Vergara Agreement & Cortes of Cadiz: 19th Century Spain
Vergara Agreement – August 31, 1839
The Vergara Agreement ended the First Carlist War (1833-1839). It was signed by D. Baldomero Espartero, leader of the Liberal army, and D. Rafael Maroto, principal Carlist leader. This agreement recognized the military ranks of the Carlist army. The document’s creation stems from the succession crisis after King Ferdinand VII’s death. Ferdinand VII abolished the Salic Law via the Pragmatic Sanction, allowing his daughter Isabel to inherit the throne. This led to the First Carlist War, as Carlos María Isidro, the king’s brother, contested Isabel’s claim.
The war pitted the Isabelinos (supporters of Isabel) against the Carlists. The Isabelinos included the army’s upper echelons, the Church, and the State, along with Liberals. The Carlists comprised the lower nobility, some clergy, and many farmers, supporting absolutism and Carlos’s claim.
The Vergara Agreement aimed to end the war. Espartero promised to recommend fulfilling the promise of granting or amending the charters of the Basque Country and Navarre. The agreement recognized the military ranks of those who fought under Maroto. Soldiers could either defend the 1837 Constitution and Isabel II’s throne or return home. Those returning were granted barracks and equal rights. Despite these efforts, the agreement didn’t resolve all issues. The peasant question and Navarre’s status remained unresolved, and Carlism persisted as a latent opposition.
The agreement, also known as the Abrazo de Vergara, was signed by Espartero (later titled Duke of La Victoria and Prince of Vergara) and Maroto. It marked the end of the First Carlist War and aimed to reintegrate Carlists into Spain under the 1837 Constitution.
Cortes of Cadiz
This political proclamation, released on September 19, 1868, by Prim, Serrano, Topete, and Primo de Rivera, expressed disagreement with the Madrid government. It aimed to convince the Spanish people of this dissent.
Key terms include: Holl (neglected), referring to the disregarded fundamental law, and Universal suffrage (voting rights for all adults).
The proclamation criticized Isabel II’s government for restricted suffrage, loss of national sovereignty, and municipal debts. It appealed to the Spanish people’s bravery and dignity, anticipating support from liberals, the bourgeoisie, the Church, and Europe. The proposed solution was a provisional government.
This situation arose from social unrest, including popular uprisings and student demonstrations against the government’s handling of economic crises (industrial, monetary, and rail sectors). In August 1866, Democrats and Progressives signed the Ostend Pact to overthrow Isabel II and elect a constituent assembly via universal male suffrage.
Cadiz was chosen for the uprising due to its liberal base and the fleet’s presence. Prim initiated the revolt, followed by Serrano. Isabel II was exiled to France, leading to a liberal government in Madrid led by Serrano. This government issued decrees on education, printing, and home freedoms.
The revolution had a dual nature: military leaders sought moderate changes, while popular movements desired a democratic revolution with equal rights. This marked the beginning of the Sexenio Revolucionario, characterized by republican insurrections, the Third Carlist War, and the Cuban War.