The utter foreignness with which we currently regard the monarchical figure within our national history is evidence of how radical the revolution in Nueva Granada was in the decade of 1810. This article examines the position of the king during two clearly contrasting eras. Firstly, through the four decades prior to the revolution, during which time,the king established social bonds. And secondly,during the revolution when the monarch is hastily forsaken as key to the organization of civil society.