Spanish Monarchy & Liberalism: 18th-19th Century Transformations

Posted on Dec 4, 2024 in History

Spanish Sovereigns (1788-1931)

The Spanish sovereigns during this period were: Charles IV (1788-1808), Fernando VII (1808-1833), Isabel II (1833-1868), Alfonso XII (1875-1885), and Alfonso XIII (1886-1931), along with José Bonaparte (1808-1813) and Amadeo of Savoy (1871-1873).

Governments and Key Events

Key events and government changes were driven by:

  • The War of Independence (1808-1814)
  • The Absolutist Sexennium (1814-1820)
  • The Liberal Triennium (1820-1823)
  • The Ominous Decade (1823-1833)
  • The Reign of Isabel II (1833-1868)
  • The Revolutionary Sexennium (1868-1874)
  • The Reign of Amadeo I (1870-1873)
  • The First Republic (1873-1874)
  • The Reign of Alfonso XII (1875-1885) and the Regency of Maria Christina (1885-1902)

The Liberal Triennium and the Holy Alliance (1820-1823)

The poor state of public finances and the persecution of liberals led to continuous pronunciamientos. In 1820, Army officers Quiroga and Riego, stationed in San Juan (Seville) and about to be deployed to the Americas, led a revolt. This revolt, along with other pronunciamientos, forced the king to restore the Constitution of Cadiz. The liberals governed for three years until Fernando VII sought help from the absolutist European powers of the Holy Alliance. They sent an army (the Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis), which invaded the peninsula and re-established absolutism.

The Ominous Decade and the Succession Problem (1823-1833)

During the Ominous Decade, Fernando VII abolished all liberal reforms of the Triennium and ruled as an absolute monarch. New uprisings occurred, ending with the execution of General Torrijos and Mariana Pineda. The succession problem arose when Fernando VII enacted the Pragmatic Sanction, repealing the Salic Law, which allowed his daughter Isabella to be queen. This created two factions:

  • Isabelinos: Liberals supporting Isabella II.
  • Carlistas: Absolutists supporting the king’s brother, Don Carlos, opposing the liberal system.

The Carlistas did not accept Isabella as queen, leading to a series of wars.

Crisis of the Old Regime: War and Revolution

During the reign of Charles IV, French troops invaded Spain, triggering the War of Independence. Discontent spread due to the unpopularity of Prime Minister Manuel Godoy and international events:

  • The execution of Louis XVI and Spain’s incorporation into the first coalition against France.
  • In 1795, Godoy shifted Spain’s policy after the Reign of Terror ended.
  • Spain joined the Continental Blockade against Britain, leading to the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), where the Franco-Spanish navy was defeated.
  • In 1807, Godoy signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau with Napoleon, allowing French troops into the Iberian Peninsula to occupy Portugal.
  • The unpopularity of Godoy and the French presence led to the Mutiny of Aranjuez (1808), forcing Charles IV to abdicate in favor of his son, Fernando.
  • Charles IV and Fernando VII were taken to Bayonne, where they abdicated in favor of José Bonaparte. Spain was under French occupation.
  • The War of Independence began on May 2, 1808, with the uprising of the people of Madrid against French troops.

The Revolution: Constitution of 1812

Spaniards rejected the government imposed by Napoleon and formed a representative assembly, the Cortes Generales. The Cortes, initially meeting in Seville and later in Cadiz, included:

  • Representatives of the nobility and intellectuals who aimed to end the Old Regime.
  • Representatives favoring absolutism and the return of the king.

On March 19, 1812, the Cortes of Cadiz promulgated a constitution that established national sovereignty, separation of powers, limited male suffrage, and recognized Catholicism as the official religion of the nation. The Cortes of Cadiz also enacted a series of laws, including:

  • Suppression of noble privileges.
  • Freedom of the press and expression.