Fernando VII of Spain (14 October 1784-29 September 1833) was the king of Spain from 19 March to 6 May 1808, succeeding Carlos IV of Spain and preceding Jose I of Spain, and again from 11 December 1813 to 29 September 1833, succeeding Jose I of Spain and preceding Isabella II of Spain. His reign saw Spain ally with the United Kingdom and Portugal to fight a guerrilla war against the occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Peninsular War, and Spain lost almost all of its colonies in the Americas to independence movements from 1808 to 1826. Identifying as a counter-revolutionary and a reactionary, Fernando polarized Spanish politics, and his death led to the First Carlist War civil war.
Biography[]
Fernando VII in 1808
Fernando was the son of Charles IV of Spain and Queen Maria Luisa of Parma. As a young man he was disinherited of all share in government while still maintaining the title of heir apparent, and he failed to take over Spain from his parents in 1807 with Napoleon Bonaparte's aid. In 1808, Napoleon overthrew Fernando's parents, but Fernando was deposed by Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother. Fernando was imprisoned in the Chateau of Valencay until 1813, when Napoleon released him as he was being defeated by the Sixth Coalition. In the absence of Fernando, Spain was ruled by juntas which fought the French with Portuguese and British aid during the Peninsular War, during which the Allies slowly liberated Spain. Also, Spain's South American possessions revolted in the South American Wars of Liberation from 1810 to 1826, and the lack of Spanish troops in the colonies led to civil war between patriotic rebels and local Royalists.
Fernando VII was restored to the Spanish throne in 1814, when the French were pushed out of Spain and as far north as Toulouse in southern France. His restoration was celebrated by many reactionaries across the country, yet he was still disrespected. A whimsical ruler, he changed ministers as he pleased, and made the Duke of Wellington the first Protestant member of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Fernando VII sent armies to restore Spanish rule to South America, but they were crushed by 1826. In 1823, supporters of the Trienio Liberal government were put down following a French intervention, and Fernando remained in power until his death ten years later. He was succeeded by his daughter Isabella II of Spain, leading to the Carlist Wars.