General Weyler: Total War, Cuba, and US Intervention
General Valeriano Weyler and Total War in Cuba
In early 1896, the Conservative Government of Cánovas, seeking a victory against armed insurgents in Cuba prior to colonial reform, appointed General Valeriano Weyler to command Spanish troops. Weyler, known for his harsh suppression of the nationalist uprising in the Philippines, had previously served as Captain of the Canary Islands (1878-1883).
Weyler’s strategy in Cuba was to wage a total war of annihilation. To cut off support for rural independence
Read More17th Century Europe: England, Netherlands, and Spain
England in the 17th Century
At the beginning of the 17th century, the new dynasty that ruled in England, the House of Stuart, tried to impose Absolutism. This led to a confrontation between the Monarchy and the Parliament and to a period of instability. There were two Revolutions (in 1640 and in 1688) and a succession of important events such as the execution of King Charles I (1649), the Protectorate of Cromwell, the restoration of the House of Stuart, and after the revolution of 1688, the arrival
Spain’s Democratic Sexenio, First Republic, and Bourbon Restoration
Six Years of Democracy (1868-1874)
The Revolution and the Provisional Movement
In September 1868, the Battle of Alcolea forced Queen Isabella II and Alfonso into exile. The economic and political crisis of the monarchy in Spain led to the ‘Glorious Revolution’, a military uprising that marked the beginning of a new period known as the Democratic Sexenio. This was triggered by progressives and democrats, joined by unionists. In 1869, the Cortes ratified a new Constitution based on democratic principles,
Read MoreMedieval Society and the Evolution of Governance in Spain
Government and Representation in the Medieval Era
Principal Features of the Middle Ages
Feudalism
- Nobility (lords among whom the king was chosen)
- Characteristics: Right to rule through birth, owned all the land, decided how it would be distributed and used by the people.
- Clergy (the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, etc., were often given fiefs by a monarch; the church became wealthy and did not have to pay taxes; monks were usually the only ones who could read and write)
- Serfs (the largest group, performed
Spanish Constitution of 1931 and Dynastic Reformism
The Spanish Constitution of 1931
The Constitution of 1931 recognized universal suffrage and proclaimed the male and female aconfessionality of the State, respecting all faiths and beliefs. A wide statement of individual rights and freedoms established large private and public liberties. It recognized the right to private property but empowered the government to expropriate goods considered of public utility.
Legislative authority resided in the Cortes, executive power in the Cabinet and the President
Read MoreVisigothic Kingdom: Institutions, Culture, and Legacy
The Barbarian Invasions and the Visigothic Kingdom
The term ‘barbarians’ referred to those living beyond the Roman borders, with their own customs and village life. Many settled at the empire’s frontiers, serving as mercenaries. Taking advantage of the empire’s weakness and the allure of fertile lands and city loot, they invaded Roman territories. In 409, a frozen river allowed the ‘barbaro SRAP’ to cross, marking the beginning of the invasions that led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in
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