Manuel Godoy

Manuel de Godoy, Príncipe de la Paz, portrait by Goya.

Manuel de Godoy y Álvarez de Faria (May 12, 1767 – October 7, 1851), was Prime Minister of Spain from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1808. He received many titles including Prince of the Peace (Príncipe de la Paz) by which he is widely known.

Birth and early life

Godoy was born in Badajoz, the son of José de Godoy y Sánchez de los Ríos, an impoverished army colonel of aristocratic background, and of his wife, Maria Antonia Justa Álvarez de Faria y Sánchez-Sarzosa. In 1784, at the age of 17, Godoy moved to Madrid where he entered the royal bodyguard. In 1788 he met the heir to the Spanish throne, who later that year succeeded as King Charles IV.

Godoy quickly became a favourite of Charles IV and of his wife Queen Maria Louisa. On December 30, 1788 he was given the office of "Cadete supernumerario" in the royal palace, and in May 1789 he was promoted to the rank of colonel. In November 1789 he was named a knight of the Order of Santiago, and in August 1790 advanced to the rank of commander in the same order. In February 1791 he was named "mariscal de campo", in March "gentilhombre de cámara", and in July lieutenant general and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Carlos III.

Prime Minister of Spain

Godoy's frequent promotions were external signs of his increasing influence over the king and queen. In 1791 the prime minister Floridablanca accused Godoy of having an adulterous relationship with the queen. In January 1792 Floridablanca fell from office on account of Spain's relationship with the emerging French republic. His successor Aranda fell from office the following November, and Queen Maria Louisa arranged for Godoy to be Prime Minister. Godoy's appointment seems to have been accomplished with the full acceptance of King Charles IV, who not himself having any talent for governing, was happy to employ somebody else who was competent and trust-worthy.

Godoy was made Duke of Alcudia, with grandeeship, and a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The following year he was made Captain General and Duke of Sueca, Marquis of Alvarez, and Lord of Soto de Roma.

Godoy continued the neutral policy of Spain towards the French republic. In 1793 he failed to save King Louis XVI from the guillotine. Spain's protest against Louis' execution was met by a declaration of war by the French republic. The French armies advanced far into Spain. In July 1795 Godoy negotiated the Peace of Basel by which Spain's frontier was restored but part of the island of Hispaniola was handed over to the French. Although Godoy was widely criticized for the treaty, he received the title Prince of the Peace (Príncipe de la Paz). In August 1796 Godoy negotiated the Treaty of San Ildefonso with France which required that Spain declare war on Great Britain.

In 1797 Godoy had Charles IV grant the titles of Countess of Castillofiel and Viscountess of Rocafuerte to Godoy's mistress Pepita Tudó. Some sources speak of a secret marriage between Godoy and Pepita supposedly celebrated June 22, 1797 in the Prado. Pepita had lived in Godoy's household for several years with her mother and two sisters. In 1805 she bore a son Manuel, and in 1807 another son Luis.

In 1797 Queen Maria Louisa arranged a marriage for Godoy which she hoped would draw him away from his mistress, and at the same time act as a cover for her own relationship with Godoy. Maria Teresa, Charles IV's cousin and the daughter of his exiled and disgraced uncle Louis, Count de Chinchon, was chosen to be Godoy's wife. Although she had not met Godoy, Maria Teresa acquiesced in the marriage which ensured the restoration of her family's fortunes. They married on October 2 in the Escorial. Godoy received a huge financial settlement as part of the marriage agreement, but he continued to have his mistress live in the same house as his wife.

Godoy was removed from the office of prime minister in 1797. His position had been compromised by ongoing relationship struggles both with the French republic and with Queen Maria Louisa. In October 1800 Godoy's wife Maria Teresa bore a daughter Carlota Luisa; she was baptised at the Escorial with Charles IV and Maria Louisa standing as godparents.

Godoy was reappointed prime minister in 1801. With support from France he declared war on Portugal. In 1802 he negotiated the Peace of Amiens with Great Britain; Spain handed over the island of Trinidad to Britain but recovered Minorca. The same year Napoleon wrote to King Charles IV telling him that Godoy was the de facto king of Spain and that he was also Maria Louisa's lover. The letter was intercepted by Godoy's staff, but so safe did Godoy feel in his position that he allowed the letter to be delivered to Charles.

In 1805 the British attacked some Spanish ships sailing from Peru to Spain, causing Godoy to declare war again on Britain. On October 21 the French and Spanish fleets suffered a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar, ending Spain's last hopes to be a world power.

In 1807 Godoy negotiated the Treaty of Fontainebleau with Napoleon. Article 1 of the treaty promised the southern half of Portugal to Godoy as "King of the Algarve"; this would have ensured Godoy's future which was already uncertain in Spain where he was hated by the heir to the throne, the future Ferdinand VII.

But the promises of the Treaty of Fontainebleau were empty ones. In December French troops invaded Spain. In March 1808 Godoy, Charles IV, Maria Louisa, and the rest of the court abandoned the Escorial and fled to Aranjuez with the intention of escaping to Mexico.

Supporters of Ferdinand (who had for some time been considering a coup d'etat against his father) spread the story that Godoy had sold out Spain to Napoleon. On March 18 a popular uprising known as the Mutiny of Aranjuez took place. A mob stormed Godoy's residence where at first they only found his mistress Pepita. Two days later Godoy was found; Charles had Godoy's property confiscated and then imprisoned him in the castle of Villaviciosa de Odón, a property owned by his wife Maria Teresa. To end the uprising and to save Godoy's life, Charles IV abdicated in favour of his son Ferdinand VII. On March 21 the French occupied Aranjuez; Napoleon summoned Godoy to Bayonne where he witnessed Charles IV's act of abdication in favour of Napoleon.

Exile

Godoy spent the next few years living in exile with Charles, Maria Louisa, his daughter Carlota Luisa, his mistress Pepita, and their sons (his wife Maria Teresa had long since left him). They lived for several months at Fontainebleau, then at Compiègne, and then at Aix-en-Provence. In October 1808 they arrived in Marseille where they spent the next four years. In July 1812 they moved to Rome where they lived in the Palazzo Barberini.

In April 1814 Ferdinand VII was restored as King of Spain (he had lived for six years in France). He refused to allow his parents or Godoy to return to Spain, and even had Pope Pius VII exile Godoy and his mistress to Pesaro. During the Hundred Days, Charles IV and Maria Louisa fled from the French to Verona where they were joined by Godoy and Pepita. Godoy petitioned the Emperor Franz I of Austria for asylum in Vienna, but Ferdinand forbade it.

After the final defeat of Napoleon, Charles IV, Maria Louisa and Pepita returned to Rome, but the pope required that Godoy continue to live at Pesaro. In September 1815 Charles and Maria Louisa asked the pope to declare null the marriage between Godoy and Maria Teresa. Godoy was allowed to return to Rome, but in order to preserve appearances Pepita and her sons moved to Genoa. Ferdinand bribed the police to expel Pepita and her family from Genoa; the same thing happened in Livorno. Finally she found a home in Pisa.

In March 1818 Godoy's younger son Luis died. In October he himself became ill with malaria; he received the last rites of the Church, but recovered. At the end of the year Maria Louisa caught pneumonia; Charles IV was absent in Naples at the time, but Godoy stayed by her bedside until she died, on January 2, 1819. Five days later Charles IV wrote to Godoy asking him to vacate the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, but two weeks later Charles himself died in Naples.

Ferdinand VII continued to forbid Godoy to return to Spain and ensured that he did not receive any state pension. He also did not allow Godoy's daughter Carlota to marry into a sovereign house, but did agree to her marriage in 1821 to Don Camillo Ruspoli, the younger son of a Roman princely family.

In 1828 Godoy's wife Maria Teresa died at Paris. The following year Godoy married his long-time mistress Pepita Tudó. They moved to Paris in 1832 where they lived in somewhat straitened circumstances.

In 1836 Godoy published his memoirs; Charles IV had asked that he not do this until after the death of his son Ferdinand VII (who had died in 1833). Pepita returned to Spain in hopes of reclaiming the family properties.

In 1847 the Spanish government returned to Godoy part of his confiscated property and restored his titles. He died at Paris in 1851. His body was buried first in the Church of Saint-Roch, but the following year was transferred to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery where it rests today.

The painting La maja desnuda by Francisco de Goya, which depicts a fully nude reclining woman, was once in Godoy's personal collection. It is believed by many to portray Cayetana, Duchess of Alba.

References

• Chastenet, Jacques. Godoy, Master of Spain, 1792-1808. London: Batchworth Press, 1953.
• Hilt, Douglas. The Troubled Trinity: Godoy and the Spanish Monarchs. Tuscaloosa, Ala.: University of Alabama Press, 1987.
• D'Auvergne, Edmund. Godoy, The Queen's Favorite. London: Paul, 1910.
• Godoy, Manuel de. Memoirs of Don Manuel de Godoy, Prince of the Peace, Duke del Alcudia, Count d'Everamonte, &c. London: R. Bentley, 1836.