The Spanish Restoration: Monarchy, Politics, and Society (1874-1923)
The Shift to Conservatism and the Rise of Alfonso XII
The First Spanish Republic experienced a clear conservative shift with the new government of Emilio Castelar, who had been moving away from the Federalists and their reformist agenda. Castelar suspended parliamentary sessions and ruled authoritatively, supporting the most conservative elements and giving wide powers to military commanders to maintain public order. In this situation, a significant section of the members of Parliament reached an
Read MoreWorld War I: Causes, Strategies, and Aftermath
Main Causes of the First World War
- The industrial development and stiff competition, which generated rivalries between countries.
- The strong sense of nationalism that swept Europe and the economic and political rivalry that involved the great powers.
- The process of militarization and the spiraling arms race that characterized international society during the last third of the nineteenth century, stemming from the creation of antagonistic blocs.
Form of Organization
Europe’s politicians were thinking
Read MoreSpanish Monarchy in the 17th Century: Politics, Society, and Culture
1. Government of the *Validos*
The Austrian monarchs who reigned in the 17th century were: Philip III (1598-1621), Philip IV (1621-1665), and Charles II (1665-1700).
The main innovation in the functioning of the political system of the Spanish monarchy in the 17th century was the *validos*. The *validos* were members of the aristocracy in whom the king placed his trust. The king turned away from the work of government, and the *validos* made major decisions.
Two reasons explain their appearance: the
Read MoreSpanish Parliamentary Institutions: Cortes of Castile, Aragon, and Navarre
Section 1: The Cortes: Origin, Rationale, and General Characteristics of its Operation
The Spanish parliamentary institution, whose age makes the Castilian Cortes rival in their origin with the courts of England (House of Lords). The origin of parliamentarism in Castile and England is not definitively known. The legal nature of the Cortes is discussed or considered controversial because they are those containing the character of a parliament that somehow controls the king’s power. Those who only
Read MoreDemocratic Spain: From Dictatorship to Modernity
Item 18: Democratic Spain
1. The Transition to Democracy
The death of the dictator in November 1975 presented three policy options for the future:
- The first, led by the ultras (the “bunker”) of Franco (refugees in the National Movement, the vertical union, army, police, and other branches of government like the judiciary or the administration, and sectors of the Catholic Church and traditionalists), advocated for the pure and simple continuation of the dictatorship, using force and terror against the
Rise of Christendom and Early Medieval Russia: 476-1584
The Rise of Christendom
The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476. Christendom emerged as a civilization. The crowning of Charlemagne by the pope completed the blending of two major ideas. One of these ideas was the concept of political unity, an idea that had been represented by the Roman Empire. The other was the idea of religious unity, represented by the Christian Church. The mixture of the two ideas resulted in a civilization best described as Christendom.
Christianity was the single most powerful
Read More