manuel de godoy badajoz, peninsular independece wars

MANUEL DE GODOY AND ÁLVAREZ DE FARIA

DUKE OF ALCUDIA AND PRINCE OF THE PEACE

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Manuel de Godoy and Alvarez de Faria was born in his house of the current street Saint Lucia of Badajoz, on June 12, 1767 and died exiled in Paris in October, 1851. Son of a colonel of the army and connected familiarmente with the Military Orders of Santiago and Calatrava, received a privileged illustrated(erudite), own(proper) education of the powerful families of the epoch. In 1784, when scarcely he was counting 17 years, police guard of Corps is named together with your brother Luis. The nearness, your extraordinary personal endowments and your relations to political level, allowed to the royal family to know and to enjoy the favor of the Princes of Asturias.

For the historians the interpretation stays of how he managed to ascend in your political career, especially after the death of Carlos III and the beginning of the reign of your son Carlos IV. The certain thing is, that from this moment, your career and influence develop of dizzy form: Colonel of Cavalry, Commander of Santiago, Big Field marshall, Duke of Alcudia, of Spain and General Lieutenant of the armies, already the year 1793.

A few years before, after the beginning of the French Revolution, the Spanish government by means of his prime minister Floridablanca, closes the border, before the threats of the new ideas from France. With the fall of Luis XVI, Floridablanca faces the French Assembly, being destroyed by the king, who meets obliged to recognize the legitimacy of the new situation, in exchange for the Spanish neutrality. Little later, the new minister, Aranda is destroyed and Manuel de Godoy replaces it with Godoy when only it had 25 years of age.

He tries during a time to support the obtained neutrality, in spite of the events that happened in the neighboring country, until the attitude of your friend the king, Carlos IV, it provokes to your backs, the ire of France that declares the war to Spain. Godoy takes the initiative and invades the neighboring country, but after rapid and initial victories, your prepared little army supervised by the General Ricardos, is defeated near Perpignan. France re-put of the initial harassment counter-attacks and penetrates up to coming to the valley of the Ebro. In July, 1795 to avoid males major, it manages to sign an armistice, the peace of Basle, which cost was the loss in favor of France, of the Island of Santo Domingo.

Little later he signed San Ildefonso's Agreement, for which Spain and France turn into allies opposite to Great Britain, with the intention among other things of being able to recover the seat of Gibraltar. After numerous clashes with the Britishers, who produced copious expenses for both kingdoms, the peace was signed by England, before the irritation of the French Republic.

The kings of Spain, according to some parents or protectors of Godoy, try to put end purpose to the tortuous sentimental life of the minister and propose your marriage with Teresa de Borbón.. The marriage is celebrated, but Godoy continued your affairs, whereas Jovellanos and Saavedra scheme up to achieving that the king deposes it, before the opposition of the proper Maria Luisa.

Before the continuous interferences of France, of which Napoleon happened to be a protagonist, the inoperative governments happen before the increasing Gallic pressure, Many people return to look at Godoy's figure, that he prefers leaving the power in Cevallos's nearby hands.

France asks for authorization to invade Portugal, traditional ally of Great Britain, across our country. According to some Godoy she schemes, proposing the division of the territory luso and saving himself for a part. According to others such an intrigue did not exist, but a serie of plans and pretexts, which were the permanent excuse to delay the invasion without suffering the consequences of a new war.

One declares the War of Oranges against Portugal, on having denied this country to him to close your doors to the English Navy, your territory being invaded and being conquered rapidly diverse populations of the center of the frontier zone. Olivenza and his term, after lake time they go on again to the Spanish sovereignty, whereas Portugal extends in America his lands mas there of your possessions in Brazil. La Paz returns in a few days. It was the agreement of Badajoz, signed behind France, which interprets it as a new opposition of Spain to the longed invasion.

Irritated Napoleon continues scheming, treating of that Carlos IV apart from the power to Godoy, accusing it of supporting relations with the queen Maria Luisa. But new events provoked by Great Britain of that she tries to take advantage of these difficult relations, force to a new clash with Spain, which lost a fleet proceeding from America. It was a new and intelligent pretext, which provoked Trafalgar's disaster and the consequent loss of the maritime power of Spain.

Again the political intrigues try to separate Godoy of the king, and this time they are born from a circle near to Fernando, the Prince of Asturias. Maybe, really it was Godoy the real impediment for the French conquest of Portugal. One insists on Godoy's court adventures and in your desire to be named after the invasion, monarch of the Portuguese Algarve.

Other theories manage to say that the inheritor conspires with Napoleon, against the proper king. For it, Carlos IV tries to cut of root the conspiracy and stops his own son and great report of the implied ones. The people feels the decomposition in the bosom of the royal family, being present disconcerted at the events.

France takes advantage of the internal fights and with the justification of reaching Portugal he initiates a concealed invasion of the Spanish territory in June, 1807, whereas diverse bodies of army place in strategic points, at the time that a part goes to the north of Portugal.

While Junot throws towards the west, Murat surrounds Madrid while the inheritor Fernando hopes that this is a maneuver to force your coronation. On March 15 the Court Madrid leaves way of Andalusia. Before this flight, there propagates the news of which Godoy has put in hands of France and arises as consequence, Aranjuez's riot.

Godoy has to hide himself then he is looked avidly by the revolted ones. These meet on him, being confined in the Police Guard of Corps and afterwards imprisoned. The king abdicates in your son Fernando VII, though later to seem to be that he retracts. The royal family moves to Bayonne whereas father and son try to obtain Napoleon's favors in a shameful struggle on which they try to cash in all.

Murat liberates Godoy and after playing with the royal villainies, decides to name his brother Jose as king of Spain. On May 2, 1808 the people of Madrid headed by some military men gets up against the French occupation and a supposed kidnapping of the royal family. The War of the Independence begins this way.

Godoy and your retinue go into exile France, 0primeramente to Fontainebleau, finally to to Marseilles, and later in 1812 to Rome. Finished the war, Fernando VII returns to Spain and obtains again the abdication oyour father. He asks the Pope to support the exile of Godoy and of your family. The exile in Italy is not an obstacle in order that your loving life continues with a trepidant pace. Fernando VII exercises your influences, making impossible Godoy's double sentimental life.

The king never allowed the return of Godoy to Spain, confiscating his possessions and suprimiendo the pays that were coming to him. In 1833 Isabel II initiates your) reign and Godoy tries your rehabilitation and to recover your properties. For it, he sends to pip Madrid staying the rest of the family in Paris. Until May, 1847, your rights are not returned to Godoy, that four years later he dies in the exile without managing to return your mother land. His remains rest today in Père-Lachaise, from where possibly they return Spain, in order that definitively they rest in the land that saw him to be born.

THE NOVEL THAT WILL DESTROY

THE BLACK LEGEND ON GODOY

http://www.latraiciondelrey.es/index.html

BADAJOZ. 150 Aniversary. News

In the year 2008 200 fulfill anniversary of the War of the Independence. A contest that was enough more, since many historians mention it as Peninsular Wars of Independence.
The history, or better the historians, not always are just or equitable. The whole Spain got up against the invaders and the whole leather of bull dyed of heroic exploits. Some of them removed to the cinema and to the literature and filled the pages of the agreements. It is the case of Saragossa, of your sites and of your heroes.

Badajoz, key for the invasion of Portugal, also filled the pages of the history, and though Spain did not recognize or remembered(reminded) sufficiently these facts, paradoxically, in England, Portugal and France, yes that was valued (from every optics) the events that happened during those difficult years in the city and yours surroundings.

The Town hall of Badajoz, it has demonstrated your coomendable and just intention of adding to the events that are prepared for this year, adding your desire to raise a mausoleum, where Manuel de Godoy's remains settle and a sculpture gets up that perpetúe the recollection of this celebrated personage, born in the from Badajoz capital. In that one of the XVIIth which physiognomy is gathered in the head-board of this page together with the figure of the personage and his natal house.

Tuesday, On January 15, 2008.

The plenary session of the Town hall badajocense, it has approved the celebration of the bicentenary of the War of They Undepend and the repatriation of Manuel Godoy's remains, to bury them definitvamente in a monument that will get up, possibly, in San Atón's square Only one is to the wait, of which the successors of the Prince of the Peace authorize the movement of the remains from Paris.

On Friday, the 23rd of May, 2008. To seem to be that lately some legal disadvantages have arisen for the movement of Godoy's remains from Paris to badajoz. A group of councilmen of the Town hall, visited the tomb of the politician and showed her to us in the graphical press. On the other hand, the works have begun in the rotunda of San Atón's square, where he seems to be there will rest the remains of the illustrious countryman.

As she has communicated from the Town hall, the monument will be inaugurated next June 14, independently of the movement of the remains of the illustrious countryman.

In a little time, we will be able to see the physiognomy of San Atón's square, which will have an aspect probably slightly similar the one that offers the image placed on these lines.

Thursday, on June 13, 2008.

Tomorrow on the 14th, one will proceed to the institutional act that will take the Honoring as an object to Godoy and the inauguration of his(her,your) statue in San Atón's square(seat).

TO SEE PROGRAM OF ACTS

14- 06 - 2008