You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
Between 1777 and 1783, Jean-François de Bourgoing served at the Court of Spain as France's military attaché and principal assistant to the French ambassador. Bourgoing was a French patriot and a friend of Spain. From his unique vantage point he recorded events related to the War of American Independence as they occurred, creating Le Grand Mémoire. The French and the Americans hoped that Spain would recognize the independence of the United States and enter the war as their ally. Instead, Spain entered the war against England only as France's ally stipulating that France would help her recover some of her lost possessions. Until the summer of 1781, France continued to try in vain to persuad...
This book is a report on Spain written in Madrid by the French diplomat Jean-Francois de Bourgoing when France was becoming increasingly involved in the American Revolution. At that time the French were pressing the Spaniards to join them. Bourgoing first describes Spanish society on religiosity, the Church and the Inquisition. His perspective is that of a disciple of Voltaire. His description of the various governmental bodies, the economy and foreign trade, especially with SpainOCOs vast colonial empire including the Indies, was designed to be practical for French policy makers. The final chapters on the Court and the state of the arts in Spain reveal BourgoingOCOs chauvinism. His secularism, typical of FranceOCOs enlightened elite, was to culminate in the French Revolution a decade later."
None