Memorias de un cortesano de 1815 - Facts

 

The book takes place in 1815 when Fernando VII returns to Spain. After experiencing serious setbacks on many fronts, Napoleon agreed on 11 December 1813 to acknowledge Ferdinand VII as king of Spain, and signed the Treaty of Valençay so that the king could return to Spain. The Spanish people, blaming the policies of the Francophiles for causing the Napoleonic occupation and the Peninsular War by allying Spain too closely to France, at first welcomed Fernando. Ferdinand soon found that in the intervening years a new world had been born of foreign invasion and domestic revolution. In his name, Spain fought for its independence and in his name as well juntas had governed Spanish America. Spain was no longer the absolute monarchy it had been when he had relinquished six years earlier. Instead, he was now asked to rule under the liberal Constitution of 1812. Before being allowed onto Spanish soil, Ferdinand had to guarantee the liberals that he would govern on the basis of the constitution, but he only gave lukewarm indications that he would do so. Ferdinand's restored autocracy was guided by a small camarilla of his favourites, although his government seemed unstable. Whimsical and ferocious by turns, he changed his ministers every few months. 

Juan Bragas took the name Pipaón after the place where his parents were from. Pipaón is a hamlet and concejo in the municipality of Lagrán, Álava province, Basque Country.

Juan mentions the Oudinot conspiracy. Oudinot Conspiracy (historically known in Spanish as el asunto Audinot or el asunto Oudinot) refers to a highly publicized fraudulent plot and political scandal during the Spanish War of Independence (Peninsular War) in late 1813. Jean Barteau, falsely claimed to be "Luis Audinot" (or Oudinot), a fictitious Napoleonic general. He claimed that he had traveled to Spain under the direct orders of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to overthrow the monarchy and establish a new Spanish republic, allegedly colluding with high-profile Spanish liberals to achieve this. 

Juan mentions Agustín Argüelles. Agustín Argüelles (18 August 1776 in Ribadesella, Asturias – 26 March 1844 in Madrid) was a Spanish liberal politician. When in 1814 the War of Independence finished and Ferdinand VII returned to Spain as absolute monarch, Argüelles was imprisoned in Ceuta and later in Alcudia (Majorca).

Francisco Eguía was the Minister of War. Francisco Ramón de Eguía y López de Letona, 1st Conde del Real Aprecio was a Spanish military commander and politician. Eguía was appointed minister of war in 1814, resigning the following year due to his health, his post being taken up by Francisco Ballesteros. 

Juan mentions several decrees. One was the decree that was signed on May 4, 1814. The Real Decreto del 4 de mayo de 1814 (also known as the Decreto de Valencia) was the official document signed by King Ferdinand VII to abolish the liberal Constitution of 1812 and restore absolute monarchy in Spain.

Another decree was signed on May 30. The Decree of May 30, 1814, issued by King Ferdinand VII, banned the return to Spain of the afrancesados (Spaniards who supported the French regime) and high-ranking officials linked to the government of Joseph Bonaparte.

The book mentions some people who were pardoned by the king.

"El Cojo de Málaga" (The Cripple of Málaga) pardoned by King Ferdinand VII was not a bandit, but Pablo López, a humble Andalusian tailor and prominent liberal political activist.

Doña María Villalba was spared the death penalty after being arrested for writing a private letter that commented on the romantic affairs of King Ferdinand VII.

Fernando VII restored the Inquisition. After returning to the throne and abolishing the liberal Constitution of Cádiz, Fernando VII restored the Inquisition to its traditional state. This satisfied the demands of traditional absolutist factions who wanted a return to the Old Regime.

There are many real people in the novel:

Infante Antonio Pascual Francisco Javier Juan Nepomuceno Aniello Raimundo Silvestre of Spain (31 December 1755 – 20 April 1817) was the son of King Charles III of Spain and younger brother of King Charles IV of Spain and King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies.

Don Carlos María Isidro Benito de Borbón y Borbón-Parma (29 March 1788 – 10 March 1855) was an Infante of Spain and the second surviving son of King Charles IV of Spain and Maria Luisa of Parma. 

Blas Ostolaza was Don Carlos's confessor. Blas Gregorio Ostolaza y Ríos (Trujillo, Peru, 1771 – Valencia, Spain, 1835) was a Spanish clergyman and politician of absolutist inclination.

Antonio Ugarte y Larrazábal (Pancorbo, February 25, 1776 – Madrid, November 7, 1830) was a Spanish politician known for his social rise during the reign of Ferdinand VII. He is considered one of the members of the king's camarilla (inner circle).

Francisco Fernández de Córdoba y Glimes de Brabante (later Francisco de Espés), (Zaragoza, March 4, 1758 – November 30, 1841), 1st Duke of Alagón, Lord and Baron of Espés, and Baron of Alfajarín. He was the Commander of Ferdinand VII's Royal Guards (Guardias de Corps) as well as his personal advisor and friend. The king granted him the rank of Captain General. He is a prominent character widely cited in the novel Memorias de un cortesano de 1815, which is part of Benito Pérez Galdós's Episodios Nacionales.

Pedro Collado, Chamorro, passed away in 1827, native of Colmenar Viejo. Palace street sweeper in 1816, he reached the position of keeper of the wardrobe at the court of Fernando VII until his death.

Pedro Cevallos Guerra (1 August 1759 – 29 May 1838) was a Spanish statesman and diplomat who served as Chief Minister from 1799 to 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars. Cevallos tendered his resignation on 7 July and fled to London for the remainder of the war, returning to Spain once Madrid had been liberated in 1814. He briefly headed the new government from 15 November, before retiring on 24 January 1816. 

Juan Gregorio Felipe Ramón Pérez de Villamil y Paredes (Puerto de Vega, Principality of Asturias, May 1, 1754 – Madrid, February 20, 1824) was an absolutist politician during the reigns of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII. 

Felipe González Vallejo (Campezo, 1769 – Madrid, January 10, 1824) was a Spanish politician and public finance administrator. Following the Peninsular War, he was appointed interim Secretary of the Treasury on February 2, 1815, serving until March 3 of the same year, and later held the position as full minister until December.

Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros y de la Torre (6 January 1756 – 9 June 1829) was a Spanish Navy officer and colonial administrator. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar, and in the Spanish resistance against Napoleon's invasion in 1808. 

Tomás Moyano Rodríguez (Serrada, Valladolid, December 15, 1760 – Madrid, June 11, 1830) was a Spanish politician. An attorney and magistrate who served as a judge (oidor) of the Audiencia of Seville, following the accession of Ferdinand VII after the Peninsular War he served as Secretary of Grace and Justice from November 1814 to January 1816.

When Juan Bragas visits the king, he sees two paintings.

The Triumph of Bacchus is a painting by Diego Velázquez, now in the Museo del Prado, in Madrid. It is popularly known as Los borrachos or The Drinkers. 

The other painting was Felipe II by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz. 

The book ends in Casa de Campo. he Casa de Campo  is the largest public park in Madrid. It is situated west of central Madrid, Spain. It gets its name 'Country House' because it was once a royal hunting estate, located just west of the Royal Palace of Madrid.