Rise and Fall of Primo de Rivera’s Regime in Spain
The Coup of Primo de Rivera and the Rise of Dictatorship
The coup of Primo de Rivera came just one year after Mussolini’s accession to power in Italy, and it preceded other dictatorships that were implanted in southern and eastern Europe within a few years. In the manifesto which preceded the coup, Primo de Rivera invoked the salvation of the country and made known his intention to form a military dictatorship. The population favored the coup, which also had the unconditional support of the army,
Read MoreSpanish Labor Movement: From Isabel II to the Restoration
The Beginnings of the Labor Movement
The Life of the Working Class
The peasantry was the largest social group in the country. Mid-century, they comprised about 80% of the population, and their situation was deteriorating. Falling prices, low wages, and confiscations hurt the most. Tenants were affected as new landlords raised rents. The secularization of Madoz gave the death blow to the rural economy by eliminating the economic break the villagers had in the exploitation of these council lands. The
Read MoreThe Bourbon Restoration in Spain: A Historical Analysis (1874-1923)
The Bourbon Restoration in Spain (1874-1923)
The restoration of the Bourbon dynasty to the throne of Spain marked the end of the First Republic. Shaken by the Third Carlist War and the Cuban insurrection of 1868, the First Republic had been incapable of organizing a stable political project. The driver of the new regime was Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, who organized a liberal monarchical system, although not democratic. Its foundations were established and consolidated during the reign of Alfonso
Read MoreSpanish Political System and Catalonia’s Autonomy
The Spanish Political System
The Spanish Constitution, established in 1978, regulates the most important aspects of the current political system. It is the highest rule that all citizens and leaders must obey. The Constitution defines Spain’s form of government as a parliamentary monarchy, its form of state as a democratic social state of law, and its territorial structure as an Autonomous State.
Parliamentary Monarchy
The King is the head of state, but the government is elected by Parliament. The
Read More17th Century Spain: Habsburg Rule, Crisis, and Decline
17th Century Habsburg Spain: Government and Conflicts
Philip III and the Rise of the *Valido*
With Philip III (1598-1621), the practice of delegating governance to a trusted man, known as the valido or privado, began. While lacking an official position, the valido effectively acted as a prime minister. Philip III’s valido was the Duke of Lerma, a mediocre and ambitious politician. Lerma was succeeded by his son, the Duke of Uceda, who proved unable to solve Spain’s serious problems.
The Expulsion of
Read MoreMuslim Rule and Christian Kingdoms in Medieval Iberia
Al-Andalus: Muslim Rule in the Iberian Peninsula
Al-Andalus refers to the part of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim power, regardless of its size.
Chronology of Al-Andalus
- Dependent Emirate (711-756): A civil war took place in the Visigoth Kingdom.
- Independent Emirate (756-929): The Emirate became independent in 756.
- Caliphate of Córdoba (929-1031): The Caliphate was instituted in 929.
- Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1086): Al-Andalus was divided into numerous kingdoms.
- Almoravid Period (1086-1147): Toledo was