Charles IV of Spain de Bourbon ^{1 2 3}

   Another name for Charles was Carlos IV.

  General Notes:

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.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Spain, 1788.

• Abdicated: King of Spain, 1808.

Charles married Maria Louisa of Parma de Bourbon, daughter of Philip of Parma de Bourbon and Elizabeth de France, on 4 Sep 1765 in San Ildefonso, Spain. (Maria Louisa of Parma de Bourbon was born on 9 Dec 1751 and died on 2 Jan 1819.)