19th Century Spanish Politics: From Regency to Reign
Isabel II’s Regency: Maria Cristina (1833-1840)
Context:
This period is marked by the First Carlist War and the gradual implementation of the liberal system. Liberalism itself splits into two main currents:
- Moderates: Favored shared sovereignty, prioritized order and authority over freedom, and maintained ties with the nobility and the Church.
- Progressives: Advocated for national sovereignty, prioritized individual freedoms, and promoted economic and social reforms.
The era was characterized by persistent
Read MoreSpain: From Monarchy to Republic (1902-1939)
Alfonso XIII’s Reign (1902-1932)
Alfonso XIII inherited the Restoration’s political system, based on the 1876 Constitution. This system revolved around two parties: the Liberals (led by José Canalejas) and the Conservatives (led by Antonio Maura). Early problems included:
- Resurgence of regionalism (opposition to central hegemony)
- Army sensitivity to criticism after the 1898 Spanish-American War
- Moroccan War
- Growth of the labor movement and leftist opposition
- Anarchist terrorism against politicians and
Spanish Civil War: A Nation Divided
ITEM 12
1 –
Lesclat Civil War:
1.1 From time-bound for the Civil War:
-On July 17, 1936 in Melilla, Colonel Yagüe, head of the army, took up arms against the republic and the insurgency (Uprising national) spread rapidly to the rest of the Moroccan protectorate. Between 18 and 19 July, the majority of military garrisons in the rest of Spain joined the coup of state and civil sectors and Carlist Falangists (requetes). From Morocco, on the 18th, General Franco, who had already secured the triumph
Guernica: Picasso’s Cry Against War
Guernica by Pablo Picasso
Overview
Date: 1937
Style: Cubism, Surrealism, Expressionism
School: Spanish
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 3.51m x 7.82m
Location: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid
Technical Elements
Picasso’s use of monochrome gives the painting a dark and tragic tone. The stark contrast of white, gray, and red emphasizes the figures and amplifies the scene’s emptiness. The absence of color and relief cuts the viewer off from the sensory world, creating a sense of death
Read More19th Century Spanish Politics & Society: Restoration & Regionalism
The Restoration and Political Landscape
Republicanism and Socialism
Increasingly moderate positions emerged within republicanism. Convinced that the restoration would ensure social order, some believed that the monarchy could adopt democratic principles. This led to the creation of the posibilista Republican Party. Universal male suffrage brought a revival of republicanism and stimulated the formation of electoral alliances, grouping different republican factions except for the posibilistas. Republicanism
Read MoreSpanish Liberal Triennium and Ominous Decade (1820-1833)
Liberal Triennium (1820-1823)
Colonel Rafael del Riego’s rebellion in Andalusia, proclaiming the Constitution of 1812, marked the beginning of the Liberal Triennium. The army’s inaction, liberal activism in major cities, and peasant neutrality compelled King Ferdinand VII to accept the Constitution on March 10th. A new government was formed, amnesty declared, and elections called.
The Cadiz reforms were largely reinstated, including:
- Freedom of industry
- Abolition of guilds
- Suppression of jurisdictional