[3] Due to Prime Minister Ricardo Wall's sponsorship, Ferdinand VI appointed him in 1755 ambassador to Portugal and in 1757 director general of Artillery, a post that he soon resigned, along with his military rank, because he was forbidden to pursue corrupt contractors.

His forces managed to capture the key border town of Almeida but were then forced to retreat following the intervention of British troops led by John Burgoyne at the Battle of Valencia de Alcántara and the war was brought to an end shortly afterwards by the Treaty of Paris.

The government had recently attempted to ban the long cape and wide sombrero which made concealing weapons easier, there had been a riot against Minister Esquilache.

[2] In Paris, analyzing the situation created after the United States won its independence, he drafted a projected Commonwealth for the Spanish Empire: three independent kingdoms (Peru, Tierra Firme (New Granada and Venezuela) and Mexico) with three Spanish infantes in their thrones.

[4] In 1792, he returned to Spain to replace José Moñino, 1st Count of Floridablanca as secretary of State (Prime minister).

After the defeat of Spanish Army in Roussillon, Godoy and Aranda publicly quarreled in the Council of State.