19th Century Spanish History: From Ferdinand VII to the Restoration
Item 2: 19th Century Spanish History
Definitions
- Popular Sovereignty: The recognition of universal suffrage for men over 25 years.
- Congress of Vienna: International conference convened, as per the resolutions adopted by the Treaty of Paris of May 30, 1814, with the aim of restoring the territorial boundaries of Europe after the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars with the abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte.
- Napoleon (1769-1821): French emperor (1804-1815) who consolidated and instituted many reforms of the French Revolution. He was one of the greatest military leaders of all time, conquered most of Europe, and tried to modernize the nations he ruled.
- Constitution: Basic Law of a State that defines the basic system of rights and freedoms of citizens and the powers and institutions of the polity.
- Nationalism: Ideology which attributes a separate and distinct entity to a territory and its citizens, and which are based on very different political aspirations.
- Girondist: Belonging to the group of deputies of the French Convention composed of a bourgeoisie more moderate than the Jacobins. They defended freedom and the right to property as an inalienable right.
- Census Suffrage: The right to vote limited only to people with great wealth or income.
Unification of Italy
Italy was divided into six states. The Pope was sovereign in one, with its capital in Rome, and Austria had annexed Lombardy and Veneto, rich regions of northern Italy. Only Piedmont, headed by the Savoy dynasty, a liberal-leaning monarchy, was in favor of the unification of Italy.
In 1859, Cavour, leader of the Piedmontese government, launched a war against Austria and secured the annexation of Lombardy. In turn, a popular uprising led by Garibaldi overthrew the rulers of the states of central and southern Italy.
In 1871, the first Italian Parliament proclaimed Victor Emmanuel, hitherto ruler of Piedmont, King of Italy. In 1866, the Austrians left Veneto, and in 1870, the Papal States were annexed. The unity of Italy was a fact, and Rome became the capital of the new kingdom.
1. What is meant by “dynastic problem” at the end of the reign of Ferdinand VII?
Having abolished the Salic Law, which entitled Queen Isabella II, daughter of Ferdinand VII, to the throne, Ferdinand’s brother, Carlos, who also wanted the throne, came into conflict against this decision. This caused many wars after the death of Ferdinand VII.
Definitions
- A set of norms that reflect the freedoms…: Constitution
- Mutiny typical of the nineteenth century: Coup
- Act/rule that prevented women [from inheriting the throne]: Salic Law
- Person who ruled during the minority…: Regent
- Motion that sought to create federal states within Spain: Republic? (Note: This definition seems inaccurate. It might refer to Federalism or a specific political movement.)
Differences
a) Constitutional Monarchy and Autocracy
- Constitutional Monarchy: Political system in which the head of state is a king who must respect the constitution and the decisions of parliament.
- Absolute Monarchy: The king is the holder of sovereign power and embodies all the powers, without any constitutional obstacle.
- Difference: In a constitutional monarchy, the king must respect the constitution and the decisions of parliament. By contrast, in an absolute monarchy, the king is the holder of sovereign power and embodies all the powers in the absence of any constitutional obstacle.
b) Republic and Monarchy
- Republic: Organization of the State whose ultimate authority is elected by citizens or by the Parliament for a specified period.
- Monarchy: Form of government in which power corresponds to a king, appointed by hereditary and sometimes by choice.
- Difference: In the case of the republic, authority is elected by citizens or by parliament for a specified time, and in the case of the monarchy, the power belongs to a king, appointed by hereditary and sometimes by choice.
What form of government existed in each of the periods of the reign of Ferdinand VII?
The first stage of his government, absolutist in character (1814-1820), was marked by a purge of liberals and pro-French individuals and the failure to, most importantly, improve the economic situation and reform the Treasury.
The period known as the Liberal or Constitutional Triennium (1820-1823) was the second stage of his reign. In it, despite the thinly veiled opposition of the king, the work of reform begun in 1810 continued: abolition of… (Note: The text is cut off here. Please provide the complete text for a more accurate fix.)
The last stage of the reign of Ferdinand VII was again a clear sign of absolutism. The Constitution and all existing institutions established in January 1820 were deleted and restored, except for the Inquisition.
What different forms of government were in the second half of the nineteenth century?
The second half of the nineteenth century began with the founding of the Liberal Union led by O’Donnell. During the Progressive Biennium (1854-1856), there was an attempt to restore the constitutional rule of 1837 and implement economic reforms. Madoz carried out further confiscations.
In the last stage of Isabella II’s reign, there was an alternation between the Moderate Party and the Liberal Union. The regime’s opponents were increasing, and there were new groups such as Democrats and Republicans.
In 1866, there was a big crisis and decline of the Isabelline regime, triggering a conflict against the monarchy. In 1868, there was a peasant uprising led by Prim, who then headed the provisional government, and was followed by several pronouncements. The Constitution of 1869 appeared, and then Amadeo I ascended to the throne in 1870. Three years later, the First Republic was proclaimed, but due to the Carlist Wars and numerous pronouncements, it disappeared the following year. In 1874, Alfonso XII initiated the Restoration, which was often characterized by turnismo between Conservatives (led by Cánovas) and Liberals (led by Sagasta).
Relates
- ———- Ferdinand VII abolished the Constitution of 1812.
- ———- General Espartero was regent of Isabella II.
- ——- Mendizábal carried out the disentailment.
- —– Cánovas del Castillo created the political system of peaceful turnismo.
Check the causes of the failure of the First Spanish Republic
- Monarchist majority of political groups in parliament.
- Support around the throne of Isabella II.
- Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis.
- Carlist War and the Ten Years’ War in Cuba.
- The opposition of labor groups.
Write a brief report comparing the reign of Isabella II and the period of the Restoration
– Manner in which the monarch came to the throne
– Main features of the constitution
– How the government was chosen
– Political forces that opposed the system
| Restoration of the Monarchy (Alfonso XII) | Reign of Isabella II | |
|---|---|---|
| Manner of ascension | Proclaimed king by General Martínez Campos after a coup. | Came to the throne after her father abolished the Salic Law. |
| Constitution | 1876 Constitution: Enhanced the role of the Crown and the confessional state, limited rights and freedoms. | 1845 Constitution: Very limited suffrage, shared sovereignty between king, courts, and parliament. |
| Government Selection | Turnismo system: Alternation between Conservative and Liberal parties. | Moderate and Progressive parties, with influence from the monarch. |
| Opposition | Republicans, Carlists, Socialists. | Carlists, Progressives, Democrats. |
Differences between the reign of Isabella II and Alfonso XII
Reign of Alfonso XII
The first problem of the reign of Alfonso XII came in the form of the Third Carlist War. After successive Carlist disasters, Alfonso XII was recognized as the legitimate king by Ramón Cabrera, a Carlist military leader. The 1876 Constitution was proclaimed, and the king was depicted as its faithful adherent. While belonging to the Conservative Party, he encouraged the growth of the Liberal Party.
His marriage to his cousin Mercedes of Orléans, celebrated and remembered fondly by the people, was short due to her early death. He remarried Maria Cristina of Austria and had a posthumous son, the future Alfonso XIII. Cánovas, concerned about the stability of the monarchy and to avoid another dynastic lawsuit, reached an agreement with Sagasta known as the Pact of El Pardo, giving the government to the Liberals.
Queen Isabella II
The reign of the daughter of Ferdinand VII and Maria Cristina of Bourbon, Isabella II, lasted 55 years. During the first ten, the regency was held successively by her mother and by General Baldomero Fernández Espartero, until she came of age, which had to be advanced for reasons of political instability.
Constitutions
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