The marriage between Fernando VI and the daughter of the King of Portugal, Bárbara de Braganza, was the alliance between two solitary souls. Barbara was as educated and intelligent as physically graceful, but not very intelligent, was the Spaniard. The discreet personality of the King and the absence of great military feats has meant that the reign is traditionally underestimated as the prelude to that of Carlos III, a parenthesis to catch air after the anguish that characterized that of Felipe V.
But the truth is that with Fernando and his wife Enlightenment ideas took hold in Spain, the best theater in Europe flourished and the reconstruction of the Navy was completed. The duo fell apart with the death in 1758 of the Queen without having given an heir to the kingdom. The people loved the Queen as she never did with Isabel de Farnesio and, nevertheless, her will stained her reputation forever. The bulk of her inheritance, made up of seven million reais, fell into the hands of her brother the King of Portugal, while Fernando only bequeathed some minor jewels. Thus, they returned to the Portuguese court, then wealthy due to the recently discovered gold and silver mines in Brazil, a fabulous collection of jewels, covered with gold, silver and diamonds. Spanish satire was merciless with that greed.
Criticism soon spread to the King himself, who was accused of being a pusillanimous and lunatic. The Monarch responded to the satires with the worst image campaign in memory in the history of the monarchy: Fernando VI he spent the last year of his life locked up in the gloomy castle of Villaviciosa de Odon. Discreet Spain went out as it should. No frills. No acknowledgments. Silent.
Credits
Screenplay and production: César Cervera and Blanca Nava.
Edition: Blanca Nava.
Announcement: Blanca Nava and César Cervera.
Voices: Antonio Hernández, Adrián Delgado, Jesús García Calero, Rocío Fernández de Buján, David del Río and Álvaro Pardo.
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