Napoléon et Ferdinand VII
Gérard Dufour
Pasado y Memoria. Revista de Historia Contemporánea, 10, 2011, pp. 19-39

Abstract

For Napoleon, Fernando was an enemy by the simple fact of being a Bourbon king. Moreover, Napoleon hardly knew about Fernando until the incidents of El Escorial revealed to him he was a coward and an easy to deceive. The ease with which Fernando fell in the trap of Bayona and his little resistance to his requirements confirmed the Emperor of his opinion. In this way, Napoleon in disdain, kept humiliating him by exasperated by the servility he demonstrated. The military situation in 1813 obligated Napoleon to negotiate with Fernando and even to suggest a marriage with his niece, Zenaide. However, his hatred was such that, as soon as the circumstances permitted, he was determined to dethrone the king.

http://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/24256/1/PYM_10_02.pdf