Habilitado por el Rey N[ues]tro S[eño]r D[on].

Ferdinand VII King of Spain (1808, 1813-1833)

Published by Madrid, 1 May 1833

About this Item

Fernando VII. Manuscript in brown ink on paper penned in a neat legible hand including corrections, deletions and footnotes, dated at end 1 May 1833. 39 pages of written text in folio, 1 double-page in octavo, last page blank. Each recto page headed with rectangular stencilled royal seal dated 1823 incorporating circular royal arms in the centre. Comprehensive ministerial manuscript draft proposal to the king ( Ex[elentisi]mo Señor ) to incorporate the Junta de Cria Caballar (Horse breeding Board) into the recently created Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Development) in order to achieve a more economic and efficient administration of national studs. The substantial draft in 44 paragraphs discusses various aspects of the proposed reforms and for the legislation on horse breeding in Spain from both the technical and political point of view with interesting comments. It argues in favour of removing the Junta de Cria Caballar (Horse Breeding Board) from the Secretaria de Despacho de Guerra (War Ministry) in order to incorporate it into the recently formed Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Development) for both economic and technical reasons, dwelling on the expenses of the Suprema Junta de Caballeria in transformation. The draft represents an attempt at modernising the cumbersome Bourbon administration of Ferdinand VII who died in September of the same year. The writer stresses the benefits of improved horse breeding for national agriculture, trade and for effective formation of cavalry. Referring to ancient times, he seeks to recreate the famous breeds of Spanish horses, calling Spain the Arabia of Europe and he emphasises the importance of royal encouragement and direction. The writer actually suggests that the king s younger brother, Infante Carlos Maria, later the Carlist pretender to the throne, should become protector of horse breeding in Spain. Special attention is given to the management of studs in Andalucia, Murcia and Estramadura and to the importance of regular and diligent government inspection. The draft covers 34 pages dated Madrid, 1 May 1833 at the end; it is followed by 2 supplementary pages entitled Gastos providing the considerable annual administrative expenses of the present Suprema Junta de Caballeria (Horse Breeding Board) for the year 1832 and by three pages entitled Productos containing actual figures of the numbers of foals born to mares in the same year to date. Edges tailend corners of 2 leaves affected by water staining, otherwise the manuscript is in excellent archival condition. Seller Inventory # ABE-1667821349263

Bibliographic Details

Title: Habilitado por el Rey N[ues]tro S[eño]r D[on...

Publisher: Madrid, 1 May 1833

Binding: No Binding

Condition: Good