Carlist Wars: Causes, Stages, and Impact on Spain
The Carlist Wars: A Conflict in Spanish History
Carlist: Supporters of Carlos María Isidro and the Salic law. Their ideology defended the absolutism of the Ancien Régime, upholding Catholic principles and advocating for the preservation of the privileges of Navarre and the Basque regions. The Carlist faction drew support from the clergy, segments of the nobility, the lower ranks of the army, and the peasantry.
Elizabethan: Advocates for the end of the Ancien Régime and proponents of liberal ideologies. This group comprised administrators, the bourgeoisie, military personnel, liberal professionals, the middle class, and the lower clergy.
This societal polarization in Spain led to a civil war known as the Carlist Wars.
The Carlist Wars aimed to restore the Ancien Régime and halt land reform efforts.
First Stage (1833-1835)
This phase primarily unfolded in the Basque Country, fueled by numerous points of contention. The death of Zumalacárregui halted the Carlist advance in the north, while General Cabrera led successful campaigns in the Levante region.
Second Phase (1835-1837)
This phase occurred south of the Ebro River and marked a turning point for Carlism. Espartero’s victories in Bilbao and Madrid significantly weakened the Carlist cause.
Third Phase (1837-1840)
Internal divisions emerged within the Carlist movement. Some supported a Carlist government, while others, deemed liberal Carlists, opposed the Liberal government and sought a return to the Ancien Régime, aiming to negotiate an agreement with the Liberals. Hardliners, however, advocated for continuing the war. General Maroto ultimately signed an agreement with the Liberal side, ending the First Carlist War. The Convention of Vergara, signed in 1839 by General Maroto and the Liberal General Espartero, officially concluded the First Carlist War. The agreement preserved the jurisdictions in the Basque provinces and Navarre, marking a triumph for Liberalism.
This was an urban and bourgeois revolt aimed at ending Carlism. Mendizabal, the Prime Minister during Maria Cristina’s regency, initiated the confiscation of Church properties and sought to reinstate the 1812 Constitution of Cadiz. This led to social and military unrest against Mendizabal and the regent. The sergeants’ uprising at La Granja, the royal summer residence, succeeded in compelling the Regent to revert to the principles of 1812 and progressive ideology.
The Constitution of 1837
The Constitution of 1837 aimed to alternate power between liberals and moderates. A key provision was the law of municipalities, granting the Crown the power to appoint mayors of the provinces, which triggered further conflict. Espartero, seen as a symbol of enlightenment, attempted to stabilize the situation amidst unrest among the moderates and an uprising in the Barcelona area. With Isabel II still young, Narvaez assumed power, and Elizabeth II eventually ascended to the throne.