ALFONSO XIII. AND VICTORIA EUGÉNIE, KING AND QUEEN OF SPAIN

Frontispiece

THE SECRET HISTORY OF
THE COURT OF SPAIN
DURING THE LAST CENTURY

BY
RACHEL CHALLICE

WITH THIRTY ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK
D. APPLETON & COMPANY
MCMIX

In presenting this history to the British public, Imust draw attention to the fact that the materialis gathered solely from Spanish sources, so thatwhere the statements do not tally with the reportsof English historians it must be remembered thatthe book, as the mouthpiece of Spanish writers,may lay claim to a special interest of its own,particularly as some of these books are not knownin our country.

Thus, the account of the character of FerdinandVII., the story of the Second of May, 1808,the relations between England and Spain duringthe reign of Isabella II., and the account of therecent Regency of Maria Cristina, may open pointsof view not generally entertained in England, butthe fact of their sources may entitle them to someattention.

The history of the Regency ending in 1902, byOrtega Rubio, was only published last year, andit was as a privileged reader of the library of theRoyal Palace at Madrid that I studied it. Thebook referred to by Galdos has also only recently[p. vi]seen the light. I owe much of the information tothe celebrated bibliophile, Don Fernando Bremon,who garnered it for me from many histories nowout of print and from manuscripts which came intohis hand from his connection with celebrities ofthe Spanish Court. Other sources of informationwere open to me at the valuable library of theAthenæum at Madrid, of which I was made anhonorary member during my stay in the capital;and I have also to render tribute to those whosepersonal recollections have added to the interestof my survey of Court life during the last century.

RACHEL CHALLICE.