Early in 1830 Ferdinand VII. had hopes of a child. It was therefore determined to act on the address of the Cortes of 1789, and to publish the decree. Accordingly, in March 1830, the decree was solemnly proclaimed at Madrid; the Salic law was abolished, and the ancient rule of succession restored. By this change Don Carlos could only succeed if Ferdinand remained childless; if a child were born to him, whatever its sex, it inherited the throne. Isabella was born in October 1830, and a second daughter in January 1832. But the King’s health made it probable that he would have no further issue, and round the legality of the decree of 1830 centred the intrigues of two masterful women, Maria Francisca of Braganza, the wife of Don Carlos, and Carlota of Naples, the wife of Ferdinand’s younger brother, Francisco de Paula.
At the end of the summer of 1832 Ferdinand seemed to be dying. Queen Christina was nursing him at La Granja. Young and inexperienced, worn out with fatigue, she was no match for the reactionary Ministers who surrounded her husband. Their advice was plain and urged with persistency. If the decree of 1830 were not repealed, Spain would be torn by civil war, and deluged with blood. The King yielded. In September 1832, on what was supposed to be his death-bed, he signed a secret document, revoking his decree, restoring the Salic law, and thus constituting Don Carlos heir to the throne.
The news reached Dona Carlota among the bull-fights and receptions in Andalusia which Ford describes. She hurried to Madrid, vehemently reproached Calomarde, the Minister of Justice, extorted from him the document, tore it to shreds, and soundly boxed his ears. Calomarde, utterly cowed, could only murmur, “White hands, Madam, can never dishonour.” The King recovered. New Ministers were appointed. The old ones were dismissed. The Captains-General were displaced by men of more moderate views. Thus Quesada was appointed to Madrid, the Marques de las Amarillas to Andalusia, the Conde de España replaced by Llauder at Barcelona, and Moreno removed from Granada. The Liberals were amnestied. In March 1833 Don Carlos was permitted to retire to Portugal, and in the following June Isabella received the oath of allegiance as Princess of the Asturias and heiress to the crown of Spain.
Sevilla, Aug. 1 [1832].
My poor little baby (who has been a year struggling against the organic injury received by his fall in the Alhambra) on Monday evening was released from its continual and cruel sufferings, and has been buried in the orange garden of San Diego, where the remains of those English who die in this distant land are gathered together. (I doubt if Mark will ever forgive me.)
This melancholy event, though long anticipated, has upset my wife more than I should have expected. I found her on my return very much improved in health, and looking much better than she has ever done this last three years—quite fat and stout.
José Maria is now a hombre de bien, living like an honest gentleman retired from an honourable and laborious profession, enjoying the otium cum dignitate, the rich reward of meritorious industry in Estefa. About forty gentlemen in his line have been received into the society of honest Spaniards by an ample indulto. The roads are in consequence quite safe for the present, as long as the uneasy virtue of these gentlemen continues. It is just possible that we may spend our autumn in Granada, and the winter under the protection of Marco el grande, who is always the conqueror. Malaga is a rinconcillo [small corner] we have never seen, and I am anxious to go over to Africa in the spring to see the real Moors. Many thanks for the Galignanis, which tell us something about Messrs. Peter and Miguel, a pretty pair, as the Devil said. I suppose that thing must by this time be ended. Would the cholera were!
We have a man here, fresh from London, who says nobody there pays the slightest attention to it, and if there were no newspapers its presence would be unnoticed.
The Infante[29] has been here, seeing bull-fights. The Infanta very sulky, ugly, and cross, and insulting the Sevillanas. They were coldly received, and at one time hissed (not kissed) in the Plaza. The Alcazar is exquisite. What a palace it is now, hung with the finest pictures in Seville, and furnished with the most beautiful and costly furniture, old plate, etc., lent by the principal families, all those who have saved anything since the war of dependence! The sheets on the bed, costing 5000 Rs., like Lady Holland’s, edged with lace, and for the repose of such carcasses! The consequence is that we flesh-eaters are paying the penalty of these fooleries, two cuartos[30] having been added to the pound of meat, and a tax here (and elsewhere), once put on, is never taken off.
Sevilla, Aug. 22, 1832.