[1] In the early nineteenth century, Spain was trapped politically by the First French Empire and the ambitious expansion plans of Napoleon Bonaparte.
In 1801 Charles IV of Spain named Manuel Godoy as first secretary, in place of Pedro Cevallos, who distrusted and opposed the French.
In 1805, Spain signed a mutual assistance treaty with the newly crowned French Emperor.
Having been kept out of government, Ferdinand joined with other plotters to reach out to Napoleon for assistance in his struggles against his father and Godoy.
[2][3] The pardon and acquittals of 1807 were granted because there was significant public support for the conspirators against Godoy, as demonstrated in the Tumult of Aranjuez a few months later, in which Godoy's palace was attacked, the king deposed and Ferdinand granted the throne by the Royal Council the next day.