Alfonso XIII’s Reign and Sociopolitical Shifts in Early 20th Century Spain
Reign of Alfonso XIII
The arrival of Alfonso XIII at the head of state occurred in a Spain affected by the crisis of 1898. His reign unfolded in a world characterized by:
- Expansionism and political and economic imperialism.
- The dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire in Balkan Europe, leading to the creation of new countries and causing a collision of interests between the great powers.
- A period of confrontation and alignment in blocks of nations, known as the armed peace, with one bloc led by Germany and
18th-Century European Enlightenment and Reform in Spain
European Enlightenment and its Influence on 18th-Century Spain
Rationalism and Criticism in Europe
European culture in the eighteenth century, often called the Century of Enlightenment, is characterized by several key features:
- Predominance of reason over other sources of knowledge, such as myth and tradition.
- Subjection to criticism of any belief or tradition.
- Organization of life based on human progress and happiness.
- Gradual separation of civil and ecclesiastical power.
- Replacement of a stratified society
Romanesque Art and Architecture in Europe: 11th-12th Centuries
The Romanesque architecture spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula since the late 10th century, rapidly driven by the existence of pre-Romanesque Art (Visigothic, Asturian, Mozarabic). During the 11th and 12th centuries, it developed around the Camino de Santiago, the great pilgrimage route that boosted trade and culture.
First Catalan Romanesque
From the late 10th and 11th centuries, Catalonia saw the rise of Romanesque churches characterized by their severe and small basilica form, covered with
Read MoreSpain’s Second Republic: Rise, Reforms, and Civil War
The Fall of the Monarchy and the Proclamation of the Second Republic
Following the resignation of Primo de Rivera on January 28, 1930, the new government chaired by General Berenguer sought a return to constitutional normalcy. The monarchy was challenged due to its behavior during the dictatorship.
Republicans, along with the Socialists, presented themselves as the only truly refreshing force. They demanded a constitutional process to achieve a republican state and recognized the right of Catalonia
Read MoreSpain’s Turbulent Years: From Crisis to Republic (1917-1931)
Introduction
After the crisis of 1917 began the most difficult times of the reign of Alfonso XIII. The economic crisis, the worsening social situation, the radicalization of nationalism, and the military disaster in Morocco all shook the monarchy, which resorted to a military dictatorship.
The Bankruptcy of the Parliamentary Monarchy (1918-1923)
The Decomposition of the Political System of the Restoration
After the crisis of 1917, the dynastic parties fragmented internally into cliques around their
Read MoreThe Spanish Second Republic: A Nation in Turmoil (1933-1936)
The Second Spanish Republic (1933-1936)
1. The Radical-CEDA Biennium (1933-1935) and the October Revolution of 1934
a. The Radical Government and the Rectification Program
The biennium was marked by deadlock since governments lacked political stability, and parliamentary actions showed more willingness to review the reforms of the Azaña period than a vocation to build a republic. Extremism was growing during those years, and after 1934, Republican disloyalty to the regime grew.
In the new political
Read More