Reign of Alfonso XIII: From Restoration to Republic
Early Decades of Alfonso XIII’s Reign
Political Landscape and Early Challenges
Alfonso XIII inherited the Restoration’s political system, characterized by alternating Liberal and Conservative governments led by figures like José Canalejas and Antonio Maura. This period saw the rise of industrial centers and growing cities, but also significant challenges. Catalan nationalism gained momentum with Francesc Cambó’s Catalan Lliga. The army, sensitive after the Spanish-American War, fueled conflict in Morocco following Spain’s protectorate status. A burgeoning labor movement and anarchist terrorism further destabilized the government, leading to the assassination of several heads of state.
The Tragic Week and World War I
The Tragic Week of 1909, sparked by reservist mobilization for the Moroccan War, erupted in Barcelona. A general strike escalated into violence, with killings, looting, and the destruction of churches and convents. The army’s suppression of the rebellion resulted in numerous deaths and the collapse of Antonio Maura’s government. Spain remained neutral during World War I, experiencing a period of economic growth.
Crisis of 1917 and the Moroccan War’s Impact
1917 marked a turning point with several key events: army protests over Moroccan defeats led to the creation of military juntas, an assembly of parliamentarians convened to address Catalan autonomy and electoral reform, and a revolutionary general strike disrupted industrial areas. The Moroccan War continued to destabilize the Restoration system. The Annual Disaster of 1921 resulted in over 9,000 Spanish casualties. A subsequent parliamentary inquiry in 1923 produced the critical “Picasso Report,” further implicating the king.
Growing political discontent culminated in a 1923 coup led by Miguel Primo de Rivera, establishing a dictatorship.
The Dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera
King Alfonso XIII authorized the Captain General of Catalonia, Miguel Primo de Rivera to form a government and dissolved the Parliament, like many European countries at the time, Spain took a dictatorship. At first the new regime had no opposition and Primo de Rivera was well seen as the iron surgeon needed to end the country’s ills. The main events of the dictatorship were:
- The end of the war between Morocco and the complete victory of Spain. In 1925 Spain and France made the Alhucemas landing with a quick Spanish victory, the Protectorate was completely pacified and the war officially ended in 1927. In this campaign stood the commander Francisco Franco Bahamonde.
- Reproduced the Italian corporate system to end the strikes and clashes between workers and employers.
- In Catalonia, social conflict was resolved by restricting political freedoms and ending with anarchist terrorism.
- In 1929 took place the International Exhibition in Barcelona and the Ibero-American Exposition was a huge success that Spanish international.
The dictator has created a political party the Patriotic Union to perpetuate his rule and this has raised opposition to the dictatorship. The loss of confidence of the king and the growing opposition caused the fall of Primo de Rivera in 1930.
THE ECONOMY
Spain evolved into an interventionist economic model characterized by the dominance of a little modernized agriculture, industrialization centered in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Madrid, improving road networks, railways and roads with 250,000 vehicles, the development of banking and the foundation of the big banks, the state protection of Spanish products against foreign and limited Spanish presence in international trade.
Large state monopolies were created as CAMPSA (Lessee Company Oil Monopoly Corporation), the National Telephone Company of Spain, etc.. and built large public works such as dams, with the objective of increasing irrigation and hydropower development, and roads to promote tourism. With all that the Spanish economy grew and development.
SOCIETY
The population grew from 18 million in 1900 a25 million in 1936, half of the population belonged to the rural area with a large number of laborers to survive problems. There was an oligarchy of large landowners. In the cities thrived middle class professionals, officials, small business owners and merchants. Workers also increased. There was great economic inequality exacerbated by the Great Depression that led to the arrest of 700,000 Spanish.
END OF THE REIGN OF ALFONSO XIII
In 1930, Alfonso XIII tried to return to the constitutional system, but the Republican groups began to unite to overthrow the king, adding intellectuals like José Ortega y Gasset, Miguel de Unamuno and Dr. Gregorio Marañón. All these political groups signed the Pact of San Sebastián pledging to implement the Republic in Spain. In April 1931 municipal elections were held in large cities, won the Republican nomination, given that King Alfonso XIII fled the country and on April 14 was proclaimed the Second Republic in Spain.