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Original Articles

Richard Wall: Light and Shade of an Irish Minister in Spain (1694-1777)

Pages 123-136 | Published online: 21 Jul 2010

References

  • National Gallery of Dublin . 1999 . Gallery News , 13 June-August Recent Acquisitions. I am grateful to Carol McMahon, at the Library of the National Gallery, for this information
  • The original certificate of baptism is in the Archives Départementales de la Loire-Atlantique, Registres paroissiaux, Nantes, Église de Saint Nicolas, BMS, 1691-1697, 7 November 1694: 'Le 7ème jour de novembre 1694 a été baptisé dans l'Eglise de St. Nicolas de Nantes par moi père soussigné, Richard, né le 5ème du courant, fils de Matthieu Duval, gentilhomme absent, et de Catherine Devreux, sa femme habitants a la foie, rue du puits d'argent.' A Spanish translation can be found in the Archivo Histórico Nacional (hereafter AHN), Órdenes, Santiago, 9.020.
  • His will confirms it: Archivo General de Palacio (hereafter AGP), Reinados, Carlos III, 494
  • Archivo General de Marina D. Álvaro de Bazàn . Cuerpo General 620 – 1290 .
  • Museo Naval de Madrid, Catalog, no. 817
  • Ozanam , Didier . 1998 . Les diplomates espagnols du XVIIIe siède, Introduction et répertoire biographique (1700-1808) , Casa de Velásquez-Burdeos-Maison des Pays Ibériques .
  • de Beaumarchais , Peter Caron . 1961 . “ 'Memoires contre Goezman Oeuvre Complete' ” . 378 Gallica . 'C'est moi qui ai donné au roi ce Clavico': these words were attributed to Wall by Beaumarchais.
  • Biblioteca Nacional de España . Manuscrites 5.953 – 5.954 .
  • Gonzalez , M. J. and Reeder , J. , eds. 1988 . Itinerario de las carreras de posta de dentro y fuera del Reino de Pedro Rodriguez de Campomanes , 4 – 5 . Centro de Pubicaciones del Ministerio de Transportes, Turismo y comunicaciones . 'To His Excellency D. Ricardo Wall, Commendary of Penausende in the Order of St. Jaco, Lieutenant General of the armies of His Majesty, principal Secretary of State, Interim Secretary of War and General Director of the posts and relays, inside and outside Spain, etc. I offer His Excellency this work on the relay posts inside and outside the Kingdom so that you give it to Our King, whose royal grace allowed it to be printed […] I acknowledge the shortness of this treatise to reach the nobility of the throne. However, if the readers find the punctual notices they need on the issue, they should attribute this benefit, among many others, to the protection that His Majesty has provided to this work and to the eagerness of His Excellency to promote it. Indebted to you, D. Pedro Rodriguez Campomanes'.
  • Archive del Real Jardin Botànico . Representatión de Celesano Mutis a Carlos III , Madrid : C.S.I.C. .
  • Expediciones cientificias, Expeditión de José Celestino Mutis Vol. III , 2 6 10 12
  • Smollet , Tobias George . 1755 . The History and Adventures of the Renowned D. Quixote , 1 London . 'To His Excellency D. Ricardo Wall, principal Secretary of State to His Most Catholic Majesty, Lieutenant General of the armies of Spain, Commendary of Penausende in the Order of Santiago, etc. and heretofore, Ambassador and plenipotentiary at the court of Great Britain.'
  • Sanz , A. (imp.) . 1760 . Kalendario manual y Quia de Forasteros , Antonio Sanz . Actually kept in Budapest, in the Szépmüvészeti Múzeum. Wall was also Protector of the Real Academia de San Fernando, according to
  • Morales , Oscar Recio . 2000 . Irlanda en la estrategia politica de la Monarquía Hispánica (1602-1649) , Ministerio de Defense .
  • Simms , John G. 1969 . Jacobite Ireland, 1685-1691 , Routledge & Kegan Paul .
  • Ciardha , Éamonn O . 2002 . Ireland and the Jacobite Cause , Four Courts .
  • Hayes , Richard . 1949 . Biographical Dictionary of Irishmen in France , M. H. Gill .
  • Lawless , Emily . 1902 . With the Wild Geese , Isbister . On the Wild Geese, see
  • McLaughlin , Mark G. 1980 . The Wild Geese: The Irish Brigades of France and Spain Osprey On the presence in the armies of France and Spain, see
  • O'Connor , Thomas . 2001 . The Irish in Europe, 1580-1815 , Maynooth : National University of Ireland . More generally, on the Irish immigration, see
  • Stradling , Robert A. 1994 . The Spanish Monarchy and Irish Mercenaries. The Wild Geese in Spain, 1618-1668 , Irish Academic Press .
  • de Mashanaglass , P. Mac Swiney . 1926 . Notas sobre la formación de los dos primeras regimientos irlandeses al servicio de España en el s. XVIII , Dublin . On the creation of Irish regiments, see
  • Gallwey's , Hubert . 1970 . The Wall Family in Ireland , H. Gallwey . Wall's family is described in
  • Coxe , William . 1846 . España bajo el reinado de la casa de Borbón, desde 1700 en que subió al trono Felipe V, hasta la muerte de Carlos III, acaecida en 1788 , Salas y Quiroga .
  • de los Rios , Carlos Gutiérrez and conde de Fernán Nuñez . 1988 . Vida de Carlos III , Fundación Universitaria Española .
  • Urdáñez , José Luis Gómez . 1996 . El proyecto reformista del marqués de la Ensenada , 24 Milenio .
  • Coxe . España bajo el reinado vol. iii , 376 – 377 .
  • de los Ríos , Gutiérrez . Vida 186
  • del Rio , Antonio Ferrer . 1988 . Historia del reinado de Carlos III , Consejería de Culture de la Comunidad de Madrid .
  • Collado , Manuel Danvila . 1891-94 . Reinado de Carlos III , Ricardo Fe .
  • Benitez , Mauro Hemández . 1988 . “ 'Carlos III: un mito progresista' ” . In Carlos III, Madrid y la Ilustración. Contradicciones de un proyecto reformista , 1 – 23 . 20 Siglo XXI .
  • Baudrillart , Alfred . 1890-1905 . Philippe V et la Cour de France , Librairie de Firmin-Didot .
  • Bouvier , René and Soldevilla , Caries . 1941 . Ensenada et son temps. Le redressement de l'Espagne au XVIII siècle , 110 Fernand Sorlot .
  • Rousseau , François . 1907 . Règne de Charles III d'Espagne, 1759-1788 , vol. i , 46 – 47 . Plon-Nourrit .
  • Bedarida , Henri . 1969 . Les premiers Bourbons de Parme et L'Espagne, 1731-1802 , 49 Librairie Ancienne Honore Champion .
  • de Beaumarchais , Peter Caron . “ 'Mémoires contre Goëzman' ” . vol. iii , 377 There is a marked contrast with Beaumarchais's description of Wall: 'Cet homme respectable, qui n'avait quitté le ministère que pour mettre un intervalle de repos entre la vie et la mort, était logé dans la maison de Mr. de Grimaldi […] la plus noble figure rassurant mon c?ur agité […] Monsieur, lui dis-je, je n'ai point d'autre titre à vos bienfaits que celui d'être français et outragé: vous êtes né vous-même en France où vous eûtes du service; depuis vous avez passé dans ce pays par tous les grades de l'illustration militaire et politique; mais tous ces titres me donnent moins la confiance de recourir à vous, que la véritable grandeur avec laquelle vous avez remis volontairement au roi le dangereux ministère des Indes, dont vous êtes sorti les mains pures, lorsqu'un autre eût pu y entasser des milliards. Avec l'estime de la nation, vous êtes resté l'ami du roi: c'est le nom dont il vous honore sans cesse. Vous êtes français, monsieur, me dit-il; c'est un beau titre auprès de moi; j'ai toujours chéri la France, et voudrais pouvoir reconnaître en vous tous les bons traitements que j'y ai reçus.'
  • Villa , Antonio Rodríguez . 1878 . Don Zenón de Somodevilla, morgues de la Ensenada. Ensayo biográfico , Librería de M. Murillo . His main desire was to portray a 'Spanish' reign separated from the French guidelines.
  • de Navarrete , Martin Fernández . 1831 . Noticia biográfica del Marqués de la Ensenada , Madrid . A biography on Ensenada had already been published in 1831:
  • Mesa , Manuel Mozas . 1924 . D. José de Caroajaly Lancaster, ministre de Fernando VI: apuntes de su vida y labor politica , Tipografia del Hospicio de Hombres .
  • Rives , Angela Garcia . 1917 . Fernando Vl y Da Barbara de Braganza 1746-1759. Apuntes sobre su reinado , 51 Julio Cosano .
  • Ruiz , F. Constancio Eguía . 1922 . El Marqués de la Ensenada, según un confidente , 63 Institute Jerónimo Zurita .
  • Villa , Rodriguez . Don Zenón 185
  • Ozanam , Didier , ed. 1975 . La diplomacia de Fernando VI. Conespondencia entre Caroajal y Huéscar, 1746-1749 , 193 196 Escuela de Historia Moderna .
  • Villa , Rodríguez . Don Zenón 185 – 186 .
  • Villa , Rodríguez . Don Zenón 185
  • Molleda , María Dolores Gómez . 1955 . 'El pensamiento de Carvajal y la politica internacional española del s. XIII' . Hispania , : 117 – 137 .
  • Casado , Vicente Rodríguez . 1962 . La política y los políticos en el reínado de Carlos III , Rialp .
  • Ortiz , Antonio Dominguez . 1976 . Sociedad y Estado en el sigh XVIII español , Ariel .
  • Lynch , John . 1991 . El sigh XVIII , Critica .
  • Casado , Rodriguez . La política 87
  • Barrios , Feliciano . 1984 . El Consejo de Estado de la Monarquía Española, 1521-1812 , 419 Consejo de Estado . There are mistakes even in his date of birth, usually considered as 7 November 1694, which is in fact the date of his baptism as it can be verified using the copy of his certificate of baptism kept in the AHN, Ordenes, Santiago, 9.020. Indeed, he was born on 5 November. For more biographical data on Wall, see
  • Toribio , José Manuel Cuenca and Miranda , Soledad . 1998 . El poder y sus nombres. ¿Por quiénes hemos sida gobernados los españoles? 1705-1998 , 872 Actas .
  • Cardos , José Martínez . 1972 . Primera Secretaría de Estado. Estudio preliminar , Secretaria General Técnica. Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores .
  • Ozanam . Les diplomates espagnols 471 – 472 .
  • Núñez , Guido Donoso . 1964 . Embajada de Ricardo Wall en Londres. Estudio de las relaciones anglo-hispanicas entre 1747 y 1754 , Universidad Complutense . The only study fully devoted to his office as diplomat has not been published:
  • Ozanam , ed. La diplomacia 90 Some data can be extracted from
  • Urdáñez , Gómez . El proyecto reformista 80 – 126 .
  • Urdéez , Gomez . El proyecto reformista 80 – 126 .
  • Dorado , Dolores Mateos . 1989 . “ 'La actitud de Carlos III durante el año sin rey (1758-1759)' ” . In Actas del Congreso Intemacional sobre 'Carlos III y la Ilustración' , vol. i , 299 – 321 . Ministerio de Culture .
  • Olaechea , Rafael . 1965 . Las relaciones hispano-romanas en la segunda mitad del s. XVIII. La Agencia de Preces , El Noticiero .
  • 1981 . “ 'Política eclesiástica del gobiemo de Fernando VI' ” . In La época de Fernando VI , 139 – 225 . Institute Feijoo .
  • Escudero , José Antonio . 1979 . Los orígenes del Consejo de Ministres. La Junta Suprema de Estado , Editora Nacional .
  • Kratz , Guillermo . 1954 . El tratado hispano-portugués de limites de 1750 y sus consecuencias , Institutum Historicum .
  • Atard , Vicente Palacio . 1945 . El tercer Facto de Familia , Universidad de Sevilla .
  • Torre , Celia Maria Parcero . 1998 . Lapérdida de La Habana y las reformas borbónicas en Cuba, 1760-1773 , Consejeria de Education y Culture .
  • Pinedo , Isidore . 1983 . Manuel de Roda. Su pensamiento regalista , Institute Fernando Católico .
  • de Morales , Antonio Álvarez . 1988 . La Ilustración y la Reforma de la universidad en la España del Siglo XVIII , Institute Nacional de la Administratión Pública .
  • Llombart , Vicente . 1992 . Campomanes, economista y politico de Carlos III , Alianza .
  • De Castro . 1999 . 'Las secretaries de los consejos, las de Estado y del Despacho y sus oficiales durante la primera mitad del s. XVIII' . Hispania , : 193 – 215 . As we have already mentioned, we know some details about the reorganisation of the Secretary of State during his office:
  • Recio , Luis Miguel Enciso . 1982 . “ 'La prensa y la opinión pública' ” . In Historia de España fundada par Romón Menéndez Pidal , vol. xxxi , 60 – 128 . Espasa-Calpe . The role he played in the control of public opinion through the press, has barely been studied. Nor has his management of the Royal Sites, Post Offices or Royal Paths or other aspects linked to his administration in the Ministeries of State and War
  • Ozanam . Les diplomates 471 – 472 . Just a correction of a mistake or probably a simple misprint: his appointment as second lieutenant of the infantry regiment of Hibernia dates from 1 January 1719, instead of 1721, See the Servicio Historico Militar (hereafter SHM), Expedients personales, Ricardo Wall, roll 52
  • de la Valgoma , D. and del Finestrat , baron . 1943-1956 . Real Compañía de Guardias y Golegio Naval , vol. i , 32 Museo Naval de Madrid .
  • Ozanam . Les diplomates 471
  • Barrios . El Consejo 419
  • Atard , Palacio . El Tercer Pacto 275 Palacio Atard mistook him for his brother
  • Danvila y Collado . Reinado , ii 209 Kratz mentioned that he was his nephew (Kratz, El tratado hispano-portugués, p. 203). Only Danvila was right, thanks to a letter that Wall sent to Grimaldi on 25 March 1763. Archivo General de Simancas (hereafter AGS), Estado, 4.553
  • For instance, he did not mention that he was an Inspector of the Dragon Corps between 1742 and 1743, and he ignored his promotion to the rank of colonel of Dragons in 1736, as he did not obtain a regiment until 1740. We know these and other details thanks to his service record: SHM, Expedients personales, Ricardo Watt, roll 52.
  • Ozanam . Les diplomates 471 Cautiously, Ozanam did not provide any proof
  • Mesa , Mozas . D. José de Carvajal 34
  • Cardós , Martinez . Primera Secretaría de Estado xcix Alvarez de Morales (La Hustración, p. 185) specified that Wall started 'his military career in the French navy, with which he took part in the Spanish Succession War'
  • These records are in AGS, Secretaría de Guerra, 2.465, book ii, p. 12; book iii, p. 10; and book iv, p. 10
  • Coxe . España bajo el reinado vol. iii , 377
  • del Río , Ferrer . Historia , i 247
  • Casado , Vicente Rodriguez . La política 86
  • de Liria , Duque . 1889 . “ 'Diario del viaje del duque de Liria y Xérica' ” . In Colección de Documentas Inédites para la Historia de España, par el marqués de la Fuensanta, D. José Sancho Rayón y D. Francisco Zabálburu vol. xciii , 200 – 201 . Madrid
  • de Liria , Duque . “ 'Diario' ” . 400 Wall himself was on the verge of becoming the first diplomatic envoy to the court of Prussia, as the Duke of Liria proposed to the Spanish court. Duke of Liria to the Marquis de la Paz, 18 October 1727
  • Barrado , José Miguel Delgado and Urdàñez , José Luis Gómez . 2002 . Ministres de Fernando VI , 93 – 138 . Universidad de Córdoba . The project did not bear fruit and Wall had to reintegrate into the army after coming back from Moscow. Diego Téllez Alarcia, 'El caballero D. Ricardo Wall y la conspiración antiensenadista';
  • del Rio , Antonio Ferrer . Historia , i 247 The envoy to Aachen was Masones de Lima. Although Coxe claimed that he was 'a private agent in Aachen, then in Holland and in England', Wall, after his stay in Genoa, met the French minister Puyzieulx and was sent to London as a secret agent.
  • Casado , Rodriguez . La político 87 who follow Coxe on that point
  • Coxe . España bajo el reinado vol. iii , 377 rectified the reference to Holland, a country that Wall had just visited, and did not mention it
  • Pinedo . Manuel de Roda 93 – 94 .
  • AGP, Reinados, Carlos III, 253
  • Blas , Luis Perdices . 1995 . Pablo de Olavide (1725-1803). El Ilustrado , 420 – 421 . Complutense .
  • de los Ríos , Gutiérrez . Vida 180
  • 'Your Excellency told me in his letter of 21 of the last month that our Lord the King, among the favours granted to celebrate the marriage of the Princess María Luisa, had appointed Knights of San Genaro the Marquis of Montealegre, myself, and Richard Wall […] I have informed the Secretary of the Order for his notice and management.' Tanucci to Grimaldi, 13 March 1764, AHN, Estado, 6.349
  • Molleda , Maria Dolores Gomez . 1955 . 'El pensamiento de Carvajal y la política internacional española del s. XVIIT . Hispania , : 117 – 137 .
  • Alarcia , Diego Téllez . 2003 . 'La supuesta anglofilia de D. Ricargo Wall. Filias y fobias en el reinado de Fernando VI' . Revista de Historia Moderna, Anales de la Universidad de Alicante , The myth of the political philia and phobia during the reign of Fernando VI is analysed in another paper:
  • Ozanam . “ 'La política exterior' ” . 678
  • Spínola to Torrigiani, Madrid, 26 March 1759, Archive Segreto Vaticano (hereafter ASV), Num. Spagna, vol. cclxxxv
  • Wall to Portocarrero, 15 June 1755, Archivo General del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de España (hereafter AGMAE), Santa Sede, 403
  • Bustamante , Ciriaco Pérez . 1954 . 'El reinado de Fernando VI en el reformismo español del siglo XVIII . Revista de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid , : 493 – 514 . 511 Wall was a 'sure Freemason' according to
  • Benimeli , Jose Antonio Ferrer . 1974 . La masonería española en el s. XVIII , 255 Siglo : Madrid . Indeed, the alleged charge of Freemasonry affected all the members of the Cabinet of Carlos III, including, above all, the Count of Aranda. This cliché was refuted convincingly by
  • del Rio , Ferrer . Historia , i 400 A cliché inherited from Gutiérrez de los Ríos, Vida, p. 183; used subsequently by other authors such as
  • Sarrailh , Jean . 1974 . La España ilustrada de la segunda mítad del siglo XVIII , 583 F.C.E. .
  • Torre , Parcero . La pérdida , 192 – 193 .
  • Domínguez , Ortiz . Sociedad y Estado 301
  • del Río , Ferrer . Historia , i 399
  • Casado , Rodríguez . La político 92
  • Alarcia , Diego Téllez . 2001 . 'Guerra y regalismo a comienzos del reinado de Carlos III. El final del ministerio Wall' . Hispania , : 1051 – 1090 .
  • Lodge , Richard , ed. 1933 . The Private Correspondence of Sir Benjamin Keene , 378 W. Lewis . Carvajal to Tabuérniga, 17 June 1748, AGS, Estado, 6.913. In the words of the English ambassador, Benjamin Keene: 'All he respires is for the honor of his Master and the felicity of his people, which depends upon the preservation of the public tranquility. The preservation of his employments is the least he has at heart.' Keene to Lord Huntingdon, 16 September 1754:
  • Wall to Carvajal, 4 December 1749, AHN, Estado, 4.267
  • Wall to Portocarrero, 14 February 1758, AGMAE, Santa Sede, 407
  • Gozalo , Maximiliano Barrio . 1997 . 'Madrid y Roma en Ia segunda mitad del s. XVIII. La lucha contra las "usurpaciones" romanas' . España e Italia en el s. XVIII Revista de Historia Modema, Anales de la Universidad de Alicante , : 69 – 82 . Furthermore, the Order was one of the most powerful allies of his paramount political enemies, Ensenada and his followers. To understand the prerogatives of Wall and Grimaldi, see the excellent paper by
  • Wall to Tanucci, 7 June 1763, AGS, Estado, 6.094
  • Aranda to Wall, 19 December 1761, AGS, Estado, vol. cliv
  • Aranda to Wall, 26 December 1761, AGS, Estado, vol. cliv

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