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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 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 and the ambitious expansion plans of Napoleon Bonaparte. 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 ...
as first secretary, in place of Pedro Cevallos, 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, 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 battle, naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–De ...
. 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 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.


See also

*
Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval battle, naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–De ...
* Battle of Bailén * Tumult of Aranjuez * List of coups and coup attempts in Spain


References

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