Manifesto of the Persians: Absolutism and Restoration of Ferdinand VII
Persian Manifesto Analysis
The Manifesto of the Persians (1814) was a manuscript in which supporters of King Ferdinand VII advocated for an absolutist policy and praised his return to the Old Regime. This circumstantial text reflects the views of a group of absolutists, known as “the Persians,” addressing King Ferdinand VII upon his return from France after the Treaty of Valençay. They urged him to reject the liberal Constitution of Cadiz.
To understand the “Persians'” desire for the monarch’s return, we must examine prior events. During the reign of Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma (since 1793), Spain engaged in wars and treaties. The Treaty of Fontainebleau (1807), signed by Napoleon Bonaparte and Manuel Godoy, allowed French troops to cross Spain to invade Portugal, leading to the Mutiny of Aranjuez (March 1808). Charles IV abdicated in favor of his son, Ferdinand VII, but Napoleon forced both to abdicate in Bayonne, installing his brother, Joseph Bonaparte (José I), as king.
Napoleon aimed to end the Old Regime, imposing the Statute of Bayonne, a granted charter rather than a constitution expressing the people’s will. This sparked popular uprisings, such as those in Madrid on May 2nd and 3rd, leading to the formation of citizen boards to resist French rule.
In the king’s absence, the Supreme Council was established, and liberals drafted the Constitution of Cadiz in 1812, promoting liberal economic principles and Church reform. However, as Napoleon’s power waned, he returned the throne to Ferdinand VII through the Treaty of Valençay (December 11, 1813). Ferdinand VII returned to Spain in March 1814 but faced pressure to swear allegiance to the Constitution.
The absolutists, supported by General Elio and some deputies, presented the Manifesto of the Persians, urging the king to repeal the Constitution and restore the Old Regime. They argued that the absence of a strong monarch led to chaos, drawing an analogy with the Persian tradition of five days of anarchy after a king’s death. They emphasized the need for a single, absolute ruler to maintain order.
The manifesto also distinguished between the nobility, who sought distinction, and the people, who desired equality. It defended the Old Regime’s concept of the monarch as a divinely guided figure, whose absolute power was necessary to guide the people toward the common good. The authors acknowledged the dangers of absolute power but argued that it was preferable to the perceived chaos of liberal governance.