The Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal and Madoz in Spain
The Confiscation of Church Property in Spain
Introduction
This document examines the historical, political, and economic context of the ecclesiastical confiscations in Spain during the 19th century, focusing on the decrees issued by Juan Alvarez Mendizábal in 1836 and Pascual Madoz in 1855. These confiscations, driven by the liberal government’s need to address public debt and weaken the Church’s power, had profound consequences for Spanish society and the economy.
The Mendizábal Confiscation (1836)
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