War and Downfall of the Spanish Empire: The History of the 1st Marquess of Casa Irujo, a “true Spanish patriot”

Abstract

Most Spanish diplomats adapted to the transition from the Ancien Régime to the liberal era, though there were subtle differences in their positions. The first Marquess of Casa Irujo has been traditionally depicted as an inflexible and warmongering absolutist with an extensive career: almost 40 years holding important ambassadorships and Spain's first Secretary of State until his death in 1824. His was a period of constant international conflicts in both Europe and America, including the civil wars that brought about the collapse of the Spanish Empire. This interpretation is reinforced by the approval granted by the Council of State to his proposal for a great expedition to Río de la Plata devoid of any intervention by Great Britain or any other powers unlike his predecessor, Pizarro. However, for his ultra-royalist contemporaries living through the absolutist restoration of 1823, Irujo acted merely as a moderate royalist.

In this work, however, it is held that Irujo was above all a pragmatic and accommodating businessman who combined his private interests with his public service role, taking advantage of the social networks woven around his official posts and family ties to advance his business interests. Drawing on existing primary sources in national archives and the letters he exchanged with Secretary of State James Madison, his tenure as Secretary of State and ambassador in king Ferdinand VII's service between 1818 and 1824 will be primarily examined. His conflicts with U.S. leaders between 1796 and 1808 as well as his mission in Brazil at the time of the Argentine insurgency and the Portuguese intervention in the Banda Oriental del Uruguay will be equally explored. His role as Fernando VII's agent in Paris in 1821-1822 will also be analyzed in detail, as well as his conflicts with other diplomats and Evaristo San Miguel's liberal government. Finally, light will be shed on his return to office during the absolutist restoration of 1823 due to pressures from the Holy Alliance powers and his extensive international experience in Europe and America as a moderate royalist diplomat. Consequently, it is argued that Martínez de Irujo was a relevant diplomat in the period between the end of the Ancien Régime and the start of the liberal era who stood out due to his business dealings and his use of propaganda to influence public opinion in contrast to the courtly character of most high-ranking diplomats.