Charles IV (1788-1808)
1789-Mo Mexico City 8 Reales (PCGS MS62)
1790-Mo Mexico City 8 Reales (PCGS MS62)
1791-Mo Mexico City 8 Reales (PCGS MS64)
Charles IV was a King of Spain who reigned from 1788 to 1808. He was born in Portici, Italy, in 1748 and was the second son of Charles III of Spain. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his father in 1788.
Charles IV faced several challenges during his reign, including economic difficulties and political instability. He was not known for his strong leadership, and he was heavily influenced by his wife, Maria Luisa of Parma, and his chief minister, Manuel de Godoy.
One of the major events of Charles IV's reign was the French invasion of Spain in 1808, which was part of the larger Napoleonic Wars. The Spanish resistance to the French invasion, led by figures such as the guerrilla leader Francisco de Goya, played an essential role in the broader struggle against Napoleon's empire.
Charles IV abdicated in favor of his son, Ferdinand VII, in 1808, following the events of the Spanish War of Independence. He lived the rest of his life in exile in Italy and died in Rome in 1819.
Overall, Charles IV's reign was marked by political instability, economic difficulties, and a lack of solid leadership, and he is often remembered as a relatively weak monarch who was unable to address the challenges facing Spain during his reign.