Page:A history of Chile.djvu/140

 128 A HISTORY OF CHILE that Napoleon concerted with Godoi and gained per- mission to enter Spain with his armies. It was a stratagem ; instead of marching to Portugal, Napoleon advanced to Madrid. It was now that Charles IV. abdicated in favor of his son, Ferdinand, the people having pronounced against Godoi and the court. But he was a fickle monarch and soon desired to resume his crown; that, Ferdinand would not permit him to do. Napoleon professed a willingness to assist the royal household of Spain to an amicable settlement of their difficulties and for that purpose arranged a meeting in Bayonne. There Charles IV., Maria Louisa and Godoi appeared against Ferdinand VII. and recriminations followed. Napoleon had father and son renounce their rights and conferred the crown of Spain upon his brother, Joseph Bonaparte. Charles and Ferdinand were retained in France. Indignant at this perfidj', and lo5'al to Ferdinand, the Spaniards organized y?^«/(7j de gobierno in the pro- vinces and a central junta in Seville to carry on the government provisionally. These the French dispersed, whereupon a "council of the regency'' was formed in Cadiz with which was united the cortez and house of representatives. This regency organized an active re- sistance to the French and a war followed. The Span- iards won a victory at Bailen, but the French, notwith- standing that, continued to occupy the peninsula until the downfall of Napoleon, when Ferdinand recovered his crown. This outline of the history of Spain at the time throws light upon the revolt of her American colonies. The junta of Seville and the regency of Cadiz sought to exercise authorit)^ over them. This was resented. The colonies would neither recognize Joseph Bona-