The El Escorial Conspiracy (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Conspiración-proceso de El Escorial'') was an attempted

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

led by the Crown Prince Ferdinand that took place in 1807, but was quickly discovered and led to an investigation known as the Process of El Escorial.

Historical context

In the early nineteenth century, Spain was trapped politically by the

First French Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental E ...

and the ambitious expansion plans of

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

. In 1801

Charles IV of Spain , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles III of Spain , mother = Maria Amalia of Saxony , birth_date =11 November 1748 , birth_place =Palace of Portici, Portici, Naples , death_date = , death_place ...

named

Manuel Godoy Manuel Godoy y Álvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, 1st Duke of Alcudia, 1st Duke of Sueca, 1st Baron of Mascalbó (12 May 17674 October 1851) was First Secretary of State of Spain from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1808. He received many t ...

as first

secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...

, in place of

Pedro Cevallos Pedro Cevallos Guerra (1 August 1759 – 29 May 1838) was a Spanish statesman and diplomat who served as Chief Minister from 1799 to 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars, although Manuel Godoy, a personal favourite of the Spanish King, had a vast infl ...

, who distrusted and opposed the French. In 1805, Spain signed a mutual assistance treaty with the newly crowned French Emperor. The treaty led to Spain's involvement in the

War of the Third Coalition The War of the Third Coalition) * In French historiography, it is known as the Austrian campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Autriche de 1805) or the German campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Allemagne de 1805) was a European conflict spanni ...

, with Spanish and French forces against the Portuguese and English, culminating in the English naval victory at the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

. This defeat made many enemies at court for Godoy, among them the son of Charles IV, Crown Prince Ferdinand (later King Ferdinand VII).

The Conspiracy

Having been kept out of government, Ferdinand joined with other plotters to reach out to Napoleon for assistance in his struggles against his father and Godoy. In October 1807, Ferdinand was arrested. He revealed his allies in the conspiracy and was pardoned. Ferdinand's allies were all tried in court and acquitted.

Aftermath

The pardon and acquittals of 1807 were granted because there was significant public support for the conspirators against Godoy, as demonstrated in the

Tumult of Aranjuez The Tumult of Aranjuez ( es, link=no, Motín de Aranjuez) was an uprising led against King Charles IV that took place in the town of Aranjuez, Spain, on 17–19 March 1808. The event, which is celebrated annually in the first week of September ...

a few months later, in which Godoy's palace was attacked, the king deposed and Ferdinand granted the throne by the Royal Council the next day.

References

{{Authority control Pretenders to the Spanish throne 19th century in Spain Peninsular War Abdication Charles IV of Spain

Historical context

The Conspiracy

Aftermath

See also

References