Charles IV of Spain

Charles IV became King of Spain upon the death of his father Charles III. His reign was marked by reliance on his wife Maria Luisa and her favorite Manuel Godoy, leading to ineffective governance and growing discontent.

Charles IV signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau with Napoleon, allowing French troops to cross Spain to invade Portugal. This agreement led to the French occupation of Spain and triggered the Peninsular War.

Under pressure from Napoleon, Charles IV abdicated the Spanish throne in favor of his son Ferdinand VII at Bayonne, France. This abdication was part of Napoleon's plan to install his brother Joseph as king of Spain.

After abdication, Charles IV lived in exile in France under Napoleon's supervision. He remained there until his death in 1819, never returning to Spain, while the Peninsular War raged.