Carlism and the Carlist Wars in Spain
Carlism and the Carlist Wars
In 1830, Princess Isabella was born. King Ferdinand VII decided to abolish the Salic Law and sign the Pragmatic Sanction, allowing his daughter to reign. At his death in 1833, his brother, Carlos, did not accept Ferdinand’s will and declared war on his niece, Isabella. Since Isabella was underage, the Regent Maria Cristina of Naples allied with the Liberals to defend her daughter’s throne.
Carlist Ideology
Carlism is more than just a struggle for the rights of Charles V. The Carlist motto is “God, Country, King, and Privileges.” Their ideology includes:
- Traditional monarchical absolutism.
- Catholicism as the exclusive religion, excluding any other belief.
Liberalism meant equal rights and laws throughout the state, which opposed the privileges of the Basque Country and Navarre. The Catalans also sought to recover these privileges, which included exemption from taxes and military service, fiscal autonomy of municipalities, and land for the rural poor.
Supporters of Carlism
Carlism’s supporters included clergy, small landowners, laborers, and small artisans. It was neither a bourgeois nor an urban movement.
Carlist Geography
Carlism was primarily located in Galicia, the Basque Country, Navarre, Catalonia, and the Maestrazgo region.
The Carlist Wars
First Carlist War (1833-1839)
Charles V and his followers were easily suppressed, except in the aforementioned areas. Despite being a civil war, it caused excitement in Europe. Absolutist powers supported Carlos, while liberal powers supported Queen Isabella II. General Zumalacárregui consolidated an army in the Basque Country and Navarre. He died in the failed siege of Bilbao (1835), and the Carlists could not find a general to replace him.
Carlos Maria decided to conduct expeditions from the north to gain support. In 1836, he reached Andalusia, and in 1837, he led the Royal Expedition to Madrid to negotiate with the mayor to end the war. The Carlists did not attack Madrid.
In 1838, General Maroto took command. Facing the superiority of the Cristino army, he decided to negotiate with Espartero, resulting in the Convention of Vergara in 1839. This agreement established the recognition of Isabella as Queen of Spain, a promise to preserve the privileges, the maintenance of pay and jobs for Carlist officers, and the exile of Charles, Count of Molina.
Second Carlist War (1846-1849)
This war was primarily fought in Catalonia. Carlos had abdicated in favor of his son, Charles VI, in 1845. Charles VI sought to marry Isabella, but she refused. Ramón Cabrera and Benito Tristany (both Carlists) were defeated in Barcelona by Manuel Gutiérrez de la Concha.
Third Carlist War (1872-1876)
The followers of Charles VII (grandson of Charles, Count of Molina) refused to accept Amadeo I and the First Republic. They controlled large rural regions of Navarre and the Basque Country but failed to conquer Bilbao in 1874. Alfonso XII managed to end the war after the battles of Seo de Urgel (1875) and Estella (1876).
Consequences
- The liberal military, who actively intervened in politics (the “Regime of the Generals”) using coups, gained great prestige.
- The war was a major economic cost because it was necessary to maintain a standing army.
- The privileges of the Basques and Navarrese were taken away.