History of Civilization in England, Vol. 2 of 3

by Henry Thomas Buckle

[1343] Except during the short interregnum of Louis, in 1724, which only lasted a few months, and during which, the boy, though called king, exercised no real power, and Philip remained the actual ruler. ‘Aun el nuevo rey no resolvia negocio de consideracion sin asenso de su padre.’ Ortiz, Compendio, vol. vii. p. 374.

[1344] Saint Simon, who knew Philip well, and who was in Spain in 1721 and 1722, says of him, ‘L'amour de la France lui sortait de partout.’ Mémoires du Duc de Saint Simon, vol. xxxvii. p. 3, Paris, 1841. And, in 1746, shortly before his death, Noailles writes from Aranjuez, ‘Ce prince a le cœur tout français.’ Millot, Mémoires de Noailles, vol. iv. p. 191, Paris, 1829.

[1345] ‘N'oubliez jamais que vous êtes Français, et ce qui peut vous arriver.’ Millot, Mémoires de Noailles, vol. ii. p. 6. Compare Coxe's Memoirs of the Bourbon Kings of Spain, London, 1815, vol. i. p. 103.

[1346] In 1702, Philip ‘parlait moins que jamais, et seulement aux Français, comme s'ils eussent été les seuls êtres de son espèce.’ Mémoires de Louville, vol. i. p. 276. ‘Le dégoût que Philippe laissait voir pour sa cour espagnole.’ p. 333. A Spanish statesman, celebrated, or, I would rather say, notorious, at the close of the century, indignantly exclaims, ‘It was on the accession of the Bourbon dynasty, that foreigners came to govern us on our native soil.’ Godoy's Memoirs, ed. London, 1836, vol. ii. p. 271.

[1347] In 1701, it was the duty of the French ambassador, ‘qu'il pût au besoin être premier ministre d'Espagne.’ Millot, Mémoires de Noailles, vol. ii. p. 31; ‘que l'ambassadeur de sa Majesté soit ministre du roi Catholique; que, sans en avoir le titre, il en exerce les fonctions; qu'il aide au roi d'Espagne à connoître l'état de ses affaires, et à gouverner par lui-même.’ p. 55. In 1702, Marsin writes to Louis XIV., ‘Comme il est absolument nécessaire que l'ambassadeur de Votre Majesté en Espagne ait un crédit sans bornes auprès du Roy son petit-fils.’ p. 183. In 1705, Amelot, the French ambassador, ‘décidoit de tout en Espagne.’ Mémoires de Louville, vol. ii. p. 165; and in 1706, ‘étant à la tête des affaires, et joignant presque les fonctions de premier ministre à celles d'ambassadeur.’ Noailles, vol. ii. p. 398.

[1348] In 1703, ‘Il est clair que l'embarras de Philippe venoit surtout de la crainte que ses décisions ne fussent point approuvées en France, où toutes les affaires importantes se décidoient.’ Millot, Mémoires de Noailles, vol. ii. p. 244. ‘The King of France had always certain persons at Madrid, which compos'd a Council, of which that of Versailles was the soul; and whose members were all creatures of the French Court, and sent to Madrid from time to time to direct all affairs there, according to the views of the Most Christian King, and to give him an account of every thing that pass'd in the Councils of the Escurial. Alberoni got to be initiated in the mysteries of this cabal.’ History of Cardinal Alberoni, London, 1719, p. 70.

The Spanish historians are not very fond of admitting this unquestionable fact; but Bacallar, after mentioning the influence of the French Ambassador, frankly adds: ‘Desde entonces tomaron tanta mano sobre los de España los ministros franceses, que dieron mas zelos á los Principes, viendo estrechar la union á un grado, que todo se ponía al arbitrio de Luis XIV.’ Bacallar, Comentarios de la Guerra de España, vol. i. p. 33.

[1349] Even the veteran diplomatist was so struck by the escape of Spain from complete ruin, that he ascribes its change of masters to the direct interference of the Deity. ‘Sa seule puissance avait placé Philippe V sur le trône d'Espagne; elle seule pouvait l'y maintenir; les hommes n'avaient pas conduit ce grand événement.’ Mémoires de Torcy, vol. i. p. 333. ‘Le trône où Dieu l'avait placé.’ p. 401. See also vol. ii. pp. 3, 227. ‘The Spanish people received him with unhesitating obedience to the deceased king's will, and rejoiced at the prospect of a rule that would at least have the merit of being different from that under which they had so long withered.’ Memoirs of Peterborough, London, 1853, vol. i. p. 102. ‘Muchos españoles recibieron por su soberano á Felipe V., cansados de la dominacion de la casa de Austria. Esperaban de la mudanza de la dinastia la felicidad y el buen gobierno.’ Castro, Decadencia de España, Cadiz, 1852, p. 131. To the same effect, Millot, Mémoires de Noailles, vol. i. pp. 420, 426, vol. ii. p. 9.

[1350] He ‘committed the military defence of these provinces to the Marquis of Grana, the Austrian ambassador at Madrid, from the want of any Spanish commander whose courage or military endowments qualified him to repel such an enemy as the king of France.’ Dunlop's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 232. Compare, on the want of Spanish generals, Mémoires du Maréchal de Gramont, vol. ii. p. 82, edit. Paris, 1827. The opinion which Grana himself formed of the Spanish government, may be learned from a conversation which he held at Madrid, in 1680, with the French ambassadress, and which is preserved in her correspondence. Lettres de Madame la Marquise de Villars, Amsterdam, 1759, pp. 118, 119.

[1351] See the letter of Philip V. to Louis XIV., dated June 22, 1702, in Mémoires de Noailles, vol. ii. pp. 256, 257, Paris, 1828, edit. Petitot.