Isabel II Reign & Democratic Sexennium: Spain’s 19th Century
General Espartero’s Regency
He gave special attention to the reorganization of the administration, taxation, and finances, and he created the National Militia. He carried out new Ecclesiastical confiscations. He became a dictator, repressing all rebellions with severity. He tried to abolish the Fueros, signing the Law of Pacts in Navarra in 1841, but he wasn’t able to achieve it. And he tried to reduce the Fueros in the Basque territories, but he wasn’t able to achieve it.
Espartero went into exile in London after a military uprising in 1843.
The Reign of Isabel II (1843-1868): Moderate Liberalism
Her reign can be divided into three phases:
The “Moderate Decade” (1844-54)
The Government’s position was very conservative, based on the Constitution of 1845. Both the 1837 and 1845 constitutions contained two basic characteristics of the liberal system: sovereignty was not just in the monarch’s hands, and inequality before the law was abolished.
Economy during the Moderate Decade:
- Creation of the Bank of Spain in 1847
- A new protective tax system was created (except for the Basque provinces).
- Taxes weighed heavily on the lower classes.
- The National debt was brought under control.
During this time, the second Carlist War took place, mainly in Catalonia.
The Progressive Biennium (1854-1856)
It began in 1854 when a group of progressive centrist troops took power by staging a coup d’état known as the “Vicalvarada”. A new progressive constitution was then written but never ratified. In the economy, there was a second Disentailment carried out by Madoz, more aggressive and invasive than Mendizabal. Industrial development and the building of railways were promoted.
As a result of social unrest, the moderates again took power.
Crisis of Moderantism (1856-68)
The opposition was excluded from Parliament, and the military, politicians, and students were harshly repressed. Because of this great social unrest, a coup d’état was planned from abroad. Progressives, democrats, republicans, and unionists (led by O’Donnell in the Liberal Union party) signed the Pact of Ostend (1866). He governed during the railway expansion and the economic boom of the 1850s. He stressed “road-building” and coastal installations.
In 1868, after a military revolt in Cadiz, Isabel II went into exile in France.
The Revolutionary Democratic Sexennium (1868-1874): Democratic Liberalism
Between 1868 and 1874, Spain had a democratic liberal regime, but severe political conflicts hindered the revolutionary process:
The Revolution of 1868
Based on the agreement made in Ostend, progressive General Juan Prim and General Serrano organized the Revolution of 1868 (Glorious Revolution), and the Revolutionary Sexenio began.
In 1869, Spain’s parliament approved a new Constitution. It was Spain’s most advanced fundamental law yet, including rights such as freedom of religion, national sovereignty, and universal manhood suffrage.
During this period, monetary union was achieved, and the peseta became the Spanish currency.
The Democratic Monarchy under Amadeo I (1871-1873)
Under the 1869 Constitution, Spain was a democratic monarchy, but the Parliament didn’t want a Bourbon monarchy, so they brought Amadeo de Saboya.
It was a short reign full of instability where his supporter, Prim, was assassinated the day he arrived in Spain. He left, and a Republic was established in Spain.
The First Republic (1873-1874)
There were four presidents during this 11-month period: Figueras, Pi y Margall, Salmerón, and Castelar. However, none of them managed to resolve the political disagreement amongst republicans about the degree of federalism the state should have.
It inherited various problems: Cantonalism, Carlism, and the War in Cuba. That weakened the Government of the Republic. General Pavia (1874) led a coup d’état and brought the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, bringing Alfonso XII as the king of Spain.