These palaces of the haughtiest royal race in Europe are endowed with the rarest treasures of art and taste such as only a semi-despotic Power could accumulate in bygone days. It is the object of this little book to reveal these riches to the curious in such matters by means of illustrations, the accompanying text being only to be considered in the light of explanatory notes and chronological data. A. F. C. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. THE ESCORIAL 1 II. LA GRANJA (SAN ILDEFONSO) 19 III. EL PARDO 38 IV. ARANJUEZ 49 V. MIRAMAR 64 VI. EL ALCAZAR (SEVILLE) 74 VII. ROYAL PALACE (MADRID) 91 ILLUSTRATIONS ESCORIAL SUBJECT PLATE View of the Palace, 1 View of the Palace, 2 View of the Palace (east side), 3 North-west angle of the Palace, 4 Principal Façade and Angle of the Palace, 5 View of the Principal Staircase of the Palace, 6 Hall of Ambassadors, 7 Reception Hall, 8 View of the Dining Hall, 9 Pompeian Hall, 10 Library, 11 Chapter Room, 12 The Holy Family, by Raphael, 13 The Last Supper, by Titian, 14 A Smoker, by Teniers, 15 Country Dance, by Goya. Tapestry, 16 Children Picking Fruit, by Goya. Tapestry, 17 The Grape-sellers, by Goya. Tapestry, 18 The China Merchant, by Goya. Tapestry, 19 Diptych, in Ivory, of the 13th Century, 20 SAN ILDEFONSO, LA GRANJA