FLORIDA BLANCA, DON JOSE MONINO V RE DONDO, COUNT OF (1728-1808), Spanish statesman, was born at Hellin, Murcia, on Oct. 21, 1728. He was the son of a retired army officer. He studied at Salamanca and practised as an ad vocate. After a successful embassy to Rome, Florida Blanca suc ceeded Grimaldo as first minister to Charles III. He regulated the police of Madrid, reformed many abuses, projected canals, took measures for the improvement of trade and agriculture, and encouraged learning, science and the fine arts. The long-standing disputes with Portugal on the boundaries of the South American colonies were settled. An agreement signed at San Ildefonso (Oct. I, 1771), was later followed by a treaty of alliance between the two powers signed at Pardo (Mar. 24, 1778). At the outbreak of war between Great Britain and the North American colonies, Florida Blanca advised a middle course, but Spain was drawn into the conflict in 1779. Florida Blanca was much under the influence of French philosophes and economic writers. The French Revolu tion frightened him into reaction, and he advocated the support of the first coalition against France. He retained his office for three years under Charles IV.; but in 1792, through the influence of the favourite Godoy, he was dismissed and imprisoned in the castle of Pampeluna. Here he was saved from starvation only by the intervention of his brother. He remained in seclusion till the French invasion of 1808. He was then nominated president of the central junta at Aranjuez. He died at Seville on Nov. 20 of the same year. He left several short treatises on jurisprudence.
See Obras originales del Conde de Floridablanca, edited, with bio graphical introduction, by A. Ferrer del Rio, in the Biblioteca de Rivadeneyra, vol. lix.; and authorities quoted under CHARLES III. of Spain.