Una aproximación al modelo del oficial extranjero en el ejército borbónico: la etapa de formación del teniente general Alejandro O’reilly (1723-1794)

Abstract

Irish-born Lieutenant General Alejandro O’Reilly (1723-1794) is one of the most controversial figures of Eighteenth-Century Spain. Already at the time he was branded as a mercenary, a parvenu and the king’s favourite. Historiography added to his name adjectives like Bloody O’Reilly or General Desastre. Over the years this reputation has not been accompanied by a better understanding of his figure. This contribution examines his early years of training, starting with his departure from Ireland in the early 1730s to enter the royal army with two of his brothers, until his return to Madrid in 1760 after participating as a military observer in Central Europe. These are unknown years, but they are essential to explain the different instruments that allowed O’Reilly to become the «king’s agent», such as his own merits, kinship, friendship, patronage, fellowship and professional endogamy. O’Reilly’s career allows us to approach a characteristic professional profile of Bourbon Spain, that is, the senior officers of foreign origin who occupied the highest military ranks and political positions in the 18th Century Spanish Empire.