Spanish History: Late 19th and Early 20th Century

Pardo Pact (1885)

Agreement between Conservative and Liberal leaders consolidating the monarchy after Alfonso XII’s death. Cánovas pledged to cede power to the Liberals if they upheld the 1876 Constitution.

Free Institution of Education (1876)

Founded by university professors to defend academic freedom and resist conforming to official dogmas in religion, politics, or morals.

Zanjón Peace (1878)

Ended the Ten Years’ War (1868-1878) between Cuban independence fighters and Spain. Cuban rebels surrendered arms in exchange for political and administrative reforms similar to Puerto Rico’s, amnesty for political prisoners, and empowerment of Black and Asian participants.

Mano Negra

Violent anarchist movement in late 19th-century Andalusia, involving murder and arson. State security forces harshly repressed the movement, resulting in the execution of fifteen peasants.

Regionalist League (1901-1936)

Catalan conservative nationalist party formed from the merger of Unió Catalá and regional groups. Aimed to defend Catalan autonomy within Spain.

PNV (1895)

Basque Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Vasco) founded by Sabino Arana Goiri, seeking independence for the Basque territories (Euzkadi).

Cánovas and His Successors

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, key architect of the Restoration system and Conservative Party leader. The party faced a crisis after Cánovas’s assassination, shifting towards the coup and Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship.

Sagasta and His Successors

Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, minister under Prim and Prime Minister under Amadeo I. Founded the Liberal Party in 1880, accepting Cánovas’s power-sharing system. His leadership saw a slight democratic opening, but the 1898 defeat marked the end of his political life. Internal conflicts and crises weakened the party after his death.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Peace treaty between Spain and the United States ending the Spanish-American War. The U.S. paid Spain $20 million for Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, marking the end of the Spanish Empire.

Regenerationism

Intellectual and political reform movement following the 1898 crisis and loss of colonies. Focused on internal personal transformation as a catalyst for broader societal change.

Anticlericalism

Movement opposing the influence of religious institutions in political affairs, advocating for religious beliefs as a private matter.

Catalanism

Political thought promoting Catalan values, culture, language, and historical rights. Articulated as a political ideology in the 19th century, culminating in the 1892 Bases de Manresa.

Basquism

Sense of belonging to the Basque Country, advocating for independence from Spain based on historical, economic, and cultural criteria.

Tragic Week (1909)

Events in Catalonia (July 26-August 2, 1909) starting with a general strike protesting reservist mobilization for Morocco. Protests escalated into rebellion against the government, resulting in harsh repression and numerous casualties.

CNT-AIT

National Confederation of Labor (Confederación Nacional del Trabajo), an anarcho-syndicalist trade union confederation affiliated with the International Workers’ Association (IWA).

Crisis of 1917

Social unrest and complex crisis fueled by unequal distribution of economic benefits and rising inflation. Military discontent led to the establishment of Juntas de Defensa. A general strike and calls for political reform followed.

Juntas de Defensa

Associations of low and medium-ranking military officers demanding wage increases, opposing merit-based promotions, and advocating for seniority in military careers.

Battle of Annual (1921)

Spanish military defeat in Morocco against Abd el-Krim, leading to a redefinition of colonial policy and a political crisis that contributed to Primo de Rivera’s coup and dictatorship.