Charles IV of Spain Biography

Charles IV of Spain was the ruler of Spain from 1788 till his abdication in 1808. The second child of King Charles III and Maria Amalia of Saxony, he had very little understanding of the government. He was neither ambitious nor experienced in running the affairs of the state when he ascended the throne. He started ruling with the ministers he had received from his father, but eventually handed over the power of the government to Manuel de Godoy, whose rise to power made him quite unpopular not only in Spain, but also in its colonies. Charles IV was known as ‘El Cazador,’ or ‘the Hunter’, because he preferred hunting and sport over dealing with the matters of the government. Over the years, the people of Spain struggled with several economic problems, but the king focused on the wars instead of addressing the domestic issues. King Charles IV eventually lost the goodwill of his people. Meanwhile, Prince Ferdinand, his son, started a rebellion opposing his father. Though he initially failed, the people started rioting and protesting in favor of the prince and King Charles IV was forced to abdicate.