with the
royal arms, all the Infantes and Infantas in full
Court dress, with their ladies and gentlemen in
attendance ; the seven gentlemen of the Chamber
—the Marquis of Salamanca, the Dukes of
Almenara and Valencia, Count Villanueva de
Perales, the Marquis of Sotomayor, the Marquis
of Benamejis de Sistallo, and the Count ofji
Superunda — all passed in gorgeous dress and with
stately step, bearing respectively the salt, cut
lemon, cruise of oil, piece of cotton-wool, the cake,
the white cape, and the water of Jordan, which
all had their part to play in the baptismal service. |
266
DON CARLOS, PRINCE OF ASTURIAS, AND HIS LATE WIFE, THE
INFANTA MERCEDES
To face page 266
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII,
The royal infant itself was carried between
Isabel II., who was godmother, and the Pope's
Nuncio, who represented His Holiness as god-
father. Then followed the proud young father,
accompanied by his military suite, and the pro-
cession ended with the band of the halberdiers,
playing a cheerful march from an opera. By
the wish of the Queen, the infant Princess was
named, after her predecessor, Mercedes.
It was in 1882 the King and Queen paid a visit
to the Duke and Duchess of Montpensier at their
beautiful Palace of Sanlucar de Bairameda, and
the Queen won the hearts of her host and hostess
by her charming manners and the admiration
with which she always spoke of their daughter,
the late wife of Alfonso.
On November 12, 1882, the Infanta Maria
Teresa was born, and two days later she was
baptized with the customary ceremony.
On April 2, 1883, the King's sister, Dona de la
Paz, was married very quietly to Prince Lewis
Ferdinand of Bavaria. The Prince is a very
able surgeon, and when he comes to Madrid he
delights in going to the military hospital and
exhibiting his scientific skill on some soldier-
patient.
The newly wedded pair laid the foundation-
stone of the Cathedral of the Almudena, and,
according to the custom, the Princess de la Paz
placed in the casket a poem from her own pen to
the Virgin of the Almudena. The departure of
the Infanta de la Paz left the Infanta Eulalia with
no companion in her musical and artistic tastes,
267
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
for the sisters had worked, played, painted, and
poetized, together.
In September, 1883, Alfonso XII. went to
France and Germany. True to his old friends,
the King went to see the Warden of the Teresian
College at his private house. As he was not at
home, Alfonso asked for a pencil and paper to
write him a note, which he handed to the servant.
When she saw that the letter ran,
" I came to pay a debt of gratitude by coming
to see you. I shall be going to the Teresian
College in two hours.
ALFONSO, King of Spain "
she fell on her knees and entreated forgiveness
for her stupidity in having asked the royal visitor
into the kitchen.
But Alfonso, with his usual kindness, expressed
interest in this, the first kitchen he had ever seen.
He asked many questions about the utensils, and
showed great curiosity about the use of a ceramic
vessel, which, according to the description he
subsequently gave and the sketch he made of it
to show the Court officials, proved to be an
egg-poacher.
The enthusiastic reception accorded to Alfonso
at Homburg excited the ire of the French, and so
antagonistic was the exhibition of public feeling
as the young King was crossing Paris alone that
he informed the President of the Republic that
he would recall his Ambassador at once. This
prompt act brought the necessary apology, and
the King of Spain subsequently attended the
268
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII*
banquet given in his honour at the Elysee, at
which the Minister of War was absent, as the
President of France had asked him to send in
his resignation.
The news of this contretemps reached Spain,
and when the Queen returned from La Granja to
Madrid she was at first quite alarmed at the
enthusiasm shown by the people at the station,
he clasped her children to her breast, and seemed
o think she was 'on the brink of a revolu-
ion. But her fears were soon stilled when
unebody shouted: "Senora, the Spanish people
•e only protesting against the recent events in
'aris."
The return of the King from France saw an
vation of equal enthusiasm, and, in defiance
f all Court etiquette, the people pressed up the
taircases and into the galleries of the palace,
rying : " Viva el Rey y la Reina !"
It was on Maunday Thursday, 1884, that the
'ourt went for the last time in state to make the
ustomary visits on foot to the chief churches of
he capital. There was the usual service in the
orning in the chapel of the palace, the washing
f the beggars' feet and feeding them,* and
e solemn, imposing public procession at three
'clock in the afternoon. The streets were
trewed with tan to soften the cobbled stones to
e feet of the ladies, whose high-heeled velvet
: thoes rather impeded their walk. The streets were
|ined with troops, and the Plazas de Oriente,
yor, and La Incarnacion, were respectively
: This ceremony is described on pp. 332-4.
269
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
filled with the regiment of the Princess of Pavij
and the artillery.
First came a mounted company of the Civilj
Guard ; then a long line of kettle- drummers, th<
grooms and all the officials of the Court, all ii
full dress ; then the six men-at-arms with theirl
embroidered vestments, the Chamberlains, gentiles}
hombres, the grandees of Spain, the King's military]
retinue, etc.
Their Majesties walked between the lines of|
halberdiers, followed by the Patriarch of th<
Indias, the Ministers of the Crown, the chiefs ofl
the palace, the Ladies-in- Waiting, and the Aides-]
de-Camp of the King and Queen.
A Captain of the Guard and about thirty lackeys]
carried the historic sedan-chairs, and notabli
among them were those of the Dukes of Granada^
Osuna, and Villahermosa, ornamented with beauti-|
ful paintings.
The procession ended with a company of hal-|
berdiers and a squadron of the royal escort.
Don Alfonso walked with martial step, his head]
in the air, and smiling pleasantly to all the friends
he saw. He was in the uniform of Captain-]
General, with the Order of the Golden Fleece an<
other decorations.
In this final public visit to " the Virgins/' th<
Queen wore a white velvet robe embroidered with]
gold and ornamented with sapphire buttons, an<
her necklace and bracelets were of the sam<
precious stones. She wore the Orders of Maria|
Luisa and the starred Cross of Austria. Th<
dress of the Infanta Isabella was of pale blu<
270
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII.
velvet embroidered with flowers, and all the
dresses and mantles of the royal ladies were of
equal magnificence, with tiaras of jewels and
feathers and mantillas on their heads, and, as all
the ladies of the Court also had their places in the
procession in splendid attire, one can imagine it
was a superb show ; but it was not one to be seen
again in the public streets.
The health of the King was now beginning
to give anxiety at Court, and loyal subjects
regretted that people in high places did not use
their influence to stimulate the King in his
good desires for the welfare of the land, instead
of pandering to his fancies with adulation and
flattery.
Charming ladies literally forced their way into
the palace, and one day Queen Maria Cristina
gave a well-deserved* box on the ears to the Duke
of Sexto, when she came upon him introducing a
dancer of light character to His Majesty. It is
noteworthy that one of the first acts of the Queen
as a widow was to ask this Duke to resign his post
at the palace.
It was to such flattering courtiers that Maria
Cristina owed the shadows which crossed the
happiness of her married life, for under good in-
fluence Alfonso would always have been true to
Maria Cristina, as the King loved and venerated
her above all women ; but when politicians en-
couraged the escapades of an attractive young
Sovereign the wife's influence was weakened.
Queen Maria Cristina was deeply offended when
* " La Vie intime d'Alfonse XII.," par Croze.
271
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
she found that her husband's connection with this
Elena Sanz was a well-known fact, two sons being
born to the singer.
It was then that it was seen that the Queen was
no mere weak woman who would submit calmly
to what might be termed los costumbres (custom)
of the Court ; and when she found that the King
had a rendezvous with a sefiorita in the Casa de
Campo, the magnificent wide-stretching park be-
yond the palace, she declared she would leave
Spain and go back to Austria.
Nothing but the strong pleas and arguments of
those about her, including Alfonso XII., persuaded
her to stay at the Spanish Court, and it was
certainly due to this illustrious lady that a higher
morality there became customary. For, as nobody
ever was able to breathe a word against her honour,
she subsequently exercised her right, as Queen-
Regent, of sweeping the Court clean of those who
smirched its purity.
Moreover, those who had expected Alfonso XII.
to save Spain by the introduction of a pure and
unmystified suffrage, such as he had seen in
England when studying at Sandhurst, were dis-
appointed in their hopes ; for Canovas, the leader
of the Conservatives, openly said at Court : "I
have come to continue the history of Spain'*
which meant the history when the voice of the
people is not heard ; and Sagasta, the head of the
Liberals, acted in the same spirit, although he did
not express himself so openly.
Canovas, the leader of the Conservatives, and
Sagasta, the chief of the Liberals, used all their
272
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
eloquence at the Court of Spain to persuade
Alfonso XII. that sincere elections in Spain would
lead to the Carlists attaining a majority in the
Congress. So the King, not seeing that the
leaders of both parties wished to prevent the
realization of a true Parliamentary representation,
because it would lose them their patronage of
deputies' seats, ended by signing the Pacto del
Par do. This document, endorsed by the King
at the country palace, was simply an arrangement
between Canovas and Sagasta, by which each was
insured an equal period as Prime Minister, so
that their respective partisans could feel that their
patrons had the same amount of influence.
And yet Alfonso XIL, who was overborne by
what he considered the experience of the two
leaders, had the welfare of his country at heart,
for he said to Ernest Daudet : " I am Sovereign,
and as long as I am King of Spain I will never
allow a Ministry to be overthrown by an intrigue
in the palace, as it has frequently happened
hitherto. If the country wants a Liberal Govern-
ment, it shall have it ; but, before talking of
liberty, Spain herself must have both liberty and
stability. As to those who say I am not accessible
to truth, it is because they have not tried to show
it to me. The country is difficult to manage ; it is
impatient, and cannot see, as I do, that its con-
dition requires prudence and management. We
have remade the army ; we have not had a mani-
festo for three years. We have a standing army
of 80,000 men, and we have been able to send
20,000 to Cuba. The insurrection of Cuba is a
273 s
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
great wound, and it must be healed before we can
cure the other evils." But the King was never
allowed to take the sure means of healing these
wounds ; he was never permitted to say : " I wish
to respect the people and their votes, and by the
Law of the Universal Suffrage they can go to the
polls."
With the loss of the love of his life, the young
Queen Mercedes, Alfonso seemed to become ener-
vated, and self-interested courtie. s found that they
could use the King's pocket for the protection of
needy ladies of all ranks.
Canovas and Sagasta were both aware of this
abuse, and, indeed, both these Ministers were
themselves under the influence of certain ladies,
who used their power over these Ministers to their
own pecuniary advantage ; for they themselves
were liberally rewarded for the titles which they
persuaded these politicians to ask the King to
grant.
The Queen's ignorance of Spanish when she
first came to Madrid made it more difficult to
contravene the influence of the camarillas, which
wove their nets round the young husband, whose
real wish for the welfare of the country would have
made him a willing disciple of good advice.
Moreover, flattering courtiers carefully con-
cealed from the King the sad results which would
inevitably follow his course of self-indulgence, and
the palace became a constant scene of camarillas
and intrigues which could but be disastrous to the
land.
Even Nakens (whose protection of the anarchist
274
PRAXEDES MATED SAGASTA, LIBERAL PRIME MINISTER
To face page 274
Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
Morral, after the bomb tragedy of the royal
marriage morn of May 30, 1906, led to his being
imprisoned for nearly two years) pays tribute to
the wish of the young King to act for the welfare
of the kingdom, for, in a collection of his articles
published when he was in gaol,* we read an appeal
to Alfonso to consider his own good with regard to
his health, and not to listen to self-interested
advisers.
" Nobody," says the writer in this appeal, " has
the courage to warn you of the impending evil.
When the doctors order you change of climate, the
Government opposes the course for reasons of
State. ' Reasons of State ' imperil the life of a
man ! And a man to whom we owe so much !
" Therefore, even as a republican, I beg you, as
the occupier of the throne, to look to your health,
if it be only to overthrow some iniquitous plan, or
some unworthy object which is contingent on your
illness ; and if scientists think it well for you to
pass the winter in some other place in Spain, or
abroad, follow their counsel, and not that of
interested politicians, in ^sacrificing your life to
their ambitions/'
It was certainly true that the King was over-
borne by the intrigues of the politicians in the
palace. Even in such a little social matter as that
of wishing to go in costume to a fancy ball, the
King could not have his own way, for Canovas
showed such aversion to Alfonso donning fancy
attire for the occasion that he had to abandon the
idea and wear his ordinary dress.
* " Muestras de mi Estilo," Nakens.
275 S 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
If such influence had been used to the preven-
tion of the King favouring a danseuse like Elene
Sanz, which brought so much sorrow and so many
complications in the Royal Family, his life might
certainly have been prolonged. It was true that
the doctors advised the King's wintering in Anda-
lusia, but " State reasons " led to the failing
Sovereign being exposed to the colder climate and
sharp winds of the Palace of the Pardo, where
politicians could use their influence with the
invalid, and remind him continually that he alone
was the arbiter of parties.
Alfonso was only twenty-seven years of age
when he felt he was doomed to an early death ;
but his natural energy led him to take horse
exercise, despatch business with his Ministers every
day, and, in spite of daily increasing weakness, to
do as much as possible.
If his longing for the sea-breezes of San Sebastian
had been gratified, his life might have been pro-
longed ; but politicians gave little heed to the plea,
and their authority was paramount.
On November 24, 1894, the royal invalid was
seized with faintness when he came in from a walk.
Queen Maria Cristina, Queen Isabella, and the
Duchess of Montpensier, were called to his side.
Seeing his wife by him when he recovered con-
sciousness, the King embraced her, and the
alarming symptoms vanished for a time ; but the
following day he was seized with another fainting
fit, which proved fatal.
We read in La Ilustracion Espahola of this
date, that when Queen Maria Cristina was told by
276
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Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XII.
Dr. Riedel that all was over, she fell weeping at
the head of the bed of her unhappy husband,
whilst covering his hand with kisses.
Cardinal Benavides performed the sacred office
of the occasion. The doctor could not suppress
his emotion, and hid his face, covered with tears,
in his hands ; and Count Morphy, the King's faith-
ful secretary, went sorrowfully to announce the
sad news to the Queen-mother and the rest of the
Royal Family.
At nine o'clock the next morning the little
daughters came to embrace their father for the
last time. The Queen, with only the assistance
of Dr. Camison, prepared the body of her husband
for burial, and she assisted at the obsequies in the
Escorial with her little daughter, the Queen of
Spain. Arrived at the historic monastery, the
Augustine Brothers came to meet the sad cortege,
in their black vestments and holding lighted
torches, and, headed by the Prior and the Prin-
cipal, the procession passed to the burial-place of
the Kings.
The iron seemed to enter the soul of Maria
Cristina when the Chief of the Palace cried before
the catafalque : " Senor, sefior, senor !"
Solemn silence reigned. " Then our Sovereign
really is no more," said the Chamberlain. He
broke his wand of office, whilst the drums of the
halberdiers, the bells of the cathedral, and the
booming of the cannon, added to the solemnity
of the occasion. The Bishop of Madrid officiated
at the final office, after the coffin was finally
carried with countless candles down into the
277
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Pantheon, which he had entered ten years before
in all the exuberance and with all the illusions of
youth.
Then the unhappy widowed Queen returned to
Madrid, there to pass the sad months till the child
should be born who might prove the future King
of Spain.
It was an impressive sight to see the Queen,
with her orphaned little girls, take the solemn
oath of Regency. Putting her hand on the
Gospels, which the President held open, she said :
" I swear by God to be faithful to the heir of
the Crown during the minority, and to guarantee
the Constitution and the laws. May God help me
and be my Defence ; and if I fail, may He require
it of me !"
Then the Queen sat down with her little girls,
and the Prime Minister made the following formula :
"The Parliament has heard the solemn oath
just made by Her Majesty the Queen-Regent, to
be faithful to the legitimate successor of Don
Alfonso XII., and to guard the Constitution and
its laws."
The marriage of the Infanta Eulalia with Don
Antonio, son of the Duke and Duchess of Mont-
pensier, in 1886, was the next interesting function
at the Court of Spain.
The Montpensiers seized this fresh opportunity
of becoming connected with the Spanish Royal
Family, and Dona Eulalia augmented their riches
by a large sum of money ; but it seemed as if
fate wished to warn the Infanta that the mar-
riage would not be happy, for it was postponed
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Court Life in Spain under Alfonso XIL
through the illness and death of her brother, and
she was weeping as she came out of the royal
chapel on her wedding-day. And, indeed, it was
not long before the Infanta found her husband
was utterly unworthy of her, and she now lives
apart from him.
The Infanta Eulalia was a great loss to the Court
of Spain, where her bright intelligence and charm-
ing ways had made her presence like sunshine.
She was twenty-two years of age when she married,
very pretty and high-spirited, an expert in riding
and driving, and a lover of all kinds of activity.
Her father, Don Francisco, and the Duke of
Montpensier — who, we know, killed Don Enrique,
her uncle, in a duel — supported her at the altar;
and Queen Isabella, the Comtesse de Paris, the
Queen-Regent and her little daughters, were also
at the ceremony.
This Infanta is often seen at the Court of Spain,
with her son Alfonso. It was she who warned
Alfonso XIII. , when he presented his new-born
son to the assembled Ministers, that the infant
might catch cold if exposed too long ; and at the
royal baptism on June 2, 1907, she looked striking
in her long train of scarlet velvet, with the satin
front sewn with jewels, and with scarlet plumes
surmounting her tiara of diamonds.
Even those who had not been in favour of
Alfonso were rapidly gained over to the Bourbons
when they saw the difficult position of the Queen-
Regent. All the chivalry of the Spaniards was
aroused to support the young widowed mother in
her trying task.
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
When a lady of the Court condoled one day
with the royal widow, and expressed wonder that
she could so valiantly seek to steer the ship of
State whilst suffering the pain of loss, and not
knowing how fate would settle the question of
the future Sovereign of Spain, Maria Cristina
looked up at the speaker, and said with a smile
in which courage seemed to conquer sorrow :
' But, Duchess, everything is easy when one
has hope."
The character of Alfonso XII. is sympathetically
drawn by Don Jose Fernandez Bremon. He
says :
' He was affable and extremely simple in his
manner, and opposed to strict etiquette and
Court ceremonies ; much given to riding, hunting,
shooting, and all physical exercises. His favourite
study was that of the relation of science with
war. He was an adept of poetry, and he much
liked public applause. His facility in speaking
and his flow of language inspired confidence in
his auditors and in those whom he received in
audience. His affability gave people more the
idea that they were speaking with the emigrant
from Vienna than the King of Spain. He was
short, but well-proportioned and slender. His
eyes were expressive, and he was what the
Spaniards call very simpatico. He liked starting
discussions on daring theories. He was very
prudent in the Council Chamber. He was clever,
and he sometimes spoke as if he felt himself
taken captive in the gilded cave of government."
280
CHAPTER XVI
THE PALACE AND POLITICS DURING THE REGENCY
OF QUEEN MARIA CRISTINA
1894 — 1902
THE country was certainly in a very unsettled
condition at the commencement of the Regency,
and the difficulties of administration were in-
creased by the insurrections in Cuba and the
Philippines, which were unquestionably due to
the corruption of the Government of the mother-
country.
The recently published " History of the Re-
gency/' by Senor Juan Ortega Rubio, which I
had the privilege of studying in the library of
the royal palace at Madrid, throws much light
on the state of affairs at this period ; for the
author ably sets forth in the prologue the political
condition of the country during the Regency.
" There were certainly plenty of vehement
politicians and eloquent orators/' says the writer,
" but we can scarcely cite one true statesman.
Favouritism was never more dominant and prev-
alent than it was at this time. And favourites
whose advancement was due to adulation and
daring, if not to insolence, gave no support to
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
industrious men, and much less so to those who
were firm and energetic.
' The army, professorate, Church, and, indeed,
all the professions, were regarded as schools of
politics, and were in the greatest state of de-
cadence.
" No respect could be accorded to flattering
courtiers or to an ignorant people. If the beauti-
ful sun of religious tolerance shone upon the
whole of Europe, Spain would be the one country
condemned to dwell in the shades of fanaticism.
" It is necessary to raise the moral sense of the
Spanish people. If this be necessary . in all
moments of history, it is more than ever indis-
pensable now that despair is taking possession of
all hearts, doubt of all spirits, egoism of all con-
sciences, and positivism of all men.
" From the sixteenth century Spain has been^
gradually going down. We do not lose hope,
but we think, like the Roman Plato, that the
sun of education will gradually pierce the clouds
of ignorance, slavery, doubt, and sophistry, and
the dawn of justice, order, and faith, will break
over our land."
Thirty prelates came to condole with the Queen
on the death of the King, and the Church always
made a great claim on the attention of the Queen-
Regent in consideration of her former position in
the religious house in Austria.
It was said that, if the Pope left his magnificent
home at the Vatican, he would come and take up
his abode in Spain ; but, as the Figaro said :
" The Government of the Queen-Regent will
282
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
thus put itself completely under the power of
Leo XIII. , who will be treated like a Sovereign ;
ind he will, they say, be given the Palace of
.\ranjuez for his residence."
When the Queen-Regent asked Canovas whom
>he ought to appoint President of the Ministry,
le promptly said, "Sagasta"; but the Congress
vas a fictitious Congress, for, as Martin Hume
>ays when referring to the Parliament in the
earlier part of the century :
" There was not then, and never has been
since, any sincerity or reality in the pretended
antagonism of the political parties."
The lack of sincerity in the political opinions,
even of those devoted to the monarchy, is shown
)y Rubio in the speech of Martinez Campos to
}ilvela ; for he said :
" I am neither a Liberal nor a Conservative. I
nade myself a Liberal because I thought the
King wanted the Liberals to come in, and now I
im a Conservative because the Queen wanted to
;jive the power to the Conservatives."
The politicians in the camarillas at the palace
always brought forward the phantom of Carlism
to scare the Sovereigns from fulfilling their desire
of promoting true Parliamentary elections, and
true patriots sought to show King Alfonso XII.,
Queen Maria Cristina, and, later, Alfonso XIII. ,
that those who tried to prevent the country from
enjoying this constitutional privilege of going to
the polls were only anxious to preserve their own
patronage in the nomination of the deputies, and
that the monarchy would be adored by the nation
283
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
if it favoured the reform which had been promised
in the days of Ferdinand VII.
The Queen-Regent Maria Cristina was told that
the public offices were in the hands of patrons,
and it was well known that a recorder in the law
courts of Barcelona was blind, but he owed his
place to being the brother of the cacique (or
influential person) who supported Canovas in Cata-
lonia ; and there was also a magistrate in Madrid
who could not see, but he, too, had his patron.
The Queen lent a willing ear to the plea of the
Chamberlain for reform in these matters, and an
inquiry was instituted about the blind recorder at
Barcelona. But so powerful is patronage that,
although the recorder had been seen to have his
hand guided to sign the necessary documents, it
was declared that he was not blind; and the
informer of the abuse nearly lost his life at the
hand of a relative of the man in power who had
allowed such a state of things, for he was struck
by a sabre at the back of the head, and prostrated
senseless to the ground.
Naturally, the wounded man wished to call out
his assailant for such an insult, but the Queen-
Regent, who sent daily for news of the injured
man, begged him, as a favour to herself, to abstain
from further steps.
To this request the officer was obliged to accede,
on the condition, which was confirmed, that the
assailant should formulate a full apology for his
deed, and this was done.
It is difficult for foreigners to realize the power
of the cacique in Spain. He is always the most:
284
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
influential person in the district, and the ap-
pointment of Judges, Alcalde (Mayor), Governor,
and deputy, are all in his hands. The man he
suggests as representative of the district in the
Congress is sure to be elected, and when the
Ministers wish a certain person to have a place in
Parliament, the name has only to be sent to the
cacique who supports that Minister.
Caciquism cripples Spain, and the collection of
magnificent speeches and articles published in a
large work under the title of " Oligarchy and
Caciquism " shows that every man of importance
in Spain can give his testimony against the evil
which crushes the country ; but, eloquent as they
are on the matter, the Ministers do not take a step
to do away with a system which advances their
own ends.
So, as Martin Hume says, " No attempt is made,
, indeed, can be made under present circum-
inces, to trample out the evil that is sapping
ain's vigour — empleomania ; no bold politician
res to look facts in the face and speak the whole
truth. And so the evil circle is complete ; dis-
honest Governments are faced in sham battle by
I dishonest oppositions, and Parliamentary institu-
tions, instead of being a public check upon abuses,
are simply a mask behind which a large number of
politicians may carry on their nefarious trade with
(impunity."
And when it is remembered that, according to
ie law of Spain, it is the King alone who has the
ight of appointing a Ministry, it is he who has
|to bear the onus of what goes wrong.
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
An amusing story is told of a Sen or Comas,
who was a cacique of Sagasta's. The gentleman
had been bidden to an audience of Her Majesty at
half-past six. He arrived at the palace punctually,
as he had promised to return to dinner with his
grandchildren. Some hours elapsed in the ante-
chamber ; diplomats came and went, and many
others who, according to the strict Court etiquette,
were to take precedence of the politician.
At last he became impatient, and the thought
of his grandchildren waiting so long for his return
overcame all politeness ; he took up his coat, put it
on, and, to the astonishment of the Court officials,
he prepared to depart.
" You are going, sir ?" said the lackey at the
door.
" Certainly/' was the reply ; "it is dinner-time,
and my grandchildren are waiting for me."
" But what shall we say to the grandee ?" said
the servant, raising his hands to heaven, and
referring to the grandee in attendance on the King.
"Tell 'the great one' (el grande)" returned]
Comas, " that ' the little one ' has gone off."
And so he did.
The remark was repeated at Court, and th<
following day the Queen-Regent received thej
cacique with demonstrations of respect.
Queen Maria Cristina always encouraged thosel
who really wished to counsel her for the welfare of)
Spain. When, therefore, somebody was loyal am
disinterested enough to present a programme t<
Her Majesty which would do away with th<
abuses of the Government by introducing a tru<
286
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
Parliamentary representation, she pressed the
paper to her bosom, crying : " Yes, yes, it is true,
it is true, and I will do it !"
But politicians would not support a course which
limited their exclusivism, and so things went on
in the same fatal way.
To the surprise of the Court, Castelar, the great
republican leader, made at this time a great speech
in which he showed that the advanced opinions
of his partisans were not incompatible with mon-
archy, for he said :
" When our fanaticism made us think that
monarchy was incompatible with public liberty,
we did not understand the monarchical principles
of England, Sweden, or Norway. But now I can
Itell you that a monarchy should be a Liberal
tonarchy."
And the orator went on to say that a Liberal
monarchy is a democratic monarchy in so far as
:he universal suffrage became an accomplished
[act, for a democratic monarchy is the formula of
;his generation.
Of course this speech, which certainly showed
;hat the leader of republicanism had considerably
nodified his views, called forth much remark, and
jossip in the press even went so far as to associate
ie name of a " charming royal widow " with that
>f the great orator.
But Sagasta set the matter right by saying, in
me of his speeches, that " those who spread such
reports were strangely ignorant of the temple of
ie soul of the august lady, and that no credence
ras to be given to the stories."
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
More sincere than the monarchists, Castelar
made a strong protest against the mode of Parlia-
mentary elections, for he said: " The census is a
lie, votes do not exist, and scrutineers destroy
what there are."
This statement of facts could not be refuted,
and the Central Union gave voice to the opinion
that " municipal elections, like all others, should
be the result of universal opinion, and that the
indirect intervention of the Ministers was deserv-
ing of censure."
Such expressions of opinion show that there was
a deeply rooted feeling of the falsity of the Spanish
Parliamentary system, but it required politicians
to be patriots to reform them.
The corruptions in the Spanish colonies were,
indeed, a standing proof of the evil wrought by the
Parliamentary system of patronage, as it intro-
duced people to places of importance in the
colonies who were utterly unfit for them. The
Marquis of Salamanca made a vehement protest
against these abuses in the colonies, which were
estranging them from the mother-country ; and
Maura, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, made one
of his first marks as an orator by setting forth
before the Congress the evils of the dishonest
actions of those whose advance had been due to
their patrons instead of their patriotism.
Canovas declared in the Congress that " he was
very anxious that the Great Antilles should elect
its own representatives, so that its voice could be
heard in the national Congress " ; but, unfortu-
nately, the statesman did nothing to promote such
288
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
an advisable course, and the leaders of the
political groups held to the power which they
gained from the patronage of the colonial posts.
Canovas, who now called himself the " Liberal-
Conservative/' in his fear that his Liberal rival
should gain more partisans than himself, went on
to say that " the Government recognizes the
necessity of introducing great reforms in the
administrative and financial affairs of the island
of Cuba, for the political posts ought to be filled
by the sons of the colony"; and he ended by
saying : " When the triumph of our arms is an
accomplished fact, and when the rebellion is sup-
pressed, these reforms will be realized in a wide
and generous spirit."
But unfortunately the triumph of the Spanish
arms could not be accomplished, for they were led
against insuperable difficulties, and it was an in-
justice of the mother- country to expect that her
forces could prove victorious against the forces of
a continent like that of America.
It required a strong hand to save the Spanish
Court from the overbearing of one whose father
had adopted revolutionary ideas.
It was the Duke of Seville, the eldest son of the
late Don Enrique, who, when in command of the
Guard at the palace, entered the antechamber
of Maria Cristina' s apartments one day, and de-
manded an interview. The Gentleman-in- Waiting
said that Her Majesty had just returned tired from
a walk, and had given orders that she could not
receive anybody. But the Duke insisted, uttering
disrespectful remarks as to what he could do if
289 T
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
he were driven to desperation. These words
were repeated to the Captain-General, who com-
manded the division to which the Duke of Seville
belonged, and he was summoned before a court-
martial.
The Minister of War made a speech, in which he
said : ' When the whole nation vies in showing
respect and sympathy to a lady who claims pro-
tection in her dignity and her misfortunes as a
widow, it is deplorable when a person of the family
of the Bourbons shows such disrespect, which has
such a bad effect on all, and which can only
be explained as a momentary aberration of
reason/'
The trial led to the Duke of Seville being con-
demned to eight years of imprisonment.
The Queen- Regent was always far more con-
cerned about matters of the State than about
those of her own comfort, and the Court was
certainly wanting in good service at this time, and
Her Majesty caught a severe chill one cold day,
because the fur cloak she had asked for was not
forthcoming, when she had to go out in an open
carriage to attend an important function.
And it can be said with truth that the luxuries
of a Court did not include the necessary one of
having fresh eggs for breakfast. A Chamberlain
having noted the sweet patience with which the
Queen bore the daily vexation of finding the eggs
musty, finally ventured to present her with a little
egg-boiler and some fresh eggs. The gifts were
accepted with the Queen's usual grace, and with the
assurance that she would now be able to enjoy
290
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
an egg in her own apartment, like one of her
subjects.
In the evening Maria Cristina played dominoes,
listened to music, or conversed with the greatest
affability with those present, whilst trying to
forget for a time the cares of the State.
It was now that Catalonia began to show signs of
insisting on a true suffrage, and Ferretti saw that
it would be much better for the monarchy to
satisfy this natural desire for a voice at the polls
than for it to be enforced, as it subsequently was,
to the misrepresentation of the Region in Madrid.
So the Colonel wrote to press the matter on the
consideration of Sefior Canovas de Castillo. But
the Prime Minister's insight was not willing to read
the signs of the times, for he wrote the following
letter, which I translate from the original :
" February 4, 1887.
I" To Colonel Senor Don Luis de Figuerola
Ferretti.
11 MY DEAR AND HONOURED SlR,
" In reply to your letter of the ist instant,
ating that I gladly note the regionalist tendencies
of Catalonia are fortunately unauthorized by
sensible people, and it seems that the effervescence
of the first moments is passing off, I think it best
not to publish anything that has reference to the
matter.
" However, I thank you very much for your
efforts in the cause of order, and I beg to remain,
" Yours very sincerely,
" A. CANOVAS DEL CASTILLO."
291 T 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Thus the statesman wilfully shut his eyes to the
importance of the movement, which they vainly
hoped was a mere passing feeling.
But, sure in his presage of the signs of the times,
Ferretti strove to show the Queen-Regent that
the politicians turned a deaf ear to the will of the
Catalonians, because they wished to keep the
patronage of the seats of the deputies in their own
hands ; for if deputies were elected at the polls
there would be an end of patronage, and people
fitted for the representation of the respective
centres would be elected by the constituents them-
selves.
Moreover, the dreadful abuses in the colonies
from this same source of patronage made the
Cubans raise their voices high on the matter.
Martinez Campos had seen things as they were in
Cuba in 1878, and he found that Spain could only
put an end to the Cuban War by promising the
Cubans the autonomy for which they craved.
But when the General returned to Spain he was
unable to keep the promise made in the name of
his Government, as the Parliament did not wish
to abandon the fruitful field of patronage.
It was some time before Martinez Campos
received any reward for his loyalty in proclaiming
the restoration of Alfonso XII. in 1874. Poli-
ticians told how Alfonso XII. refused any title as a
sign of gratitude, and as time went on disappoint-
ment was expressed at the seeming neglect of the
officer. It was then that a Chamberlain at Court
ventured to say to the Queen-Regent : " Your
Majesty will have been told that Martinez Campos
292
ANTONIO CANOVAS DEL CASTILLO, CONSERVATIVE
PRIME MINISTER
To face page 292
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
has refused a title for himself ; but may it be sug-
gested that a title be offered to his sons ?" And
thus Maria Cristina, who was always ready to
render justice, conferred the title of the Duke of
Leo d'Urgel on the eldest son, and that of the
Marquis of Bastan on the second one. Moreover,
after the death of the great soldier, the Queen-
Regent made his widow a grandee of Spain.
The enthusiasm shown in the spring of 1907,
when a statue was unveiled to the memory of the
ardent Monarchist, showed that neither the Royal
Family nor the country had forgotten his services
to the throne.
The failure of the country to keep the promises
of Martinez Campos to the colonies in 1878 was
felt in 1897 ; but politicians in the palace still
represented matters, and the Queen-Regent was
under the impression that autonomy would mean
Separatism. It was then that a Chamberlain
showed Her Majesty a letter from a cousin in Cuba,
the mother of more than one leader of the insur-
rection, for in this letter the mother said that she
would willingly sacrifice her sons for the autonomy
which would save the island from ruin, through
the abuses and corruptions of the Government at
home. And with the grant of the autonomy
America would have no further excuse to interfere
in the matter.
With a true Parliamentary representation in
Spain, such an important State matter could not
have been left in the hands of a man like Sagasta,
who, like other politicians, used the intrigues of
the palace for a perversion of the truth. The
293
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
deputies, if they had been real patriots instead of
being merely the tools of those in power, would
have risen as one man against the refusal of the
autonomy ; the good sense of the Queen-Regent
would have been satisfied, and the prestige of
Spain and her colonies would have been saved.
And to those who think this statement exag-
gerated, I must say that as Maura, the present
Prime Minister, permitted me to address him some
questions on the policy of Spain, I asked the great
statesman if it were true that the abuses in the
Governmental departments caused the loss of Cuba,
and he replied emphatically in the affirmative.
This confirmed the report in the country, for it is
well known that, as Minister of Foreign Affairs at
the time, Maura lifted up his voice in the Congress
for the reform of the evils which threatened and
finally caused the loss of the colonies.
Moreover, Maura boldly took up his stand for
the much-required suffrage for Spain, when he
said in the Congress :
" A country cannot maintain its loyalty to the
Crown in the integrity of its national being, if it
cannot count on the will and the hearts of the
inhabitants/ '
When the country was filled with anxiety at the
sudden serious illness of the little King, the stocks
fell, the Carlists began to make themselves con-
spicuous again, and evil threatened the land with
the shadow overhanging the Court, and the
anxious royal mother was constantly heard to cry :
" Oh, child of my heart ! My God, do not take
him from me !"
294
THE INFANTA MARIA TERESA AND KING ALFONSO XIII
To face page 294
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
But it was not in idle tears that the royal
mother spent her time by the baby boy's bedside.
Everything that the knowledge of hygiene and her
love as a parent could suggest was brought into
use, and finally Maria Cristina had the triumph
both as a Queen and a mother to report the child
out of danger.
Cast el ar wrote to Sagasta at this time, saying :
u I am very anxious for you to convey my
respects to Her Majesty, and tell her that I have
inquired after her august son, the King, twice
every day ; and please do not forget to add how
sincerely I congratulate her on his restoration to
health."
It was, indeed, quite due to the rare intelligence
of the Queen- Regent and her knowledge of the
laws of hygiene that little Alfonso XIII. was
saved for Spain.
It was by such proofs of her intelligence that
Maria Cristina gradually asserted her just sway
at Court. It had been a great struggle in the
first years of her widowhood to gain this sway,
for she was liable to be set aside as a stranger
in a foreign country, of which the language was
unknown to her, and she could not help knowing
that derogatory remarks were made about her
even by her royal relations. Her very name was
against her, as Spaniards associated it with that
of the mother of Isabel II., who was said to have
exploited the land to her own ends. The Duke
of Seville, Prince Henry of Bourbon, was heard
to say, in the presence of the Royal Guard, in
1886 : "Of course, the Regency cannot be en-
295
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
trusted to a foreign Princess/' But he found
afterwards he was wrong in the estimate he had
formed of the Austrian lady.
Whilst Alfonso XII. had been alive, Maria
Cristina did not feel she was merely a stranger
in a foreign land, and she was often compared to
a ray of sunshine, so bright and joyous was she
at Court. For, always active, merry, and happy,
her six years of married life had passed without
heed of the cares of the State, so it was a sur-
prise to the Spaniards to find that she was pos-
sessed of such diplomatic power.
Moreover, the Queen-Regent's intelligent care of
her child during his illness was a practical lesson
to those around her ; for, fond mothers as Spanish
women are, the laws of hygiene play little part
in their education.
The little Prince, Alfonso XIII. , was indeed a
charming child, and soon gave proofs of his
affection for those about him, whilst being the
despair of his governess, Sefiora Tacon, by the
way he set the strict laws of Spanish Court
etiquette at defiance.
" Ah, Juanito ! bon petit Juan !" he would call
out to the distinguished General Juan de Cordova,
Marquis of Sotomayor ; and the Duke of Bivona
he dubbed " Xiquena." Senora Tacon strove
to prevent this familiar style of address by
saying :
" But, Sire, Your Majesty must recollect that
the gentleman to whom you are speaking is the
Duke of Bivona. "
" The Duke of Bivona I" returned the little
296
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
King mockingly. " That's all very well, but I
know it is Xiquena. Are you not Xiquena ?" he
continued, addressing the grandee. Then, seeing
a smile on the solemn countenance of the Duke,
he continued : " You see, this lady is always
giving different names to people. She says that
my Juanito is General Juan de Cordova, Marquis
of Sotomayor. Don't be silly !" he added, turn-
ing to Sefiora Tacon. " That is my Xiquena,
and the other is my Juanito — so there !"
The King's childish way of settling things
developed as he grew into a lad into the power
of forming logical conclusions which would have
done credit to any statesman.
A Chamberlain one day ventured to suggest to
:he Queen-Regent that it would be good for the
dngdom if a royal visit could be paid to Barce-
ona ; for if the King did not go to Barcelona, it
was not a question of Catalonia separating itself
:rom the rest of Spain, but of the Court separating
iself from Catalonia. The courtier's idea was
•epeated to the young King by his mother as he
came into the room.
' Yes, yes," returned Alfonso, with his prompt
acceptance of a good suggestion. " If we do not
go to Catalonia, it is just as if a prelate did not
visit one part of his diocese, which would mean
separation from that district."
It was in 1898 that the terrible debacle of Cuba
realized the worst fears of patriots. The Queen,
who had been so badly advised in the Council by
Sagasta, was overwhelmed with grief. The army
and navy, and even the throne of Spain, were
297
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
loudly attacked, instead of the Government
which had brought them the disaster.
It was then that Figuerola Ferretti had the
clever idea of having a great illustration placarded
about the streets of Madrid, headed by a repre-
sentation of Herder's picture of an angel carrying
a wounded man, with the device " Gloria Victis."
For glory was due to the men who had suffered
nobly and hopelessly in the struggle to which
politicians had provoked the colonies by their
maladministration ; and leaflets, setting forth
the same idea, were distributed broadcast by
thousands in the streets of Madrid.
This daring protest for the prestige of the
Spanish army and navy doubtless stemmed the
tide of public opinion, and the Queen- Regent
congratulated the chamberlain on his loyal course.
Castelar, in an article he published in La
Nouvelle Revue , put all the blame of Spain's
misfortunes on Maria Cristina, even going so
far as to compare her with Marie Antoinette, who
was so fatal to France. But one must recollect
that, as Rubio says, Castelar said in the Congress :
' I am an historical republican, an invincible
republican, a republican all my life by convic-
tion and by conscience, and he who doubts my
republicanism offends and calumniates me, and
for this reason I do not wish to be anybody in
any monarchy/ 3
But General Blanco declares, with greater
justice, that the blame of the Cuban disaster
should rest on the shoulders of Sagasta ; and
El Liberal of that date says :
298
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
" Sefior Sagasta is the one, and the only one,
responsible for the terrible misfortunes which
assail our country.
: It was he who advised the Queen- Regent to
persist in the course which led Cuba to seek the
intervention of America ; and when the royal lady
seemed ready to listen to the wisdom of patriots
who pleaded for the autonomy of the colony, he
would present himself at Court, and there once
more persuade the Sovereign to his false view of
the matter."
As Rubio says in his £ble " History of the
Regency ":
: When Sagasta, ^ Romero Robledo, Silvela, and
Gamazo spoke in the House on this burning
question, their speeches seemed more like essays
in polemics in an athenaeum than discussions in
an assembly of legislators on a matter entailing
the salvation or the ruin of the country."
To those who preferred to be true patriots to
flattering courtiers the state of affairs was des-
perate, for they felt indignant at the Queen-
Regent being persuaded to a course for which, as
Sovereign, she would have to bear the chief share
of the blame ; and Ferretti, who years before had
served under General Blanco at Saint Domingo,
and had keenly felt the loss of prestige to the
Spanish army when he had to obey orders and
lead the last company from the island, fought
hard to prevent a similar disaster in Cuba in
1898.
In August, 1897, a shudder ran through Spain
when Canovas fell by the hand of an Italian
299
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
anarchist, and the fact was still more shocking
as the republican Nakens had been told by the
perpetrator that the deed would take place, and
he did nothing to warn the statesman.
For ten years Canovas had been the foremost
figure in the Congress and the Court of Spain.
The prominent part he had taken in the restora-
tion had placed what we should call the " straw-
berry-leaves " on the brow of his wife ; and when,
after the tragedy of Santa Aguedas, the widow
followed her husband's corpse into their palace
in the Castellane, it was to retire definitely from
the banquets, reunions, and great functions in
which she had always shone so successfully and
conspicuously as the wife of the Prime Minister
of Spain.
After the death of Canovas, Silvela came for-
ward as the leader of the Conservatives, for the
camarillas and intrigues of the followers of
Canovas had hitherto barred his way to high
preferment in the Parliament.
It was known that the Queen-Regent was in-
clined to patronize General Polavieja, and there
were also Villaverde, Romero Robledo, and numer-
ous other politicians who all had their partisans,
and sought by camarillas in the palace to gain
power for their partisans.
The Queen-Regent often used her ,charm as a
woman to captivate those opposed to the mon-
archy, and this power, exercised with all the
rigidity of a lady of strict morality, had its due
effect on General Cazola. It was well known that
this officer enjoyed great prestige in the army,
300
I
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
and as he was republican in his opinions, he could
have become a sort of Oliver Cromwell in Spain.
He was the only man Canovas stood in fear of,
and Sagasta did not breathe freely till death
removed him from his path.
Maria Cristina was quite aware that he ad-
mired her, and when she heard that the General
had given voice to one of his speeches, which
might prove fatal to the loyalty of the army, she
sent for the officer, and with all the charm of her
manner she let him see that she was conscious of
the power he could exercise against the dynasty
if he wished. Touched with the evident anxiety
of the Queen, all the chivalry of the gallant
General was called into play, and, putting his
hand on his heart, he soothed the fear of the
Sovereign by saying : " Do not be afraid. Your
Majesty is sacred in my eyes."
Such conquests were a satisfaction to Maria
Cristina, both as Queen and woman; and when
one noted the great personal influence of the
widowed lady, one could only wish she had given
herself more scope for its exercise, and had
not submitted herself so freely to priestly
guidance.
Some dissatisfaction was caused among the
Liberals by the Queen's appointment of a Bishop
especially for the palace, where the Prelate of
Madrid had officiated formally. As he had no
diocese, the Pope gave him the title of Bishop of
Alcala and Zion, and this appointment meant the
institution of forty Canons at the Court. The
duties of these Canons was specified as that of
301
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
drawing the curtains in the royal boxes of the
chapel, but now there are no curtains to draw.
It was whispered by the partisans of Silvela
that Polavieja was favoured by the clergy, and
with him in power the Queen-Regent and the
country would be given over to the clerical party.
Canovas had allowed the lady in power to be
called the " priestess/' and Sagasta had repeated
to the Queen-Regent reports which were cir-
culated as to Senora Canovas boasting of having
more power than the Queen herself.
Finally, after the death of Canovas, and a
short term of power of General Azcarraga, Silvela
was put at the helm of affairs. But the camarillas
at Court again led to the fall of the Ministry, for
Silvela' s choice of Lofio as Minister of War was
opposed by the choice of Polavieja by the
Sovereign.
Thus, when Figuerola Ferretti saw that the
impending death of Sagasta would lead to the
Liberal party being cut up into as many groups
as that of the Conservatives, so that the country
would on both sides be a prey to the intrigues at
Court of the partisans of the respective groups,
he ventured, in view of the very superior intelli-
gence manifested by the young King, after he
had attained his majority, to represent to His
Majesty that true Parliamentary elections were
the only means of solving the problem of govern-
ment, and for this he could exercise his royal
prerogative of forming a Provisional Government.
The King seemed to listen to this proposal with
approval, and, indeed, if this election of the
302
The Regency of Queen Maria Cristina
deputies by public vote had been promoted in
the capital, it could never have been used by
republicans as a cloak for Separatism.
The petition for this step was drawn up in the
names of the widows and orphans of those who
had fallen in the Cuban War. It was sent in
proof to the secretaries of the King and the Queen-
Regent. But the patriot had not counted on the
antagonism of those in power ; and albeit Loy-
gorry, the follower of Lopez Dominguez, spoke
eloquently in favour of the idea in the Senate,
Moret, the Minister of the Interior, stopped its
course by forbidding the Prefecture of the Police
to affix the necessary seal to the document ; and
it was doubtless through such political influence
in the palace that the Chamberlain found that
further influence with the King was prevented by
his removal from Court.
The cordial reception of the Colonel by
Alfonso XIII., when he saw him in London in
1905, was cheering to the patriot, and it seems
more than probable that the King is unaware of
the Court intrigue by which his valued adviser
was removed from his side.
It was in 1905 — only a fortnight before his
death — that I had the privilege of seeing Don
Francisco Silvela, who had spent so much time
and effort in the service of his country.
!( I am utterly weary of politics," said the
statesman, lifting his tired eyes to my face. " It
is a fruitless task, and no one is safe from the
intrigues at Court. No, no ; I am going to give
up my spare time to literature now, which will
303
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
be far more profitable. And, indeed, it seems
like pouring water into a tank with a hole in it
to expend efforts on the country which is un-
supported by a true suffrage."
It is thus that Alfonso, in 1906, had to appoint
seven different Governments in the space of
fourteen months, and it would sometimes require
more than supernatural power to detect the rea
cause of the fall of a Cabinet in Spain.
304
CHAPTER XVII
ALFONSO XIII
MAY 17, 1886, the day on which Spain hailed the
birth of their baby Sovereign, Alfonso XIII., is
always kept as a fete-day in Spain. Shortly after
Senor Sagasta had proclaimed the news to the
assembly of Ministers and grandees of the realm,
the Duchess of Medina de las Torres appeared in
the antechamber, bearing in her arms a basket
that contained the royal infant. Wrapped in
cotton-wool, the infant King received the homage
of his Ministers.
Five days later Madrid was en fete for the
baptism of the royal child. Wearing a robe of
the richest English lace, and the broad velvet
| sash, embroidered with fleurs-de-lis, that his father
had worn at his baptism, the royal infant was
borne on a silver salver, draped with costly
[coverings, through the lines of officers, states-
ien, and Court ladies, into the chapel of the
>alace, where at a solemn service he received the
imes of Alfonso Leon Fernando Maria Santiago
jlsidro Pascual Antony.
The second birthday of the baby King was
>lebrated by a review in the Prado. The Queen
ras on horseback, dressed in black, without any
305 u
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
ornaments. The Minister of War was on her left
hand, and the Duchess of Medina behind her.
Her horse was startled by the quantity of flowers
thrown before the royal rider, but, being an
excellent horsewoman, the Queen controlled the
animal, and no mischance happened.
Aided by the Duchess of Medina de las Torres,
the Senora Tacon, and an excellent nurse, Queen
Cristina devoted herself entirely to the care of
her child. His rooms were in close proximity to
her own private apartments, and " Puby " (a
German pet-name), as she called him, learned
from an infant to look for the loving good-night
visit of his mother, who, seating herself at the
head of the blue silk curtained cot, would hush
her boy to sleep. Her soothing caresses grew,
as time passed on, to be tender counsel to the
child.
Unwilling to sacrifice his physical health to his
mental progress, the Queen waited till her son
was seven years old before planning for him a
course of serious study. With an hour's steady
instruction daily, the young monarch soon learnt
to read and write with ease. It is interesting to
know that he was never allowed to use a word
without being thoroughly acquainted with its
meaning. By this means he acquired an intelli-
gent interest in things about him.
It was at the seaside resort of San Sebastian,
in the beautiful palace of Miramar, that the royal
child's second course of instruction commenced.
Don Regino Zaragoza was his tutor for geography
and history. About this time also he began rapidly
306
ALFONSO XIII., KING OF SPAIN
To face page 306
Alfonso XIIL
to gain ground in French and Latin. But the quick
intelligence of the lad did not impair the mis-
chievousness natural to his age. I was told by
the King's Chamberlain that once, when he was
about eight years old, streams of water were seen
running down the corridor from the bath-room
of the royal palace. The door of the apartment
was found to be locked, and it was only when the
Queen herself insisted on its being opened that the
young delinquent was discovered enjoying what
he called " a naval battle in high seas/' the ships
being logs abstracted from the wood baskets, and
the high seas the overflowing bath.
The same courtier told me that once, when
staying at the Casa de Campo (the country place
near Madrid), the boy escaped from his governors
to climb up on to the roof of a building, which he
had remarked as the resort of some roosters.
It must be remembered that the young King's
courses of instruction were always those of the
Universities and institutes of the kingdom. He
usually wore the uniform of a cadet of the Military
Academy, except when, on a visit to a man-of-
war, he adopted the naval dress. That his tutors
found him a docile pupil can be gathered from
the following anecdote : When one day a professor
stood waiting for his royal pupil to be seated, he
laughingly shook his head, saying : " No ; you are
the master, and I am the pupil. It is for you to
be seated first."
Queen Cristina overcame her son's difficulty
with German by composing a small grammar for
him, which enabled him to master the rules of
307 U 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the language in a simple and amusing form. His
inquiring turn of mind and his desire to thoroughly
understand many subjects were early made
apparent by his leaning towards natural science,
chemistry, etc.
The King's love for all that is military dates
from his earliest childhood, when his great delight
was to watch the change of the royal palace
Guard from his nursery window. His boy regi-
ment is now almost historical. Many of its
members still talk of their delight at its promotion
to the dignity of a Mauser gun of a most profes-
sional calibre. Their young Captain's power of
resource and command was evidenced in the way
he carried the day in a wager made with his child
soldiers that they should not on the morrow meet
the admiring eyes of their parents at that part
of the royal palace where the Foreign Office then
had its bureaux. The following day the young
battalion approached the palace. The little
subalterns, about to glance at the windows,
thought they had won the bet, when lo ! in clear
sharp young tones there rang out the command :
"Vista a la derecha !" (Look to the right!).
Not an eye was turned towards the palace win-
dows, and the royal commander scored.
Early rising has, of course, been always an
essential part of the young King's programme,
or he would not have time for such pursuits as
photography (developing his own plates, and in
this he excels), swimming, bicycling, music, paint-
ing, etc., as well as his graver studies.
During his minority Alfonso XIII. rose at
308
Alfonso XIIL
7 o'clock, and, after a cold bath and some exer-
cise in the gymnasium near his bedroom, he had
a light breakfast with his mother and sisters.
From 9 to 10 o'clock came a lesson in French from
Don Luis Alberto Gay an, or in English from Don
Alfonso Merry de Val. At 10 o'clock he went
for a ride on horseback until 12 o'clock, when he
lunched with the Queen and the Infanta. Then,
after a lesson in German or music from Senorita
Paula Czerny, or in painting from Don Jose
Pulgar, the King again walked or rode, generally
in the company of his mother. At 2 o'clock he
had military instruction, and between 3 and 4
o'clock a lesson in universal history, or in fencing
with other boys, under Don Pedro Carbonell.
From 5.30 to 6.30 came a lesson in political law
and administration, and once a week a lesson in
general Spanish literature and classics. Dinner
was at 7.30, and the remainder of the evening
would be passed pleasantly in conversation or in
playing duets with his sister Maria Teresa until
it was time to retire to rest.
This programme was punctually adhered to,
under the direction of Don Aguirre de Lejada,
the director of His Majesty's studies, and except-
ing when the King went to church on a Saturday
afternoon at 5 o'clock with his mother and sister,
it was rarely relaxed.
It was the royal youth's natural simplicity,
combined with his splendid education, that saved
him from embarrassing self- consciousness on the
great occasion, when on May 17, 1906, he took
the Constitutional oath (the Jura), which gave
309
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
him the full rights of a King, in the Houses of
Parliament (Palacio del Congreso), before the
brilliant assembly of Princes, Ambassadors, and
Ministers assembled for the occasion. The words
were simple, but impressive :
" I swear before God upon the Holy Gospels
to maintain the Constitution and the laws. If
I do so, God will reward me, and if not, He
will require it of me/7
All present were touched at the young monarch's
evident disinclination to take precedence of his
mother when leaving the Palacio del Congreso.
But the law of etiquette had to be observed : the
Regency was over, the reign had commenced;
the Queen's power had ceased, the King's sway
had commenced, and, as the first person in the
realm, he had to precede his mother.
But that very day the King issued a decree to
the nation by which the royal mother retained
all the privileges of the position she had held as
Regent, which permits no one but the possible
future wife of the King to take precedence of
her. This, the first royal proclamation, shows
the devotion of the son to the mother, for as
Queen Cristina is out of the line of possible
inheritance to the crown, she would otherwise
have taken lower rank than her sisters-in-law or
her daughters.
As the young Sovereign, after the solemn cere-
mony in the cathedral, took his place under the
white satin canopy, and passed down the aisle,
filled with the highest representatives of Church
and State, the sun, streaming in Spanish intensity
310
THE QUEEN-MOTHER MARIA CRISTINA OF SPAIN
To face page 310
Alfonso XIIL
trough the heavily carved oaken door of the
cathedral, fell upon his face. He looked like
some youthful knight of olden days. With his
dark head held high and a look of resolution on
his features that seemed to bode well for his
office, he passed out of the cathedral into the
sunshine and air, thrilling with the applause of
his people.
The close association of the King of Spain with
the Ministry gives play to intrigues at the palace,
which cause dissatisfaction in the country, and
the King alone has the responsibility for the
result.
It was towards the end of 1906 when General
Lopez Dominguez, the fifth Prime Minister in less
than a year, was the object of a palace intrigue
which brought his work to an end, and excited
much discontent in the country. The Cabinet had
given a vote of confidence in the General, and the
officer subsequently reported the matter to the
King.
But in the meanwhile the partisans of Moret had
been intriguing at the palace, and the Prime
Minister's assertion of the confidence shown him
was met by a sceptical look from Alfonso, as he
drew from his pocket a private letter from Moret,
in which he threw doubt on the satisfactory state
of Parliamentary affairs. The General, who had
grown grey in the service of the King, stared
blankly at the treacherous letter.
" Then Your Majesty has not complete confi-
dence in me ?" he asked, in astonishment.
The King did not reply, so the Prime Minister
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
took the only possible course in the matter, and
promptly offered his resignation.
Thus, Moret had plotted for his return to power,
and, indeed, he was asked by the King to take the
helm of affairs. This he did ; but he was not pre-
pared for the indignation of the Congress at the
turn of affairs, and when he went to the Congress
to make his opening speech, he was met by such
storms of disapproval and with such silent con-
tempt that he abandoned his post in three days.
When Maura permitted me to address him some
questions on his policy, I asked if he did not think
a pure suffrage would be for the progress of the
nation.
" Yes," he replied ; " but the intervention of the
Government is only to supplement the inertia of
the nation."
But the Prime Minister did not seem to take
into account the despair of the people at the use-
lessness of their efforts. Sometimes there is a
call to arms against this want of activity,
but to such appeals the Spaniard shrugs his
shoulders.
" What is the use of my going to the poll, when
I know perfectly well that my vote will be either
destroyed or burnt ?"
" It is, then, the duty of the Government,"
writes a pioneer in the Press, " to take great pre-
cautions for the protection of the polls, and even
if necessary to guard them with a military force ;
for it is in the verity of the elections of these repre-
sentatives in Parliament that lies the secret of the
recovery of the virility of Spain."
312
Alfonso XIIL
Catalonia, as we know, has recovered this virility
by insisting on the return of her own deputies,
and the enormous enthusiastic meeting held in a
great hall of Barcelona on June 29, 1908, to hear
the deputies* opinions on a great matter of legis-
lation shows how deep is the public interest in
matters of politics, and how much the constituents
appreciate their hardly-won privilege of being
represented in the Congress by men they trust.
313
CHAPTER XVIII
PRINCESS VICTORIA EUGENIE OF BATTENBERG AS
QUEEN OF SPAIN
1906
As the Spanish authoress Conception Gimeno de
Flaquer devotes the last chapter of her book,
" Mujeres de Regia Estirpe " (Women of Royal
Degree), to Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain,
it seems that I should fall short of the mark
were I not to publish some of the Spanish im-
pressions of the present English Queen at the
Court of Spain.
Senora Flaquer says : " The presence of the
beautiful Princess at the royal palace is like a
shining star on a dark night, a soft balmy breath
of wind in a violent storm, a refreshing dew in
hot weather, and a ray of hope in depression."
This description is Spanish in its imagery, and
it is interesting to note the more measured lan-
guage in which Figuerola Ferretti expresses the
joy of Spain at the news of the engagement :
' The news is like a fresh spring of hope to us
Spaniards, who regard any English girl as a symbol
of sincerity and sweetness, and how much more
so when that girl is grand-daughter of the great
VICTORIA EUGENIE, QUEEN OF SPAIN
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Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
Queen Victoria, whose name is venerated through-
out the Peninsula !
' Whilst regarding the entry of Princess Ena
into Spanish spheres as the commencement of a
new era for the education and progress of our
women, who are only waiting for the opportunity
to prove their intellectual worth, I must say I
might have some fears lest the Princess should
be chilled by the restrictions of Spanish Court
etiquette, had not King Alfonso already shown
himself capable of breaking down the unnecessary
barriers which would prevent his future bride con-
tinuing the happy outdoor life and the social
pleasures which brighten the existence of royal
ladies in England.
" ' Manners maketh man/ it is said, but it is
also true that ' man maketh manners/ and when
our monarch follows the natural and noble im-
pulses of his heart, it is always to the making of
a manner which expresses good feeling.
' The young Spaniard has marked with great
interest King Alfonso's foreign mode of courtship,
which oversteps the lines of our customs ; and
as he follows in the footsteps of the royal fiance,
he will soon see that invigorating motor-car ex-
cursions and walks in a garden with the queen of
his heart are more conducive to mutual knowledge
of character than perpetually thrumming on a
guitar outside the lady's window, or only being
permitted to whisper words of love in a corner of
a room where the rest of the family is assembled.
" To judge from ancient records, the arrival of
the young Princess Eleanor of England in 1170
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
as the bride of Alfonso VIII. of Spain led to a
reaction against the strictures of etiquette intro-
duced by the Moors to the extreme limitations of
the liberty of our ladies ; and it was by the natural
assumption of a certain freedom of action that
the daughter of young Henry II. passed a happy
life of nearly half a century as Queen-Consort in
our country. And Princess Ena is not likely to
fall short of her English predecessor in her natural
love of liberty.
" Readers of Mariana* s ' History of Spain ' may
be struck with the resemblance of the meeting of
the young royal lovers on the borders of Spain
in 1170 and that of the illustrious couple at
Biarritz. The ardent young Alfonso VIII. was
charmed with his English Eleanor, even as our
Alfonso XIII. admired the Ena of your land ; and
as Queen Eleanor associated herself with the pro-
motion of learning and letters for men, and sup-
ported the foundation of the University of Palencia,
our future Queen Ena will doubtless encourage the
present movement for the education of girls, which
has just culminated in the opening of the Middle-
Class College under the committee of ladies of the
Ibero-American Society, presided over by Queen
Maria Cristina."
The joy foretold by the Spanish courtier was
more than realized at the arrival of the English
bride. Her bright, sunny smile and ready acknow-
ledgment of the people's evident admiration of
their future Queen delighted the people.
But the tragedy of the bomb cast in the bouquet,
which caused so much disaster, came like a sudden
316
'QUEEN VICTORIA OF SPAIN AND THE QUEEN-MOTHER
AT A BULL-FIGHT
To face page 316
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
frost, and nipped the spontaneous joy of the young
Queen, and the drives and walks in the city of
Madrid became a source of fear instead of joy.
It is hard to us here in England to realize what
the bomb outrage on her marriage-day was to
Queen Victoria of Spain.
Wearers of the Victoria Cross and the D.S.O.
have not often gone through such a terrible ordeal.
For soldiers on active service are at least prepared
for such tragedies, but in the glitter and gaiety
of a marriage-day the blow was dealt in the
dark.
An officer in the Wad Ras Regiment, who was
close to the carriage, told me that he can hardly
bear to speak of it even now. The gaily- decora ted
street was suddenly transformed into the fearful
scene of a battle-field. The cries of the dying \
and the sight of the killed sent many people out
of their minds. With the calm courage of a
soldier's daughter, Queen Victoria neither swooned
nor went into hysterics ; but the shock went deep
into her soul, and she naturally fears a repetition
of the horror when she is in the city.
The people, therefore, are a little disappointed
at their greetings not meeting with the quick
response of the first days in her new land ; and as
Spaniards would do anything for a smile, and love
to see happiness, this inborn terror, begotten of
the tragedy of her wedding-morn, would form a
barrier between the English Queen and her people,
were they not reminded of the source of the set
expression on her face.
In La Granja this is different. The freedom of
317
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the country life gives scope again for our Princess's
smiles, and the beautiful gardens and the charm
of the palace seem far removed from the tragedy
of the city.
" Oh, how we adore her when she is like that !"
said the simple-hearted, sympathetic Spaniards,
as they saw the eager, guileless way the Queen
showed her young cousin, Princess Beatrice of
Coburg, her lovely country residence ; and after
she had passed up the fine staircase of the palace,
lined by the halberdiers sounding their drum
tattoos of welcome, she appeared at one of the
windows to smile on the soldiers as they saluted
her in their parade past the palace.
Bouquets are naturally, of course, still looked
upon with suspicion at the Spanish Court. When
Miss Janotha, the celebrated pianiste, wished to
leave a beautiful bouquet at the palace as an
offering to Princess Henry of Battenberg, when
she was in Madrid, the lackey looked at it askance,
saying :
' We are not to take bouquets."
Miss Janotha looked regretful, and I was very
glad when a superior official stepped forward and
said :
' We do not take bouquets, but as it comes with
the English lady we know here, it is all right."
This confidence I acknowledged gratefully ; the
Polish pianist was pleased, and the bouquet was
taken.
" The Queen is always her bright, merry self on
the yacht," said a distinguished naval officer, when
speaking of the shock of the bomb to the young
PRINCE FERDINAND OF BAVARIA, BROTHER-IN-LAW OF
ALFONSO XIII.
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c
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
Queen. " She sings, and is as happy as the day
is long, for there is no fear of such tragedies on
board ship/'
One always connects Spain with sunshine, and
Queen Victoria was interested at seeing the after-
effects of a snow-storm in Madrid. Their Maj esties
sallied forth in a motor-car to the park of the
Retiro. The Queen expressed her admiration at
the clever efforts in statuary made of the snow
which had fallen in the morning. The newly-
appointed Prime Minister, Maura, was easily
distinguished as a snow-man, and many other
celebrities were recognized in this exhibition of
snow-figures made by the street gamins. Great
lions in front of the War Office also showed the
skill of the officials in turning the snow into form
when clearing the pathways, and in the squares
and streets there were many presentments, both
male and female.
The Infanta Maria Teresa was driving across
the Puerta del Sol with her young husband during
the inclement weather, when a mule of her carriage
slipped on one of the tram-lines, which form a
perfect network at this busy centre, and the car-
riage came to a standstill. The Princess descended
from the vehicle, and would have walked home
had she not herself slipped on the treacherous
footwalk. Fortunately, the etiquette which for-
merly forbade a commoner to touch royalty even
in a time of danger does not now prevail, and a
policeman raised the Infanta from the ground, and
placed her in a tram, in which the rest of the
journey to the palace was made.
319
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
AN AUDIENCE AT THE COURT OF SPAIN.
It was one morning during this short season of
snow in 1907 that a charming Spanish lady, Sefiora
dona Carmen Burgos de Segui, called to ask if I
would join her and two or three other members of
the well-known Andalusian Centre in their visit to
the palace to invite King Alfonso XIII. and Queen
Victoria to a forthcoming fete to be held by the
Centre ^.t a theatre. All the formalities with refer-
ence to the audience had been arranged, and I was
pleased to accept the invitation to join the com-
mission.
As a fall of snow precluded the possibility of
being able to obtain a carriage or cab — for the
cobbled stones of the roads make it unsafe for
horses in slippery weather — I put on my snow-
shoes and fur cloak, and soon arrived with my
companions at the royal palace, which flanks the
whole side of the great Plaza de Oriente, and
towers majestically above the richly- wooded valley
of the River Manzanares.
The white-cloaked sentries, in their three-cor-
nered hats, saluted us respectfully as we passed,
and the colonnaded, rich-carpeted staircase soon
led us to the gallery which lines the quadrangle
of the royal palace.
A sympathetic porter helped me to remove my
cloak and overshoes, and as I shook out my dress
and donned my white gloves he said :
" Her Majesty will be very pleased to see a
compatriot, for since last June she has not seen
an English lady."
320
THE INFANTA MARIA TERESA, AFTERWARDS WIFE OF PRINCE
FERDINAND OF BAVARIA
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Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
The ring of the halberds on the floor of the
gallery as the historic halberdiers changed guard,
and the quick word of command, were the only
sounds to break the solemn silence as darkness
fell on the courtyard, where snow was falling
softly.
A lackey in gold livery now issued from the
royal apartments and met us in the gallery. He
then conducted us to an imposing doorway leading
to the landing of the state double-winged stair-
case, which is only used on very important occa-
sions. It was in this gallery that the young King
and his sister, Maria Teresa, startled Queen Vic-
toria, on her first Shrove Tuesday in Spain, by
jumping out at her disguised with masks.
The white marble lions, the blazing lights of the
fine chandeliers, the rich carpets, the carved marble
rails and handsome walls, looked like a scene in a
fairy-tale as we saw it for the first time, and after
passing several footmen and officials on the land-
ing we reached an antechamber, where we were
asked to wait our turn of audience.
The walls of this salon were hung with rural
scenes embroidered on tapestry set in crimson
velvet. Large mirrors reached from the floor to
the painted ceiling, and reflected the crystal can-
delabra and the works of art which lined the room,
with its crimson-satin-covered furniture on a velvet-
pile carpet.
Just before we were summoned to the royal
presence, I was told it was contrary to Court
etiquette to wear a veil, so I removed it in time
to obey the summons of the Court official, who
321 x
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
appeared with the papers relating to our visit ;
and being handed over to the usher, we ran the
gauntlet of the eyes of Chamberlain and military
men standing about in uniform in every salon,
and passed through a large anteroom with green-
satin-panelled walls hung with pictures of the
royal predecessors of the present King, and thence
into a room like a large and splendid ballroom,
where a lady was sitting on duty in full Court
dress with a companion, and we were finally
ushered into the presence of the King and Queen.
The Queen looked fair and regal as she stood in
the beautifully decorated French salon in a per-
fectly-made pale pink dress trimmed with the
finest lace, and the King was in the undress
uniform of a Captain-General.
The Queen looked somewhat sad as she graci-
ously received us, and she must, indeed, have
thought that it was another wearisome occasion
of speeches and remarks which would be in an
unknown tongue to her. According to the eti-
quette of the Spanish Court, the King and Queen
were both standing to receive us in the beautiful
little boudoir. Indeed, the room seemed only
arranged for such audiences.
My introduction to the King as an English-
woman at once met with a cordial shake of the
hand and a pleasant " How do you do 1" after
the Queen had gracefully greeted us. As Her
Majesty looked pleased to see somebody from her
native land, I begged to be allowed to address
Her Majesty, and, passing behind the King to her
side, I soon had the great delight of hearing her
322
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
>peak with pleasure of the Shakespearian Bazaar
n London, where I had last seen her as Princess
Ena ; and when speaking of my friend, Miss
anotha, she said, " Yes, I have known her since
was so high/' holding her hand a little distance
rom the floor.
In the talk with the Spanish ladies, Alfonso
pleased one who has rather advanced opinions by
he gusto with which he said, ";Yes, there are indeed
:ar too many associations in Spain !" for this
*emark showed that His Majesty is alive to the
svil ; and if the clerical party would only allow
iction to be taken to prevent this overwhelming
number of religious associations in Madrid, it
vvould be to the joy of the country.
For these associations ply their trades of print-
ng, chocolate-making, boot-making, needlework,
itc., and they undersell the trades of the lay-
vorkers, as they have neither taxes nor rent to
)ay. This abuse the Government was seeking to
emove by bringing in a law for the diminution
>f such societies, but the camarillas of the palace,
nstigated by the clerical party, checked the pro-
gress which Canal ej as, the President of the Con-
gress, was making in this direction, by causing the
all of the Ministry. It was falsely reported at
he palace that Canalejas is atheistic and antago-
nistic to the Church, whereas he told me himself
,hat he is very religious. He has a private chapel
n his house, where Mass is celebrated every day.
:Jut, as the Minister said, this matter of the asso-
:iations (of which many are from Belgium, France,
ind other parts of the Continent) militating against
323 x 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
the trade of Spain is a matter of State policy, and
has nothing to do with religion.
" And now the King is offended with me, and
I have no chance of an explanation with His
Majesty/' said the ex-Minister, who a short time
before had been patted on the back for his zeal
for the welfare of the land.
When I looked at the young Queen, so tall, so
elegant, and so alone in a foreign land, I felt how
difficult it must be to fulfil her role to the satis-
faction of all parties.
The report that the expected royal heir's
layette was to be made entirely in Spain excited
much commendation ; but when I went to see the
things at the best shop in Madrid, I could but
note that they were not so fine as I had expected.
" No, no," said the proprietor of the place ; " all
the best things are made in the convents, and we
have only the second and third best. The Queen,
I believe, meant to benefit the trade of Madrid,
for she was so sweet and gracious when she called
here, but the priests gave most of the work to the
societies in which they are interested."
Moreover, the King not only expressed himself
frankly about the associations at our audience at
Court, but he showed a deep interest in the details
of the Andalusian fete to which we had come to
invite Their Majesties. It is the King's keenness
in all matters which captivates those about him.
" What dances will there be ?" he asked eagerly.
" And will there be songs of the Region ?" he
queried. To all these questions the Spanish ladies
answered, flattered at the interest manifested.
324
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
During the talk I was privileged to have with
Her Majesty in English, I was charmed with her
evident affectionate recollection of things in Eng-
land, whilst graciously interested in the subjects
which had brought me to Spain.
She smiled sweetly when I kissed her hand on
leaving, as I said I did not know whether I did
it as a Spanish subject or as an English com-
patriot, but in either case it was an honour I
could not forego.
Then, the audience over, we were conducted
with the same pomp and ceremony as before
through the stately salons and guarded galleries
till we were once more in the free atmosphere of
the Plaza de Oriente, environed by the statues
of past Spanish Sovereigns, who looked spectral
in the moonlight, and met by editors who wished
to make copy out of our audience.
The King said we could see the state apart-
ments of the palace on the following day, but, as
the weather was bad, I proved to be the only one
who appeared the next morning to profit by the
royal permission.
There was much discussion in the Chamberlain's
office as to the right course to pursue about my
visit. The royal permission, which is rarely
granted whilst Their Majesties are in residence,
had been given to the party of ladies, and only
one had come. Was that one to be given the
privilege or no ? I was amused at hearing the
flow of oratory which the subject aroused among
those in the office, but directly I suggested myself
deferring the visit to another day, the traditional
325
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
courtesy of the Spaniards gained the day, and
with many bows and protestations of pleasure I
was escorted past the sentries on guard by a
courtly guide, who did the honours of the salons.
If I describe these state apartments in the words
of Pierre Loti, it will be seen that I do not ex-
aggerate their magnificence, for the French author
writes :
' The place is decorated by Velasquez, Bayeu,
Tiepolo, Mengs, Luis Lopez, Rubens, Vicente Lopez,
Luis Gonzalez, etc. A whole world of splendour
seems to unfold, and as one passes through
what seems an interminable line of salons, all
marked with the particular ideas of the artists
employed on them, one is struck by a series of
surprises.
" The great frames of the doors are all made of
agate or rare marbles, whose colours and veined
surface harmonize beautifully with the brocades
of the walls.
" The Salon of Charles III. is hung with blue
satin starred with silver. Other salons are hung
with exquisite old satin, with furniture of the time
of Louis XV. ; others are hung with an inimitable
red embroidered with gold of the time of the
Renaissance, or with pale green curiously blended
with yellow or saffron colour, or deep blue em-
bossed with yellow, with the stiff but elegant
furniture of the Empire period.
" Then there is a salon with the whole ceiling
and panels of faience, and when the artist died
before completing the work, his wife finished it,
by inaugurating and superintending the exquisite
326
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
embroidery of garlands of white and pink roses
on panels of grey silk."
There is another salon with the walls covered
with cherubs of the white pottery for which the
factory of the Retiro was famous — viz., the
throne-room, with its ceiling painted by Tiepolo,
its crimson-satin-hung walls, its long mirrors,
its many crystal chandeliers, its busts of the
Roman Emperors on pedestals, and, above all,
its magnificent throne with its crimson and
gilt chairs. The four steps of the throne are
guarded by two large lions of gilt brass, and the
royal seats are flanked by figures representing
the cardinal virtues ; and the banqueting - hall,
with its magnificent columns, panels of porphyry
and marble, is a perfect picture.
Spanish ladies declare that Victoria of Spain
looked every inch a Queen when she first took
her seat by her royal Consort. Her diadem-
crowned golden hair, beautiful face, and her ex-
quisite toilettes, make a striking feature at the
State receptions ; and when we consider that it
was in an unknown tongue the talk went on, it
was wonderful she could preserve her stately and
quiet demeanour. Now the Queen has become
mistress of the Spanish tongue, her subjects can
admire her intellectual as well as her physical
charms.
THE COURT OF SPAIN AT CANDLEMAS.
The protocol of the royal Court etiquette at
Madrid and the rites of the Roman Catholic Church
produce a pageant in the Spanish palace at the
327
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Feast of the Purification (commonly called Candle-
mas) which, in splendour and solemnity, savour
more of the Middle Ages than of the present
practical period.
The galleries on the first-floor of the magnificent
quadrangular Palace of Madrid showed the advent
of a great event, for the windows looking on to the
spacious colonnaded courtyard were hidden by
the fine tapestries of the same character that lined
the walls on the opposite sides. Rich carpets
covered the floors, and the companies of stalwart
halberdiers, the Guard of the palace, were placed
at ten o'clock along the corridor, bearing on their
shoulders their halberds with the inscription,
" Fabrica de Toledo, Alfonso XIII., 1902," which
were presented to them when the present King
was added to the list of the Sovereigns to whom
the corps had the honour to be the bodyguard.
Officials of the palace and officers constantly
passed to and fro, giving orders and seeing that
the soldiers stood in their right places.
The three-cornered hats edged with white, the
high black leggings reaching to the white breeches,
and the blue coat decorated with scarlet badges
bearing the castle and the crowned lion, is the
same uniform of the Royal Guard as it was in the
early part of the last century, and it reminds one
of the pictures of Napoleon, etc., of that time.
A clap of the hands from a Court official an-
nounced the opening of a large door leading to
the apartments of the Infanta Maria Teresa and
her husband, Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria. Bright
and happy looked the young Princess as she passed
328
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
along, with her ready sweet smile for familiar
faces, and looking quite pretty in her pale blue
dress. The merry eyes of the stalwart, fair young
Prince were cast about in cheerful greetings as he
swung along in his striking blue and scarlet hussar
uniform, with the jacket slung on one shoulder,
revealing the richly embroidered sleeves under-
neath.
There was a pause after the young couple passed
to the seats set apart for the Royal Family in the
chapel ; then the strains of a march from an opera
were heard from the band of the Royal Hal-
berdiers in the courtyard below, the halberdiers
stood at attention, and the royal procession was
seen coming along the gallery.
The gentlemen of the Court, with the badges
marking their respective offices, the Chamberlain,
all in full dress, with white silk stockings and
richly embroidered coats, were followed by the
grandees and officers in their striking uniforms.
They walked in two single files, so as to leave
clear the view of the Royal Family. The Infantas
of Bavaria and the Infanta Isabel came with their
respective Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting in full
Court dress. The widowed Prince of Asturias was
in his place, and lastly came the King in his uni-
form as Admiral, and wearing the Order of the
Golden Fleece and the Collar of Carlos III., and
the procession solemnly passed through the guarded
portals of the chapel, where the Queen-mother and
the young Queen Victoria had already taken their
places. For after December 25, 1886, when a
special service was held in the royal chapel of the
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
palace, in which the Virgin's protection was peti-
tioned for the young Sovereign, the Court was in
gala costume for two days. A reception was held,
congratulations received, and from then till the
birth of the expected heir Queen Victoria did not
sit with the King on the throne in the chapel, but
in the royal box on the ground-floor. All eyes
were soon turned in admiration to the youthful
English Sovereign of Spain, who looked like a
beautiful picture in her white mantilla shading
her diamond-crowned beautiful hair, and dressed
in a rich, soft white Court dress.
The doors of the chapel were soon again flung
open, the halberdiers were again called to atten-
tion, and the procession issued from the chapel
in the same order in which it had entered, only
now it was preceded by the Canons of the palace
and other clerics in gorgeous vestments, with the
Archbishop of Sion in gold-and-white mitre and
emblazoned cope ; and everybody in the procession
carried a long candle, as they solemnly made the
tour of the gallery to the tune of the psalm of old
in which Simeon declared that the Babe brought
to the Temple would be " a Light to lighten the
Gentiles."
The King, as he bore his candle, looked ruefully
at his sister, as much as to say : " How am I to
manage this ?" The Infanta smiled pleasantly,
and her young husband's eyes twinkled with fun.
The evident strain on the dignity of the stately
grandees and Chamberlains to carry their lights
befittingly gave a touch of humour to the stateli-
ness of the scene, and I overheard a grandee say,
330
(ueen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
when he was asked by one behind him not to walk
so slowly : " I can't go any quicker, or I shall spill
some grease on the Infanta's train !"
The tour of the galleries made, the procession
returned to the chapel, the King went back to his
throne, and Queen Victoria of Spain to the royal
box, the Chamberlains, grandees, Court ladies, the
Infanta Maria Teresa, the Infante Ferdinand, Don
Carlos, and the Infantas of Spain, all knelt rever-
ently with their candles, whilst the incense was
swung in front of the King after he had partaken
of the Holy Sacrament.
Then, when the candles were removed by the
Chamberlains, the strains from the beautiful
stringed orchestra accompanied the fine voices
of the hidden choir, which swelled in harmony
in the chants of the occasion. The lofty cupola
of the chapel, with its mythical painting supported
by the gilt cherubs poised above the marble and
porphyry -pillared panels of the walls, were a fitting
setting to the scene.
Then the candles were once more handed round,
and the glittering company again knelt in prayer.
When the torches were finally taken from the
worshippers, the assembly all left the chapel in
solemn order, each grandee kneeling in turn for
a second before the altar, and crossing himself
before saluting the Queens in the royal box.
The Infanta Maria Teresa, the Infanta Isabel, and
the Court ladies, made a low reverence to both tne
Queens in the royal box before leaving the chapel,
and the King, with his characteristic freedom from
the fetters of etiquette, disregarded the scarlet
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The Secret History of the Court of Spain
mat, and knelt on the carpeted floor for a minute
before the altar ; and then with his natural grace
he made a respectful salute to both his mother
and his wife, and left the church, to pass once
more with his retinue, and followed by the military,
along the tapestry-lined galleries to the royal
apartments.
The Court of Spain is especially noted for its
cult of symbolism. The events of the Church
calendar are presented in a realistic way which
is suggestive of the Middle Ages.
I believe the Courts of Spain and Austria are
alone in their dramatic representation of Christ's
act of washing the feet of the disciples and feeding
them on the eve of the Crucifixion.
How THE KING WASHES THE FEET OF THE
BEGGARS AND FEEDS THEM ON MAUNDAY
THURSDAY.
It is only by special invitation from the chief
Court Chamberlain that one can witness the King's
performance of this religious function on Maunday
Thursday. Being the fortunate possessor of this
permit, I passed at three o'clock in the afternoon
to the Hall of Columns in the palace. There the
Court soon assembles in state, the ladies in mag-
nificent dresses, of which the trains are taste-
fully arranged by the Gentlemen-in- Waiting over
the backs of the chairs behind them, and the
throng of nobles, Ministers, and officers in their
gorgeous uniforms, make a brilliant show.
The King soon appears, attended by the Bishop
332 ,
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
of Alcala and Sion, some clerics, and twelve
grandees in Court attire. After divesting himself
of his sword, Alfonso is girded with a towel by
the prelate, and passes to the line of beggars, who
sit humbly waiting for the honour which is to be
paid them.
These poor men are chosen by lottery about a
fortnight preceding the function, and their feet
naturally undergo a course of preparation prior to
the ceremony, and they are all swathed in the long
Spanish cloaks given them for the occasion.
The twelve grandees in attendance have mean-
while knelt in front of the twelve beggars and
taken off their shoes, and the forms of these
stately personages in this humble position make
a sort of screen between the eye of the public and
the King's action of passing a towel over the feet
of the poor men, which have been sprinkled from the
gold ewer of the Bishop who precedes the Sovereign.
The King then passes to the long table, of the
form and laid in the style familiar to us in pictures
of the Last Supper, and the beggars are handed
by their respective grandees to their seats at the
board. The poor men on the last occasion were
blind, but this in no way affected their calm
acceptance of the fact of being the cynosure of a
Court in splendid state and the object of their
Sovereign's service. Stolid were the faces as the
King swiftly passed the items of the long menu
before their sightless eyes, and as the smell of the
good things was wafted to their nostrils they knew
that time would give them a more substantial
realization of the dainties.
333
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
For the dish of each part of the menu found its
way to the baskets for the respective beggars, after
being handed by the King to the grandees in
attendance. Thus twelve large pieces of salmon,
twelve joints of beef, and a dozen dishes of every
item, were distributed by the august purveyor.
The menu finished, His Majesty completed the
programme by handing also the glasses and cruets
to the distinguished retinue, they also finding their
way to the poor guests ; and finally the King con-
cluded the function by folding up the tablecloth
with the zest characteristic of his actions.
The final privilege granted to these beggars on
Maunday Thursday is the sight of the state apart-
ments. This benefit seems to be thrown away on
those whose affliction deprives them of the ap-
preciation of their splendour, but etiquette must
be preserved.
On Good Friday the King exercises his power of
pardoning criminals, so he stands in front of the
high-altar, and, raising to heaven the gold salver
containing the names of the privileged persons,
he says : " These I pardon for their crimes, even
as I hope God will pardon my sins."
The carving of the lamb on Easter Sunday is
quite a religious function at the King's table.
The Bishop of Zion has a service of benediction,
and the King and Queen take their places in state
on this occasion.
One of the most striking ceremonies preceding
the birth of a royal infant in the palace is that of
transporting the arm of St. John the Baptist, a
334
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
sash said to have belonged to the Virgin Mary,
and other relics, from the chapel to the bedroom
of the Queen. The King and the Court all take
Dart in the function, attended with all the cere-
mony due to the occasion, and so fatiguing
is the ritual that in May, 1907, Queen Victoria
nearly fainted during the performance. Indeed,
so many are the wearisome rites which Queen
Victoria had to follow, according to the customs
of the Court of Spain, that more than one editor
of a democratic paper declared that if he were
nterested in the royal succession he would see
that the authorities did not thus imperil it.
On Saturday afternoon the King and Queen go
:o hear the Salve in a quiet, simple fashion at the
Church of the Buen Suceso. Women who press
:heir hungry children to their bosoms as they gaze
ip into the face of the young Queen as she sits in
:he royal box on this occasion wonder if Her
Vtajesty knows what their sufferings are. The
ise in the price of bread, which the Spanish Press
ipeaks of as an act of unjustifiable oppression,
•ecently drove the women to desperation, and
nade them break the windows of the bakers'
.hops in some quarters of the city. This strong
neasure was successful, and bread is now at its
usual price ; for, as a Spanish lady said, " The
determination of hardly- driven mothers can accom-
plish more than the discussions of men."
The poor people who greeted the Queen with
such loud acclamations on her arrival in Spain
wonder, moreover, if she knows that the liberal
gifts bestowed on such festivals as the King's
335
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Saint's Day (January 23) to the orphans of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Real Association de
Beneficencia Domiciliaria, etc., are devoted to the
maintenance of the friars and nuns of these asso-
ciations rather than to the benefit of the needy.
The Queen's philanthropic spirit is, moreover,
only appealed to on behalf of the orphanages and
schools in the hands of the clerics, and so she is not
in touch with the lay side of her country's efforts.
" If such serious matters as the lessening of the
heavy duties on articles of food which go to the
support of the friars, and the limitation of the
associations which kill our industries, are not soon
settled by the Government, they will be settled in
the street !" say many thoughtful men in Spain ;
and it was those who saw the seriousness of the
aspect who expressed their disappointment that
the English Queen was so gracious in her reception
of the deputation which presented the King with
a petition, signed by leading ladies of fashion,
against the Law of Associations ; for these ladies
are naturally unable to realize the struggles of
their sisters against the monopoly by these associa-
tions of many of the industries on which their
bread depends, such as chocolate-making, perfume-
distilling, embroidery, lace-making, etc.
A bitter smile wreathes the lips of people as
they read of the royal sympathy for these organiza-
tions, but they say : " What can one expect, when
the young Queen is only environed with Spanish
ladies, whose support of the clerics smoothes their
lives, and with the Spanish priests, who dictate every
deed of sympathy to the Sovereigns of Spain ?"
336
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
In speaking of Queen Victoria, it must be re-
membered that all opinions expressed are modified
by the reminder of the Queen's difficulty of know-
ing the real circumstances of a strange land of
which she had to master the language, and that
conventional greetings, gala receptions, and State
dinners, do not lead to a true knowledge of the
country and its needs.
It is hoped by patriots that the Queen's advent
will lead to the adoption of a system of Parlia-
mentary elections in Spain similar to that of
England ; for, as everybody says, if the deputies
of the Congress were elected by the votes of the
people instead of by the voice of the Ministers,
the country's conventional love would be cemented
into real devotion to the dynasty, and the reforms
would be enacted which would save the land from
stagnation and poverty.
The article published in an English review by a
Spaniard, called " Spain's Hopes of a New Era/'
showed that the English Queen was looked upon
as the coming saviour of the country from much
that has so far crippled it ; and the twenty-four
short articles and poems published in the Woman's
Agricultural Times from the pens of leading literary
and professional ladies, begging their future Sove-
reign to encourage the lighter branches of agricul-
ture as professions for women, show the hoped-for
result of the new reign.
Disappointment has been expressed that this
spontaneous act from Spanish women of note,
many of whom have influence in the Press, has
not so far resulted in any royal act of encourage-
337 Y
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
ment in the direction desired ; so the people do
not know whether their Sovereign is in sympathy
with their needs or not. Directly Her Majesty is
in touch with the more progressive women of her
country the Press will be filled with the fact, and
the warm hearts of the people will beat with
gratitude, and they will be able to talk about
more than the beauty of the Queen's hair and
complexion.
The Spanish Court seemed to surpass itself in
magnificence in the splendid functions of the
christening of the first heir to the throne.
Every seat in the chapel of the royal palace was
reserved for those of the highest degree, and the
gallery along which the royal procession passed on
its way from the royal apartments to the church
was crowded by people, who could only gain
admittance by tickets from the Chief Chamberlain
of the palace.
The magnificent tapestries only used on State
occasions were displayed, the halberdiers lined
the way, and the ladies, all in mantillas, with their
cavaliers in uniform or evening dress, waited in
breathless impatience for the advent of the new
Prince of Asturias. At last came the announcing
hand-clap, and with solemn, stately step the pro-
cession came round the angle of the gallery.
First came the mace-bearers, then the ushers,
all in double file, then two long lines of Chamber-
lains in gold-laced coats and white silk stockings,
followed by the grandees of Spain in their striking
military uniforms and feathered cocked hats. Then
came seven grandees carrying the seven salvers
338
•\LiFORMi A
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
with such requisites for the holy ceremony as a
salt-cellar, a gold basin and ewer, a cut lemon, a
lace towel, a cape, and a large cake. Behind this
party came the royal Prince himself, looking really
an ideal infant in his beautiful laces. His fair little
uncovered head, and sweet, placid, tiny face, and
clenched fists were the admiration of all beholders.
He was in the arms of the Marquesa de los Llanos,
who is the chief of his retinue, and on one side
walked the Nuncio, who is the representative of
His Holiness, as godfather, and on the other was
the Queen-mother, as the godmother. The King
looked dignified in his new position, as father.
The Infantes and Infantas followed, with their
suites. The Infanta Maria Teresa and her hus-
band, Infante Fernando, being only convalescent
from measles, were unable to be present. Don
Carlos, the widowed husband of the King's late
sister, the Infanta Mercedes, led little Prince
Alfonso, who was known as the heir to the throne
until the birth of his little cousin, and by the
way he tripped along and evidently enjoyed the
brilliant sight he seemed in no way saddened by
his deposition from his former rank.
It was then understood that Don Carlos would
marry before long the beautiful daughter of the
Princess of Orleans.
The little sister of the ex-heir was led by the
hand by the Infanta Isabel, at whose side walked
Princess Henry of Battenberg, beautifully robed
in grey velvet and ermine. Prince Arthur of Con-
naught, with Captain Wyndham and the Princes
from Russia and Germany, etc., all had their
339 Y 2
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
places in the procession. China was also repre-
sented. The personal staff of the King was con-
spicuous, and the halberdier band of music mar-
shalled the glittering throng to the chapel.
The altar was decorated with white flowers.
The historic font in which the members of the
Royal Family have for centuries been baptized
was in the centre of the chapel.
Thirty-six Bishops and four Cardinals officiated.
The royal neophyte was very good in the arms of
his grandmother, Queen Maria Cristina. The
water sprinkled on his brow was from the River
Jordan. The christening ceremony over, the King
decorated his infant son with the Order of the
Golden Fleece, the Order of Isabella the Catholic,
and the Collar of Charles III. All the ladies of
the Court were in full dress.
Then the procession filed back to the royal
apartments in the same order in which it had
come. The dresses of the ladies of the nobility
were all rich in colour and profuse with splendid
jewels. The white satin, gold-embroidered train
of the Duchess of Ariot set off the beauty of her
person.
Amid the many stately personages, the majestic
figure of Sir Maurice de Bunsen was conspicuous,
and Lady de Bunsen attracted attention by her
beauty and her beautiful and yet simple Court
dress. The ceremony was, indeed, one not easily
to be forgotten as the occasion of a gathering of
important personages or their representatives from
far and near, and no infant could have taken its
prominent part on such an important occasion
340
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
with greater equanimity than did the beautiful
babe — the Prince of Asturias. To sleep and to
smile seem easy things to do, but to do them
during the solemn, stately functions in which
Church and State meet together to do him honour
is not always an easy thing for an eight-day-old
infant, and by accomplishing this task little Prince
Alfonso added to the affection and admiration
with which he is regarded.
It is always pleasant to Queen Victoria Eugenie
to pass from the pageantry and pomp of the palace
of Madrid to the less formal surroundings of the
country. It is by no mere figure of speech that
it can be said that when they are at the Palace of
San Ildefonso, at La Granja, King Alfonso and
Queen Victoria Eugenie lead the simple life.
The King rises early in the morning, and takes
a long walk or ride — sometimes alone, sometimes
attended by one gentleman, and sometimes accom-
panied by the Queen — or he has a bicycle spin in
the grounds.
Not long since, when the King was driving alone
with the Queen in a motor, he saw a soldier thrown
from his horse, upon which he immediately jumped
from his automobile and rushed to the assistance
of the poor man.
The King's interest in his soldiers is very marked,
and when the bell rang at dinner-time, when he
was in consultation one morning with the com-
manding officer, he went with him to inspect the
food, and tasted it himself.
The Prime Minister could hardly hide his sur-
prise, when he arrived from Madrid one day to
341
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
transact political business, to meet his Sovereign
in his shirt-sleeves, the young King having taken
off his coat, as it was a hot day for golfing.
King Alfonso and Queen Victoria like to go
about unattended together, and the Spanish cus-
tom of wearing no hat in the country has been
quite adopted by the English Sovereign ; and
people in the little town are pleased to see the
Queen pass by on foot to pay a visit to some
friends without anything on her head, but, of
course, carrying a parasol. Both the Sovereigns
spend hours with their baby son in the beautiful
gardens of La Granja. The King will often take
him in his arms and carry him about, or if they
meet the baby Prince in his little white carriage
when they are out walking they stop and fondle
and talk to him.
The Queen is beginning to share King Alfonso's
interest in golf, and, indeed, she takes her part
well in the game, and can easily do the full
round over the rough ground without any sign of
fatigue.
When the weather is too hot for golf, Her Maj esty
much enjoys a peaceful afternoon by the river,
trout-fishing. In this sport she is quite an expert,
and the large basket of fish caught by the Queen
and the Duquesa de San Carlos was carried home
in triumph on one occasion, and figured on the
royal menu for dinner.
In the Court, surrounded by courtiers and people,
whose role is to please, the Queen may hardly
gauge the depth of Spain's devotion to their
English Sovereign.
342
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain
When the people of Galicia presented the island
of Cortegada to Alfonso XIII., they said it was
also a tribute of sympathy to their Queen. " It
will be nice for Her Majesty to be within sight
of the English ships as they lie at anchor off the
coast/' they said. " It will be easy to go to
England from there, and she will perhaps be
reminded of her Isle of Wight. Then, we hope to
see King Edward in the Spanish island home.''
The enthusiasm for England is very great since
the royal alliance, and for the successful recom-
mendation of any fashion, game, or sport it is
only necessary to say it is English.
It is, therefore, hoped that a nearer acquaint-
ance with our Parliamentary system will lead to
its adoption in Spain.
As, in face of his overwhelming influence, it
is not possible for the people to elect a deputy of
either party in opposition to the one chosen or
supported by the cacique of the district, the
deputies elected by public vote have mostly been
republicans. Hence the suffrage is associated
with republicanism in Spain, and Catalonia,
where this has been successful, is connected with
the idea of Separatism. Thus, with the misreport
of things in Madrid, it is thought that Catalonia
is wanting in Monarchists. But whenever the
wisdom of the King leads to a royal visit to Bar-
celona, the enthusiasm for the royal visitor always
proves that the Press has misinterpreted the state
of feeling there ; and the welcome that will be
given to Queen Victoria when she makes the
long-looked-for visit to Barcelona will show that
343
The Secret History of the Court of Spain
Catalonia is also content that an English Queen
should reign over them.
At Cortegada the peasants to whom I was intro-
duced made the sign of the cross, for they said
they had never seen an Englishwoman before ; but
they had one for their Queen, and she was welcome
in the land.
' Viva la Reina Victoria !" was the cry which
floated across the moonlit waters as the peasants
returned to the mainland after the celebration of
their annual festival on the island which had beer
offered for the acceptance of the King and the
Queen, and, indeed, this cry is echoed throughou1
the land.
344
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