He turned away and paced wearily across the room, and closed the door quietly behind him. Napoleon’s lips slowly curled into a smile, then he reached down and picked up the signed statement. Turning towards a partion doorway, he called out, ‘Fouche!’
The door opened at once and Fouche entered the room.
‘You heard?’
‘Every word, sire.’
‘He crumbled more quickly than I had anticipated. A disappointing young man, in almost every respect. Still, we have all we need now.Take this confession and have it published along with Charles’s attack on his son, and his abdication, in every newspaper in Paris and Madrid.’
‘Yes, sire.’ Fouche took the proffered document. ‘Will that be all?’
‘Yes. It is done. So falls the Spanish house of Bourbon,’ Napoleon said with quiet satisfaction.
Chapter 41
Even before the reports had been published in Europe’s newspapers Napoleon had settled the affairs of Charles and Ferdinand. The latter was sent into exile at Talleyrand’s estate at Valencay, to spend his remaining days under close watch. He would live comfortably enough, but in isolation from the rest of society and his countrymen. Charles, meanwhile, had hardened his position and negotiated a much better deal than his son received. A number of estates in France and an annual pension of some seven and a half million francs was the price he demanded for surrendering any claim to his former kingdom.
Napoleon announced to Europe that Murat would remain in charge of the government in Spain until a new ruler was chosen. Again Napoleon approached Louis, who once more refused to abandon his palace in Holland, and so the Emperor turned to his older brother, Joseph.
One day, soon after the conference at Bayonne had ended, Napoleon and his staff, together with his brothers, went out to shoot in the surrounding countryside. Berthier had learned from his experience with the rabbits and made sure that this time there would be no question of the event’s turning into a farce. It was early in May and the first growths of spring were bursting from every tree, while new flowers sprinkled bright colours across the rolling, verdant countryside. Birds sang lustily in the trees, little knowing that the band of laughing men passing beneath them in open carriages would shortly be turning their guns on any feathered prey that came into their field of vision.
The hunting party arrived at the site chosen for the shoot: a small hillock overlooking an expanse of flat, marshy ground.A light buffet had been prepared, and Napoleon chewed on a savoury game pie as he spoke to his brother, who was sitting beside him on a grassy bank.
‘Joseph, you will recall the conversation we had about what might happen should the throne of Spain fall vacant.’
‘I recall it very well,’ Joseph replied flatly.
‘Well, what do you say to my offer now?’
‘It is very generous of you, but I am not sure that I am the right man to rule Spain. Besides, I am in the midst of reforming the government of Naples. It is a task I must complete if we are to win the people over.’
‘That work can be easily continued by another,’ Napoleon said dismissively. ‘And you would have the chance to improve a much more significant country. In time your reforms could make Spain a great power once again.You would be loved by the people and envied for their affection by many of the other rulers in Europe.What say you?’
Joseph was silent for a moment as he considered his reply. ‘I say that it is a generous offer. A tempting offer, but for the present the throne of Spain needs to be occupied by a better man than I. Someone like Murat, perhaps? He has been in Madrid long enough to make useful connections amongst the local people and officials. He has even intimated in letters to me that he would be pleased to take the crown if it was offered to him.’
‘He has said that to you, has he?’ Napoleon mused, instantly realising that Murat meant to use Joseph to support his claim to the throne, because he dared not broach the matter with the Emperor himself.With good reason, Napoleon decided. Murat was a fine soldier and an inspirational commander. He was also headstrong and easily corrupted, and could be breathtakingly tactless. Hardly the right choice of ruler for a country like Spain where the sensitivities of the people had to be handled with great care and a degree of compassion.That required the attributes that Joseph possessed and Murat did not.A lesser crown might be found for Murat one day, since he was a member of the Bonaparte family by marriage. Napoleon dismissed thoughts of his brother-in-law and continued.
‘There is no question of Murat’s being King of Spain. It is my judgement that you are the best man for the job. I am depending on you, Joseph. I need you to do this for me. I need a strong, wise man to take charge of France’s southern flank. Who else can I trust? You have always looked out for me, for as long as I can remember. I have always depended on you.Will you fail me now?’
Joseph picked up a small bread roll and bit a corner off it as he stared out across the flat ground. He was silent for a moment and Napoleon tried not to appear anxious as he waited for his brother to speak. At length Joseph nodded.
‘Very well. I will do as you ask.’
‘I thank you, brother.You will not find me ungrateful.’
‘On one condition.’
‘Which is?’
‘That you will not summarily announce my accession to the throne. You will not impose me upon the Spanish. Rather, the junta in Madrid must offer the crown to me. Freely if possible. With the appearance of freedom if not.’
Napoleon considered this for a moment. He would rather the situation in Spain was resolved as speedily as possible, even if that meant openly choosing their new king for them.All the same, he could see the wisdom in Joseph’s suggestion. If the call for him to become king came from the junta in Madrid it would make Joseph’s candidacy more acceptable to the Spanish people, as well as to wider public opinion across the continent. Of
