FERDINAND VII
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1808-1833
Obverse: FERDND.VII.D.G (= Dei Gratia = By the grace of God) HISP.ET
IND.R. (= King of Spain and the Indies) around the laureate and draped
bust of Carlos IIII facing right, date below.
Reverse: Crowned shield of the House of Bourbon, mintmark, denomination
and assayer identification. Symbol of the Order of the Golden Fleece at
bottom.
Ferdinand VII, byname
Ferdinand the Desired, was the eldest son of Carlos IIII and Maria Luisa
of Parma. He succeeded to the throne upon his Father’s abdication after
Carlos was overthrown by the revolt of Aranjuez (March 17, 1808).
Ferdinand was almost immediately incarcerated by Napoleon for the
remainder of the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon then placed his brother
Joseph Bonaparte at the head of the Spanish government. After the Duke
of Wellington’s successful campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula, coupled
with the creation of the Constitution of Cadiz by independent Spaniards,
Napoleon released Ferdinand to resume his absolute power as the Spanish
monarch.
It quickly became evident he did not possess the ability to govern
effectively. His efforts to recover control of Spanish America proved
futile as his ministers could neither reinforce his armies in America,
nor persuade the British government to collaborate in reconquest. His
inept manner inflamed the liberal revolutionaries and he was again
imprisoned in 1820. In 1823, Louis XVIII of France sent a large army to
secure the release of Ferdinand from his radical ministers. Ferdinand’s
new government arrested or drove the revolutionary faction into exile.
By this time, Spain had lost all of its possessions in North and South
America.
Having no children with his first three spouses, Maria Christina, his
fourth wife presented him with a daughter. Her name was Isabella and
she ascended to the throne upon the death of her father in 1833.
New Spain never recognized Napoleon’s detention of Ferdinand VII and the
reign of French-imposed Joseph Bonaparte. Consequently, they struck
coins bearing the portrait of Ferdinand VII throughout the reign of
Napoleon’s brother. Spanish American issues were coined in
denominations of 8, 4, 2, 1, ½, and ¼ silver Reales. Gold coinage was
struck in units of 8, 4, 2, 1, ½ escudos.
Dave Wagner, American
Numismatic Association
Member 172893
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