General Notes

Charles IV (of Spain) (1748-1819), king of Spain (1788-1808). He was the son
of Charles III. His wife, Princess Maria Louisa of Parma, and ministers,
especially Manuel de Godoy, his wife's paramour, profoundly influenced Spanish
foreign policy during his reign. Consequently, Spain became involved
disastrously in the Wars of the French Revolution (1792-95) and was forced to
cede (1800) to France the territory of Louisiana in America. In addition, the
Spanish navy was destroyed (1805) at Trafalgar, and the French under Napoleon
invaded Spain two years later. In 1808 Napoleon deposed Charles and made
Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain. Charles spent the rest of his life in Rome.