ly belonged to the Spanish Crown. But, as in
most such instances at that time, an ambitious European sovereign had
no sooner accepted conditions which appeared to him in any wise
unsatisfactory, than he went to work to endeavor to set them aside, or
get out of them somehow. Philip's whole mind was turned to the object
of getting back again all that he had given up. This would not have
seemed an easy task, even to a man of the stamp of Charles the Fifth.
It would almost appear that any attempt in such a direction must bring
Europe in arms against Spain. The Regent Duke of Orleans stood next in
succession to the French throne, in consequence of Philip's
renunciation of his rights by virtue of the Treaty of Utrecht. The
Italian provinces which had once been Spain's were now handed over to
Austria, and Austria would of course be resolute in their defence.
King Philip was not the man to confront the difficulties of a situation
of this kind {158} by his own unaided powers of mind. He was very far
indeed from being a Charles the Fifth. He was not even a Philip the
Second. But he had for his minister a man as richly endowed with
statesmanship and courage as he himself was wanting in those qualities.
[Sidenote: 1716--Alberoni] Giulio Alberoni, an Italian born at
Piacenza, in 1664, was at one time appointed agent of the Duke of Parma
at the Court of Spain, and in this position acquired very soon the
favor of Philip. Alberoni was of the most humble origin. His father
was a gardener, and he himself a poor village priest. He rose,
however, both in diplomacy and in the Church, having worked his way up
to the favor of the Duke of Parma, to work still further on to the
complete favor of Philip the Fifth. The first marked success in his
upward career was made when he contrived to commend himself to the Duc
de Vendome, the greatest French commander of his day. The Duke of
Parma had occasion to deal with Vendome, and sent the Bishop of Parma
to confer with him. The Duc de Vendome was a man who affected
roughness and brutality of manners, and made it his pride to set all
rules of decency at defiance. Peter the Great, Potemkin, Suwarrow,
would have seemed men of ultra-refinement when compared with him. His
manner of receiving the bishop was such that the bishop quitted his
presence abruptly and without saying a word, and returning to Parma,
told his master that no consideration on earth should induce him ever
to approach the