GODOY, MANUEL DE, Duke of Alcudia (1767-1851). A Spanish statesman. Ile was born at Badajos, and at the age of twenty entered the King's bodyguard at Madrid, where his personal attractions gained him the favor of Charles IV., and of his Queen, Maria Luisa. Ile became lieu tenant-general and Duke of Alcudia in 1792. and in the following year was made Prime Minister. He immediately plunged into war with France, which resulted disastrously for Spain. and was concluded by the Treaty of Basel in 1795, which procured for Godoy the title of Prince of Pence. Ile was also made a grandee of the first class, and received a gift of large estates. Though forced to resign the office of Minister in 1798, he nevertheless remained the principal power in Spanish politics. Concluding an alliance with France against Portugal, Godoy invaded that country in 1801, and by the Peace of Badajos forced Portugal to cede part of its territory to Spain. In 1804 he was made gener alissimo of the Spanish forces on land and sea.
The ill success of the war against England, cul minating in the defeat of Trafalgar, stirred up great popular hatred for Godoy, and he had to contend also with the hostility of the nobles, who were envious of his sudden elevation. The Crown Prince Ferdinand placed himself at the head of a Court faction, and Godoy's attempt to stir up the King against the Prince only served to excite popular feeling. When Godoy, upon the invasion of Spain by the French troops in 1808, prepared to escape with the King and the Queen to Mexico, an insurrection broke out at Aranjuez. The King was forced to imprison the hated Minister to save his life from the mob. Napoleon, who wished to make use of Godoy in his raid on the Spanish crown, summoned him to Bayonne, where he signed Charles's act of abdication in favor of his son Ferdinand. (See