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Ricardo Wall

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In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisWalland the second or maternal family name isDevereux.
The Most Excellent
Ricardo Wall
KOSOSL
Portrait byLouis-Michel van Loo(1753)
Chief Minister of Spain
In office
15 May 1754 – 9 October 1763
MonarchsFerdinand VI
Charles III
Preceded byFernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba
Succeeded byJerónimo Grimaldi, 1st Duke of Grimaldi
Personal details
Born5 November 1694
Nantes,France
Died26 December 1777 (aged 83)

Richard Wall y Devereux(5 November 1694 – 26 December 1777) was aSpanish-Irishcavalry officer,diplomat andministerwho rose in Spanish royal service to becomeChief Minister.He is usually referred to asRicardo Wall.

Early life

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Wall belonged to a family settled inKilmallock,one of whom was Bishop of Limerick.[1]Richard "Ricardo"WallyDevereuxwas born atNantesto a family of IrishJacobiterefugees, supporters of the CatholicJames II,deposed King of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was baptized two days after his birth at theCathedral Church of Saint Nicholasin unfavourable circumstances: his father, Matthew "Matías" Wall ofKillmallock,County Limerick,a long-serving officer in King James II'scavalry,was absent. His family then lived in the "pit of the well of the silver" supported by a relative, probably Gilbert Wall, the clockmaker.

Nothing much is known about his early years. Around 1710, he was introduced aspageto the Bavarian PrincessMarie Anne de Bourbon, Duchess of Vendômewho wasDuchess d'Étampesin her own right (her father wasHenry III Jules de Bourbon, prince de Condé). In 1716, he leftFranceand joined the Royal House of Spain following a letter of request from the Prime Minister,Cardinal Alberoni,signed by the 38-year-oldDowagerDuchessof Vendôme, Marie-Anne deBorbón-Condé.

Military career

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Wall entered theColegio Real de Guardiamarinas,founded atCadizbyJosé Patiñoin 1717, graduating in the second year of its foundation. In theWar of the Quadruple Alliancehe was then commissioned in theSpanish Navyserving onReal San Felipe(74 guns), under the command ofAdmiral Gaztañeta,which participated in thecampaignofSicily(1718) until the defeat of the Spanish fleet at theBattle of Cape Passaro.Wall was then seconded to the SpanishRegiment of Hibernia,commanded by theMarquess of Ledetaking part inland battlessuch asMilazzoandFrancavilla.During the subsequentdefenceofCeuta(1720–21), Wall was appointed theMarquis'Aide-de-Campbefore being promotedcaptainin theRegiment of Batavia.

In 1727, Wall accompanied his compatriotJames Fitz-James Stuart, 2nd Duke of Berwick(1696–1738) during hisambassadorial visitto theTsar of Russia;the Scottish Duke was alsoDuke of Liria and Jérica,heir of the1st Duke of Berwick,an illegitimate son ofJames II of England.

Wall was posted on other missions by theDukeofLíriayJérica,such as to theKing of Prussia,who decorated him as a Knightde la Générosité.[2]While aStuartambassadorshiptoBerlindid not materialise, Wall took the opportunity to cultivate numerous contacts throughout Europe, in Parma, Vienna, Dresden as well as inSaint Petersburgand Moscow.

He returned to Spain in 1729. Between 1732 and 1734, he served in the expedition toTuscanywhich placedPrince Carloson the throne ofParma.Shortly after, he took part in theWar of Naples(1734–35), seeing action atCapua,MessinaandSyracuse.

In 1737 he was appointed aKnightof theMilitary Order of Santiagoand in 1741, was createdCommanderof theCommanderyofPeñausende,which in addition to Peñausende included Peralejos de Abajo, Saucelle, Saldeana and Barrueco Pardo (now in the provinces ofZamoraandSalamanca).

In 1740 he was appointedColonelofDragoons,which while under his command displayed hislivery coloursand familymotto:Aut Caesar aut nullus.[3]

AppointedCaptain-Generalin 1744, he participated in theLombardycampaign in theWar of the Austrian Succession,being deployed byInfante Felipe de Borbón"in the boldest attacks". PromotedBrigadierin 1747, he formed a useful friendship with one of the most influentialcourtiersof the era,the Duke of Huéscar(laterDuke of Alba).

Wounded in action atPiacenza(1746), he transferred todiplomatic serviceand, in May 1747, was posted toGenoaon a temporary mission "concerning solely military matters"; soon after afterwards, he was posted to London by the new Spanish Minister of State,José de Carvajal,a friend ofHuescar.

Oil on Canvasof Ricardo Wall.

Ambassador in London

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Wall's diplomatic mission toLondonwas for negotiating peace between theBourbonsandGreat Britain,but it soon ran into difficulties not least because of reservations in Britishministerialquarters about his Irish and Jacobite roots, but also from infighting on the Spanish side by theMarquess of Tabuérnigalaterde La Ensenadawho had coveted his position.

The Marqués de La Ensenada was recalled toMadrid,leaving General Wall to enjoy the trappings ofambassadorialresidence atSoho Square.Wall is depicted in a portrait byVan Loo(now at theNational Gallery, Dublín), and he sponsoredthe Artsin general, commissioning a "Santiago"byTiépolofor hisprivate chapel(now hanging at theSzépmüvészeti Múzeumin Budapest), as well as written works such as those bySmollett,including the translation ofDon Quixote(1755) which is dedicated to him.

Prime Minister of Spain

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Main article:Wall Ministry

In 1754 Wall was recalled from London toMadridbecomingMinister of Foreign Affairs,after the death ofJosé de Carvajal.A few months later he played a part in driving Carvajal's successor theMarquess de La Ensenadafrom office, thereby also helpingHuescarand the British Ambassador,Sir Benjamin Keene.Wall served asChief Ministeruntil 1763, when theDuke of Grimaldisucceeded him.

The despatches of the British Minister,Sir Benjamin Keene,and those of his successor,George Hervey, 2nd Earl of Bristol,contain many references to General Wall. They are creditable to him. Though a constant partisan of peace and good relations withBritain,Wall was firm in asserting the rights of thegovernment he served.During the early stages of theSeven Years' War(1756–63) he insisted on claiming compensation for the excesses of Britishprivateersin Spanish waters. He frequently complained to British officials about the difficulties which these adventurers' violence was causing. As anexpatriate,despite having previously represented theFrench Crown,he was often taunted by various French factions.

Wall himself was more concerned thatBritain's colonial acquisitionsfrom France could mean thatSpain's South American Empirewas threatened. The new KingCharles III(1759–88) retained Wall as Prime Minister. When Spain declared War in 1761, Wall as Prime Minister naturally carried out his King's decree, although he later confessed toLord Bristol,the British Ambassador, some regret with the benefit of hindsight that he could see the failure of his efforts in preserving thepeace.The close relations between Charles III and the FrenchBourbon Kingslater made General Wall's position as Prime Minister very trying. Yet King Charles, who detested changing his ministers, refused all Wall's requests to retire, till Wall exhorted himself in 1763 by elaborately affecting an imaginary eye disease.

Throughout his Spanish government service Wall built anetworkof relationships which survived his tenure for several decades perhaps even helping Spain during the following reign ofKing Charles IV.Among the relationships he developed were those with:the Duke of Grimaldi,theCount of Aranda,theCount of Campomanes,Manuel de Roda,Cayetano Pignatelli, Marquess of Rubías well as with various ambassadors from around Europe such as theCounts of Fuentes,and also withcommissionersfrom thecolonies,likeAmbrosio de Funes Villalpando, Count of Ricla.

Among his committed Irish supporters were the engineerWilliam Bowles(1720–84) who studied thegeologyofSpain,Pedro Fitz-James Stuart,thede Lacy family,Alejandro O'Reilly,ArnoldlaterLord Mahoney,Carlos McCarthy,Francis Nangle,Ambrosio O'HigginsandBernard Ward.

Wall extended friendship and knowledge with others such asFrancisco Pérez Bayer,Jose Clavijo y Fajardo,Benito Bails,Celestino Mutis,Jose Agustín de Llano y de la Cuadra(Spanish Ambassador toViennaunderEmperor Joseph II& nephew of one of Spain'sFirst Secretaries of State),Sebastián de la Cuadra, 1st Marquis of Villarías,numerous members ofJuan de Iriarte's family,Bernardino del Campo,Ambassador José Nicolás de Azara(a follower of William Bowles' work) and Juan de Chindulza.[4]

General Wall's coat of arms

He was elected aFellow of the Royal Societyin 1753.[5]

Retirement

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TheKing of Spaingave General Wall y Devereux a handsome reward for his service. Wall received a grant for life ofcrown landknown as theSoto de Roma,nearGranada,later conferred uponManuel Godoy,before being awarded to theDuke of Wellington.[citation needed]

General Wall spent the rest of his life, until 1777, between homes inAlhama de Almeriaand nearGranada,welcoming all visitors and particularly English travelers exploring Spain's culture. He left a reputation as being a very able minister as well as a most witty conversationalist.[citation needed]

He died on 26 December 1777, imparting a few words to his friend and confessor, Juan Miguel Kayser. A subsequent lawsuit between his natural heirs – namely, his cousin Eduardo Wall and family – and those of his confessor, somewhat clouded his memory for a while.[citation needed]

General Wall y Devereux did not marry and left no children. His closest relative, Eduardo Wall, marriedMaría condesa de Armildez de Toledo,[6]whose remaining descendants include theCondesde Fuentesandde Floridablanca.

NB: some clarifications on General Wall's life: contrary to Coxe's writings he was never sent on a mission to Spanish America nor did he lay plans for retakingJamaicafrom the British. Coxe confuses one John Savy, nicknamed Miguel Wall, with Richard Wall, nor was Wall ever Ambassador to The Netherlands.[7]

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Coxe'sMemoirs of the Kings of Spain of the House of Bourbon(London, 1815).
  • Diario del viaje a Moscovia, 1727–1730,of the duke of Liria (vol. xciii. of theDocumentos inéditos para la historia de España), (Madrid, 1842, et seq.).
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "La misión secreta de D. Ricardo Wall en Londres (1747–1748)" inBrocar,24, 2000, pp. 49–71.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "Guerra y regalismo a comienzos del reinado de Carlos III. El final del ministerio Wall" inHispania,209, 2001, pp. 1051–90.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "L’exil jacobite irlandais et l’Ouest de la France (1691–1716)" in DENÉCHÈRE, Y. y MARAIS, J. L. (dirs.),Les étrangers dans l’Ouest de la France (XVIIIe–XXe siècle). Annales de Bretagne et des Pays de l’Ouest,109, 2002, pp. 25–40.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "La supuesta anglofilia de D. Ricardo Wall. Filias y fobias políticas durante el reinado de Fernando VI" inRevista de Historia Moderna. Anales de la Universidad de Alicante,21, 2003, pp. 501–36.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "Richard Wall: light and shade of an Irish minister in Spain (1694–1777)" inIrish Studies Review,11.2, August 2003, pp. 123–36.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "El grupo irlandés bajo el ministerio Wall (1754–63)" in *VILLAR GARCÍA, M. B. y PEZZI CRISTÓBAL, P. (eds.),Los Extranjeros en la España Moderna: Actas del I Coloquio Internacional. Málaga 28–30 de noviembre de 2002,2 tomos, Málaga, 2003, Tomo II, pp. 737–50.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "Anson, Wall y el cambio de rol del 'Lago español' en el enfrentamiento colonial Hispano-británico (1740–1762)", inTiempos Modernos,11, 2004, pp. 1–8.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D., "El joven Campomanes y el ministro Wall (1754–63)" in MATEOS DORADO, D. (ed.),Campomanes doscientos años después,Oviedo, 2003, pp. 417–31.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D.,D. Ricardo Wall. Aut Caesar aut nullus,Madrid, 2008.
  • Téllez Alarcia, D.,Absolutismo e Ilustración en la España del s. XVIII. El Despotismo Ilustrado de D. Ricardo Wall,Madrid, 2010
  • Téllez Alarcia, D.,El ministerio Wall. La "España Discreta" del "Ministro Olvidado",Madrid, 2012.

References

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  1. ^Collegiate Church of Killmallock
  2. ^"Ricardo Wall y Devreux | Real Academia de la Historia".dbe.rah.es.Retrieved22 December2022.
  3. ^nrdc-sp.nato.intArchived16 February 2015 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^hathitrust.org
  5. ^"Fellows details".Royal Society.Retrieved16 January2017.
  6. ^Palacio Armildez de Toledo[permanent dead link]
  7. ^The National Archives (Kew), State Papers, 94/126.
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Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State
(Chief Minister)
1754–1763 		Succeeded by
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