FERDINAND VII: (1784-1833)

FERDINAND VII: (1784-1833) King of Spain 1808, 1813-33. A clean A.L.S., Fernando, one page, 4to, Madrid 30th December 1822, to Carlos Luis, in Spanish. The King sends an intimate letter to his nephew, commenting on his health, writing from his bed, where he has been for nine days, suffering from gout in his ankles, and that of his third wife, Princess Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, whose seizures have increased, remarking `Nosotros no tenemos novedad particular, mi mujer está algo mejor, yo he tenido un ligero ataque de gota a los pies y a una rodilla; he estado 13 dias en cama; los dolores no han sido tan fuertes como otras veces, y ya hace cinco dias que me levanto, aunque todavia no salgo de casa...´ (Translation: "We have no particular news; my wife is somewhat better, I had a mild gout attack in my feet and one knee; I was in bed for 13 days; the pain wasn't as severe as other times, and I've been up for five days now, although I still haven't left the house..."). With blank integral leaf. The letter bears a very attractive watermark featuring an image of King Louis XVIII of France. Small crease to the upper edge, otherwise VG

Princess Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony (1803-1829) Queen Consort of Spain 1819-29. The young Queen died in Aranjuez at the age of 25 as a result of fevers, leaving King Ferdinand heartbroken.
At the beginning of 1823, in the period of the present letter, the French invaded Spain as a result of the Congress of Verona. King Ferdinand, was taken as a prisoner, he was carried by the revolutionary party to Cadiz in May 1823 where he continued to make promises of amendment until he was set free. He was released after the Battle of Trocadero in August 1823 and following the fall of Cadiz began to avenge himself with surprising ferocity. He changed ministers every few months as a sport and ordered killings which left his ‘rescuers’ sick and horrified. These last ten years of his reign, from 1823-33 are referred to as the ‘Ominous Decade’.