Rise of Republicanism and Reign of Amadeo I in Spain
The Rise of Republicanism in Spain
The New Political Landscape
Since 1868, four major political trends have emerged in Spain. On the right, the Carlists advocated for maintaining the monarchy and traditional Catholicism. Also on the right were the Moderates, loyal to Isabel II, who wanted her return to the throne. They had the support of the agrarian bourgeoisie, led by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo.
In the center was a coalition of Unionists, Progressives, and Monarchist Democrats, promoting democratic governance, respect for civil liberties, and national sovereignty. They were supported by the financial and industrial bourgeoisie, as well as the middle classes.
On the left, the Federal Republican Party (formerly the Democratic Party) advocated for a system of agreements between different regions. They defended the republican form of government and the separation of church and state. The party leadership, under Pi i Margall, believed that liberalism should be established from the top-down, driven by the government. The more radical Intransigents supported popular insurrection and proclaimed the Federal Republic, proposing that different territories could become independent states before uniting in a federal republic, built from the bottom-up.
A sector of the Republicans, led by Castelar, differed in their vision of the state’s organization. They defended a unitary republic and maintained a more conservative political viewpoint.
The Rise of Federal Republicanism
Federal Republicanism had the support of the petty bourgeoisie and the working and peasant classes before they turned to anarchist and socialist ideas. The rise of Republicanism was also due to the fact that the reforms promised by Democrats and Progressives were not carried out. The revolution of 1868 raised very advanced social claims, leading to uprisings due to the involvement of the working classes who wanted solutions to problems such as working conditions, wages, and land allocation. The first riots occurred in Cádiz in 1868.
The Reign of Amadeo I of Savoy (1871-1873)
A Monarch for a Democratic Regime
General Prim was in charge of negotiating with foreign ambassadors to establish the most suitable candidate to occupy the Spanish throne. Amadeo I of Savoy was chosen for his conception of a democratic monarchy.
The new monarch arrived in Spain three days after the assassination of Prim, his main supporter.
Difficulties of the New Dynasty
The new king faced numerous challenges, including economic problems, Republican insurrections, the Carlist conflict, the disintegration of the governing coalition, and the war in Cuba. Opposition came from the aristocracy, clergy, army, moderate Republicans, and even the Unionist and Progressive parties.
Amadeo I had very little support. Not all political groups were in agreement, and the clergy and various cliques were against him. Despite the establishment of universal suffrage and political freedoms, Amadeo I struggled to consolidate a democratic regime. He remained in power for only two years, facing difficulties such as the state’s serious economic problems, which forced him to issue more public debt.
Continuing Instability
Amadeo I faced opposition from the Moderates from the beginning of his reign. They remained faithful to the Bourbons. Cánovas del Castillo, their leader, tried to convince Unionists and Progressives that the Bourbon monarchy was necessary to ensure order and stabilize the country, unlike the monarchy of Amadeo I. They also had the support of the Church.
The Carlists, who had benefited from the Glorious Revolution, renewed their intentions to place their candidate, Carlos VII, on the throne. The Republicans and popular groups were also against Amadeo I. Furthermore, in 1868, a conflict began on the island of Cuba, adding another difficulty for the monarchy. The end of Amadeo I‘s reign was caused by the disintegration of the governing coalition (Unionists, Progressives, and Democrats). Finally, Amadeo I renounced the throne and left Spain.