Spain’s Democratic Sexenio & First Republic: 1868-1874

Posted on Jan 5, 2025 in History

Unit 5: The Democratic Sexenio (1868-1874)

1. The Glorious Revolution (1868)

The main causes of the Glorious Revolution were:

  • Economic crisis: Financial, industrial, and subsistence crises.
  • Political crisis: Increasing loss of prestige of the monarchy. Only the moderates supported Isabella II.
  • Pact of Ostend (1867): Progressives and Democrats decided to overthrow Isabella II’s monarchy. After O’Donnell’s death, the Liberal Union joined the conspiracy.

The Glorious Revolution took place in Cádiz on September 19, 1868. Topete and Prim promulgated a manifesto called España con honra, and the port squadron rose up against Isabella II’s monarchy. At the same time, revolutionary boards (juntas revolucionarias in Spanish) were formed in different Spanish cities.

On September 28, 1868, a battle took place at Puente de Alcolea (Córdoba). The revolted troops, commanded by General Serrano, defeated the government troops commanded by Pavía. Isabella II left Spain and went into exile in France.

2. Provisional Government (1868-1870)

The Provisional Government was formed only by progressives and members of the Liberal Union. The government dissolved the boards and the National Militia, called elections for Constituent Cortes by universal male suffrage, and made some economic decisions. General Juan Prim was the president of the provisional government, in charge of looking for a monarch for Spain, and General Serrano was the temporary regent.

Economic decisions made by Laureano Figuerola (Minister of Finance):

  • Peseta became the official currency.
  • Privatization of mines, in order to reduce the State’s debts.
  • Free trade tariff, rejected by the Catalan industrialists.

Constitution of 1869

In the Constituent Cortes, most of the deputies were progressives or members of the Liberal Union. There were also democrats (monarchists), republicans (unitarians and federals), and some Carlists.

Constitution of 1869. Main features:

  • National sovereignty.
  • Wide declaration of rights.
  • Type of State: Constitutional Monarchy.
  • Division of powers:
    • Executive (for the monarch, but exerted by the government).
    • Legislative (two chambers: Congress and elective Senate).
    • Judicial (courts of justice).
  • Universal male suffrage.
  • Democratic elections in municipalities.
  • Religious freedom, but the State continued to give money to the Catholic Church.

3. Amadeus I’s Monarchy (1871-1873)

The candidates to the Spanish throne were:

  • Duke of Montpensier (France).
  • Leopold of Hohenzollern (Germany).
  • Baldomero Espartero (Spain).
  • Ferdinand of Coburg (Portugal).
  • Amadeus I of Savoy.

The election of a new monarch for Spain was a very controversial matter in Europe, and it indirectly provoked the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War. Finally, the Cortes chose Amadeus of Savoy, an Italian prince. The day before Amadeus I’s arrival, General Prim was killed, and Amadeus I lost his main support.

The main problems during Amadeus I’s monarchy were very little support for the king. The moderates, the republicans, and the Carlists (Third Carlist War, 1872-1876) were against him. The Church and the high nobility were also hostile. Finally, Amadeus I of Savoy had to abdicate the throne.

4. The First Republic (1873-1874)

After Amadeus I’s resignation, the Cortes voted for the proclamation of the First Republic on February 11, 1873.

The Presidents of the First Republic were:

  • Estanislao Figueras (federalist): February-June 1873.
  • Francisco Pi y Margall (federalist): June-July 1873.
  • Nicolás Salmerón (unitarian): July-September 1873.
  • Emilio Castelar (unitarian): September 1873-January 1874.

During the First Republic, there was a project for a new Constitution (1873). The main innovation was a federal state.

Problems of the First Republic

  • Weakness: It was voted for by deputies who were not republicans.
  • Bad international context: Only the USA and Switzerland recognized the Republic.
  • Continuous conspiracies to overthrow the government. Part of the army was involved.
  • Disputes between federalist and unitarian republicans.
  • Continuation of the war in Cuba: Although the government abolished slavery, the Spanish civil servants in Cuba did not obey.
  • Extension of the Carlist problem: The government had trouble stopping the war.
  • Workers’ mobilizations and peasants’ occupation of lands.
  • Cantonalist insurrection: Many cities declared their independence (cantons).

Emilio Castelar (the last president) ruled in an authoritarian way. He closed the Parliament and gave significant power to the military. In January 1874, a majority of Republican deputies proposed a motion of confidence and demanded the reopening of the Cortes. General Pavía broke into the Congress with the Guardia Civil and dissolved the Cortes by force. A new government presided over by General Serrano was formed, but there were no republicans in it (only progressives and members of the Liberal Union).

Cánovas del Castillo started working for the Restoration of the monarchy with Alfonso XII (Isabella II’s son), and he wrote the Sandhurst Manifesto, a document signed by Alfonso XII, in which he promised to establish a constitutional and Catholic monarchy and to preserve a liberal regime. But on December 29, 1874, General Martínez Campos led a pronunciamiento in Sagunto, and Alfonso XII was proclaimed king of Spain.