Ferdinand VI

Many important men have passed for the throne of Spain, among them we can mention Fernando VI, a man who despite not having in his destiny being king by birth, managed to reach the throne through the abdication of his father , thus assuming the crown for a total of 229 days , one of the most ephemeral reigns that existed within the old monarchy of Spain .

What did Fernando VI do

Fernando VI was one of the rulers of Spain who managed to take a series of important and effective measures through which the country was able to advance and improve in the economy , in public works , the field of science and art . He managed to regulate the grain stores that helped fight hunger and took responsibility for maintaining roads between municipalities. He was a king who knew very well how to choose his collaborators and with this, he managed to establish a policy of ministers who were effective and managed to establishreformist programs in government.

Biography of Ferdinand VI

Fernando VI was born on September 23, 1713 in Madrid . He was sworn as Prince of Asturias in 1724 and in 1746 , he became heir to the throne of Spain after the death of his father. He had several problems with his stepmother , Isabel de Farnesio because she had been in charge of Felipe V making Fernando not attend the councils when he had his title of Prince of Asturias.

Once he came to the throne, his reign was characterized by the search for peace and by several ministers that he appointed who turned out to be figures of great importance for the country, such as Carvajal and Ensenada. His government was prudent although many saw him with little capacity, he was a man who was a friend of justice and peace .

After the death of his father , he decided to order his stepmother , the widow Isabel de Farnesio, to leave the royal palace and go to live in a house that belonged to the Duchess of Osuna with her children. Then, a year later, she was exiled from Madrid .

Death

After the death of his wife , Fernando VI entered a depressive and sad stage, a moment in which his decline as king began. There came a time when he could no longer get up from his bed, did not comb his hair or shave, did not eat so he had lost weight and was carried away by pain and dementia . On December 10 of the year 1758 , he was able to dictate their will but could not sign it. He went into agony on August 8 of the same year and the following day he was paralyzed. He died at dawn on August 10, 1759,alone, without friends and without family in the San Ildefonso Farm .

Reign of Ferdinand VI

Fernando VI began his period of apparent pacifism after his father’s reign ended. His government program was based mainly on achieving internal peace and on taking a series of measures that promoted improvements in relation to the Spanish – English problem with America , thus achieving an important reform within the tax system with the creation of a single tax. and proposing a modernization plan in the Marina .

His reign was characterized above all by the fight for peace and to maintain neutrality with France and England while they fought to achieve a good alliance with Spain . It also focused on the promotion of culture , action had been initiated by his predecessors. There was also the regalism which achieved greater success through the Concordat of 1753 , a treaty through which the church achieved the attribution of universal patronage.

He also established several reforms in the Treasury and with this the administration was achieved directly in the provincial revenues and in the actions that were related to the mayors . It was then possible to improve the collection of taxes and the centralization of the transactions carried out by the State through the Real Giro office . With this, he improved all the income of the Royal Treasury and this helped with the good economic recovery .

Physical characteristics

There is no exact description of the physical characteristics of Fernando VI.

Personality

Fernando VI had an upright personality , good intentions, and a broad sense of dignity . He was seen as a wise man due to the decisions he made. His personality also became sad and dull after the death of his wife. Despite this, his personality was always focused and serene . Many report that he had a bipolar personality .

Parents

Fernando VI was the third son of Felipe V and María Luisa Gabriela de Saboya .

Relations

Since he was young, Barbara de Braganza was chosen to be his wife, she was the daughter of Juan V of Portugal and María Ana of Austria. The infanta, according to the story , was not very attractive because she had been marked by smallpox but despite this, she was a nice and charming woman. The marriage ceremony took place in Badajoz, in the year 1729 .

Sons

Fernando VI could never have offspring with his wife Barbara.

Successor

His successor was Carlos III.

Which dynasty did he belong to

It belonged to the royal house of the Bourbons .

Importance of Fernando VI

Despite the fact that his reign was never described as transcendental and important, the truth is that Fernando VI knew how to make his office secretaries manage to govern the nation correctly . His great love and his ideals regarding peace were beneficial for all Spaniards as well as for all aspects of their lives. It was the king who opened the doors to the monarch Carlos III with which enlightened despotism was established , a movement that has been recognized throughout Spanish history.

Phrases

There are no records of recognized phrases that have been mentioned by Fernando VI.

Curiosities

Some curiosities of Fernando VI are mentioned below:

• According to the story, Ferdinand VI went crazy and that is why he also wanted to destroy all the gypsy people.
• He was also known by the pseudonym ” El Prudente “.
• In his demented stage, he used to bite those who approached him.

Presence in popular culture

In popular culture, Fernando VI continues to be considered the protector of science and art expressions in his country, a monarch who was in charge of promulgating all aspects related to culture and peace. He was also the creator of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1752, a place where you can see several famous works. His story can also be found in various books, some of them are:

• The life and times of Fernando VI by Pedro Voltes.
• The Bourbons, Fernando VI by José Luis Gómez Urdáñez.