There are two stories about him which show how little he cared how he offended even such mighty personages as his sovereigns.
On one occasion Alfonso XII., wishing to reward him for some service, offered to make him a duke. Canovas is said to have replied to the King:
"Sire, I made you a king—how can you make me a duke!"
One day, during Alfonso's lifetime, the Queen got very much out of temper with her consort, and allowed herself to give way to her anger before the court.
Canovas was greatly displeased, and followed the Queen to her apartments.
"Madam," he said, as soon as they were alone, "the interests of the monarchy are of more importance than your private feelings. To-morrow you will leave Spain for Austria, and await my orders in Vienna."
Astonishing as it may seem, the Queen obeyed.
Canovas ruled with a rod of iron. It is stated that his murder was committed in revenge for some terrible cruelties that were practised in Barcelona by his orders. A little over a year ago a bomb was thrown into one of the churches in Barcelona. Four hundred people were arrested, and it was supposed that the bomb-throwing was the outcome of an Anarchist plot.
Numbers of the persons arrested were evidently innocent, and the Government could not find out who was responsible for the outrage. Canovas refused to believe that any of the people arrested were innocent, but insisted that they knew all about it if they could only be made to speak, and so he ordered them tortured in the most inhuman ways to make them confess.