FRENCHIFIED: ANTECEDENTS, ORIGIN AND HISTORY - HISTORY - 2024

The Frenchified are a notable group of intellectuals and some Spanish nobles, who joined French power after Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Spain. They were supporters of French legislation (Statute of Bayonne) and enlightened despotism. This group belonged to the Spanish Court and administration, the Church and the army.

The so-called Frenchified saw in the new French king José I the possibility of regenerating Spain. Their connection to enlightened despotism led them to support the establishment of a modern and authoritative monarchy in the country. They sought to prevent Spain from living the French revolutionary experience, because of monarchical absolutism.

Leandro Fernández de Moratín, prominent playwright of the Frenchified group

The Frenchified ones advocated for political and economic reforms that Spain needed to modernize. Of course, behind her support for the French, was the desire to achieve power. However, the Spanish people rejected the French invasion as an outrage and reacted by taking up arms, between March and May 1808.

This reaction was the opposite of the timid and genuflecting that the Spanish monarchy, army and intelligentsia had. The Frenchification took place in two ways, whose purposes were different: by a lafo, the political Frenchification; on the other, cultural Frenchification.

Background and origin of the term

The term Frenchified was synonymous with traitor or collaborationist with the French troops of Napoléon Bonaparte who occupied Spain.

At the end of the 18th century during the reign of Carlos III, the term was coined to designate lovers of French customs. However, its pejorative use was used during the French invasion of Spain.

Frenchified were considered all Spaniards who, for personal or ideological reasons, joined the French government: some because they believed it was the healthiest thing for Spain, and others by simple political calculation.

The invasion of Spain by the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808 deeply divided the Spanish. On the one hand there was the Spanish people who rebelled, and on the other a group of Spanish intellectuals and nobles who supported the French takeover of the government.

Reaction of the powerful

The timid response from King Charles IV, the Spanish army and the nobility, even those who were not supporters of the French invasion, provoked public irritation.

The mutiny of Aranjuez occurred in March 1808, which forced Carlos IV to abdicate the Spanish throne in favor of his son Fernando, who assumes him as Fernando VII.

However, the contradiction that existed in the Spanish kingdom between supporters and non-supporters of the absolutist Bourbon monarchy was evident. In addition, there were those who proclaimed a velvet revolution (that is, from above and without violence); Those were the so-called Frenchified.

Faced with such events and contradictions in the Spanish court, Napoleon Bonaparte reunited Carlos IV and his son Fernando VII in the city of Bayonne in France. Before Ferdinand could even take possession of the throne, Bonaparte forced them to abdicate the Crown in favor of his brother José Bonaparte.

The latter, who was popularly called Pepe Botella in Spain due to his fondness for drinking, was rejected by the Spanish people.

Support and rejection of the French

A part of the Spanish nobility and intelligentsia saw in José Bonaparte and the French government a possibility for their political purposes. These were disparagingly called the Frenchified.

In Spain there was already an anti-French feeling among the people, due to the events of the French Revolution (1789) and after the war of the Convention (1793-95). The clergy also contributed greatly to the formation of this popular opinion.

Not even the signing of the alliance of France and Spain promoted by Manuel Godoy (Prince of La Paz), managed to modify this unfavorable opinion.

Spain had just lost the battle of Trafalgar (1805) together with France. Then, in 1807, the Treaty of Fontainebleau was signed by which France and Spain agreed to invade Portugal.

Instead of continuing, the French army passing through Spain to Portugal decided to stay and occupied some areas of Spanish territory. Between Burgos, Pamplona, ​​Salamanca, Barcelona, ​​San Sebastián and Figueras there were some 65,000 French troops.

The Spanish people noticed the threat and a popular insurrection broke out, manifested through guerrilla cells. The uprising spread throughout the peninsula as of May 2, 1808. Thus began the Spanish or French War of Independence, as it was popularly called.

The French army was fought and repulsed in the northern provinces of Spain (Gerona, Zaragoza and Valencia), to the point that they managed to weaken it.

History

A distinction must be made between political Frenchification and cultural Frenchification. The Frenchified politicians sought power through support for the legislation and government of José Bonaparte.

On the other hand, cultural Frenchification has a much broader connotation and its origin predates the French invasion of Spain in 1808.

Cultural Frenchification

This phenomenon occurs in the second half of the 18th century and manifests itself in various ways: art and culture, language and fashion, among other aspects; from the use of powdered wigs to the use of Gallicisms in language.

It is necessary to insist that this phenomenon only corresponds to this historical period in Spain, because after the War of Independence it receives other names.

To refer to supporters or lovers of French in any part of the world, the term Francophile is subsequently used. This designates the love for French culture and is devoid of negative connotations.

It should be clarified that cultural Frenchification did not necessarily mean support for the French invasion of Spain. Among the cultural Frenchified there were patriots too.

Many of the admirers of encyclopedism and French culture were friends of the Frenchified. Among them the liberal political group of the Cortes de Cádiz was formed.

To refer to the origin of Spanish nationalism, some authors cite the feelings of rejection of the French, its customs and culture.

The defeat of the French army in 1814 brought with it the exile of most of the Frenchified. The Spanish intellectual and political diaspora occurred throughout the 19th century and part of the 20th century.

Famous Frenchified

Among the most notable Frenchified were the painter Francisco de Goya, the playwright Leandro Fernández de Moratín and the writers, Juan Meléndez Valdés and Juan Antonio Llorente.

Also part of the group was Father Santander, auxiliary bishop of Zaragoza, as well as General Carlos Mori, the Marquis of Fuente-Olivar, Juan Sempere y Guarinos, José Mamerto Gómez Hermosilla and Fernando Camborda.

Other Frenchified that stood out were the Duke of Osuna, the Marquis of Labrador, Marshal Álvarez de Sotomayor, General Contreras and Manuel Narganes.

Divisions in Spain

At the time of the French invasion, Spain was divided into two large fighting groups: the supporters of Bourbon absolutism (less enlightened popular classes, the clergy and part of the nobility) and the Frenchified, who supported the liberal French monarchical regime.

On the other hand, the patriots or anti French were also divided into two groups. The liberal, who tried to take advantage of the war to provoke a political revolution - for this they used the Cortes of Cádiz and the Constitution of 1812 - and the absolutist monarchist, who supported Fernando VII.

The Frenchified wanted to serve as a bridge between the absolutists and the liberals during the War of Independence. An attempt was made to reconcile positions between those who advocated the transformation of Spain and those who defended Spanish interests.

The fact was that they ended up being despised and hated, some by "French" and others by "Spaniards."

References

1. The famous traitors. The Frenchified during the crisis of the Old Regime (1808-1833). Retrieved March 19, 2018 from academia.edu.
2. The Frenchified. Consulted of pares.mcu.es
3. The exiles of French and Liberals. Antonio Moliner Prada. UAB. Consulted of fudepa.org.
4. Dadun: «The famous traitors. Consulted of dadun.unav.edu
5. Frenchified. Consulted of es.wikipedia.org
6. Frenchified. Consulted of encyclopedia-aragonesa.com
7. Who were the Frenchified? Consulted of biombohistorico.blogspot.com