Maria Cristina’s Regency in Spain: 1833-1840
The Regency of Maria Cristina: 1833-1840
First Feature: The First Carlist War
Stage 1: 1833-1835
This stage was marked by Carlist military successes until the death of their most prominent general, Zumalacárregui.
Stage 2: 1835-1837
This stage is characterized by Carlist military expeditions south of the Ebro River. The most important was the so-called Royal Expedition, led by Carlos María Isidro himself, which almost conquered Madrid.
Stage 3: 1837-1840
This stage is characterized by the military successes of the Liberals, led by General Espartero. During this stage, the Convention of Vergara was signed on August 29, 1839, between General Espartero and General Maroto Cabrera. This agreement ended the war and included two clauses:
- The addition of Carlist officers to the national army.
- Respect from the Liberals for the fueros (local privileges) of the Basque Country and Navarra.
Causes of the Carlist defeat:
- Little support for the Carlists south of the Ebro River.
- Material superiority of the Liberal army.
- Support that France and Great Britain provided to the Liberals.
Second Feature: Approval of a Royal Charter (April 10, 1834)
The Royal Charter was approved during the government of Martinez de la Rosa. It followed the model of a granted charter, meaning it was not a constitution. It consisted of 50 articles that regulated aspects such as the creation, composition, functioning, and powers of the Cortes (Parliament). It established a bicameral Cortes model in Spain for the first time. The Cortes were composed of:
- Estate of Peers of the Kingdom: To be a member of this chamber, one either had to be a member for hereditary reasons, requiring an income of 200,000 reales per year, or be appointed by the king, requiring an income higher than 60,000 reales per year. They held office for life (if appointed by the king).
- Estate of Attorneys of the Kingdom: This was an elective chamber. Members were elected by indirect suffrage, based on a census. To be an attorney, one had to be male, at least 30 years old, and have an annual income of over 12,000 reales.
The Royal Charter granted the following powers to the Crown:
- The power to call, suspend, and dissolve Parliament.
- The power to enact laws.
- The right of legislative initiative.
The Estates had one “attribute”: the right of petition. If both Estates agreed, they could ask the Crown to raise the discussion of laws in Parliament, if the Crown wished to do so.
Fourth Feature: The Confiscation of Mendizabal (February 19, 1836)
This confiscation involved turning the regular Church’s property into public or state property. These goods were then auctioned off and became private property. This confiscation is known as the Ecclesiastical Confiscation. It had three objectives:
- Financial Objective: To obtain resources to finance the cost of the Carlist War and reduce public debt.
- To create a class of landowners associated with the Liberal regime, thus supporting Liberalism.
- The formation of a class of peasant proprietors.
These objectives largely failed because:
- Public debt was not significantly reduced.
- The main beneficiaries were the nobility and the bourgeoisie.
- A portion of Spanish Catholics opposed the Liberal regime because the Church’s assets were seized.
- Most peasants did not benefit from the seizure but were adversely affected.
As a result of the seizure, the Church lost much of its economic power. For this reason, the State undertook to maintain its costs. Therefore, in 1841, the Law of Endowment of Worship and Clergy was passed.