War of opinion: the Spanish Monarchy and international public opinion (1814-1823)

Abstract

This article explores the troubled relationship of the court of King Ferdinand viiwith international public opinion. Spanish diplomats in northern Europe aimed to challenge negative news about Spain published across the European press, which was mostly in favour of the Spanish liberal cause. While formally repudiating the concept of public opinion, the Spanish monarchy was forced not only to acknowledge its existence, but also the necessity of intervening in it, turning public opinion into a battlefield where international reputation was at stake. Concern about «abuses» of the freedom of the press was shared by other regimes of the Restoration, such as the German Confederation, which adopted instruments of control over the press in 1819 in order to limit the spread of liberalism.