Spanish royal authorization 1799 Alexander von Humboldt

charles iv of spain authorized humboldt s travels , research in spanish america

in madrid, humboldt sought authorization travel spain s realms in americas; aided in obtaining german representative of saxony @ royal bourbon court. baron forell had interest in mineralogy , science endeavors , inclined humboldt. humboldt s timing not have been better interest spanish crown in extended scientific expedition possessions in new world. accession of house of bourbon spanish throne following death of last hapsburg king, charles ii (d. 1700), , war of spanish succession, house of bourbon won, spanish bourbons embarked on program of reform in spain , spanish america. bourbon reforms sought reform administration of realms , revitalize economies. @ same time bourbon reforms, spanish enlightenment in florescence. humboldt, confluent effect of bourbon revolution in government , spanish enlightenment had created ideal conditions venture.

the bourbon monarchy had authorized , funded expeditions, botanical expedition viceroyalty of peru chile , peru (1777–88), new granada (1783–1816), new spain (mexico) (1787–1803), , malaspina expedition (1789–94). these lengthy, state-sponsored enterprises gather information plants , animals spanish realms, assess economic possibilities, , provide plants , seeds royal botanical garden in madrid (founded 1755). these expeditions took naturalists , artists, created visual images careful written observations collecting seeds , plants themselves. crown officials 1779 issued , systematically distributed instructions concerning secure , economic means transport live plants land , sea distant countries, illustrations, including 1 crates transport seeds , plants.

when humboldt requested authorization crown travel spanish america, importantly, own financing, given positive response. spain under hapsburg monarchy had guarded realms against foreigner travelers , intruders. bourbon monarch open humboldt s proposal. spanish foreign minister don mariano luis de urquijo received formal proposal , humboldt presented monarch in march 1799. humboldt granted access crown officials , written documentation on spain s empire. humboldt s experience working absolutist prussian monarchy government mining official, humboldt had both academic training , experience of working within bureaucratic structure.

before leaving madrid in 1799, humboldt , bonpland visited natural history museum held results of martín de sessé y lacasta , josé mariano mociño s botanical expedition new spain. humboldt , bonpland met hipólito ruiz lópez , josé antonio pavón y jiménez of royal expedition peru , chile in person in madrid , examined botanical collections.