ABSTRACT

The governments of the Orleans Monarchy pursued a very active policy in Spanish America. In 1838–9 France fought a brief war with Mexico. From 1838 to 1840 she was engaged in a dispute with Governor Rosas of Buenos Aires which escalated into an attempt to overthrow him. The Spanish Americans themselves were also active. They employed a number of agents to lobby the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Spanish Americans would no longer be dependent on British protection against this eventuality and would turn to France as their new protector and mentor because of their mutual Latin and Catholic affinities. Consequently, their Latin cousins did not welcome the French with open arms once the July Monarchy had recognized their independence. French policy lacked a strong central direction because the main figures of Orleanist foreign policy were not really interested in Spanish America.