The Elizabethan Era in Spain: Political and Social Transformations
The Elizabethan Era in Spain
The Regency of Maria Cristina
The beginning of the Carlist War forced the Regent to seek support from liberals for the Elizabethan cause. The reforms launched marked a rupture with the absolute monarchy and the establishment of a constitutional regime. On October 4, 1833, Cea Bermúdez had the Regent sign a manifesto of continuity that satisfied neither constitutionalists nor absolutists. The only solution was to convene Parliament and develop a constitutional framework acceptable to the Crown, preserving its role while also accommodating the bourgeoisie and aristocracy.
Francisco Martínez de la Rosa drafted the Royal Charter (1834). Not truly a constitution, but a charter issued by a two-chambered Cortes: the Estate of Deputies, elected by census suffrage, and the Estate of Peers, appointed by the Crown. It proved inadequate for a large portion of the population.
In 1835, the Conde de Toreno became president, but dissatisfaction led to the formation of local and regional governing boards. The Regent entrusted power to Mendizábal on September 14, legalizing the junta movement. To finance the Carlist War, he initiated the desamortización of Church property. However, the defeat of his electoral bill led to new elections, broadly won by the progressives.
Before the election results were known, the sergeants’ coup at La Granja (August 1836) forced the Regent to sign the 1812 Constitution and empower the progressives. Calatrava formed a government, with Mendizábal as Finance Minister. Laws were enacted regarding town councils and the National Militia, complemented by the General Law on Confiscation of 1837. A new electoral law and the progressive Constitution of 1837, simplifying the 1812 version, were also enacted. It declared national sovereignty, freedom of the press, and created the National Militia. It accepted a bicameral Cortes, but extended the Crown’s powers, allowing the king to convene, suspend, and dissolve it. Restricted voting was maintained.
After Calatrava’s fall, moderate governments attempted to alter the system with a new electoral law (1840) and a council law aimed at dismantling independent municipalities. The 1840 coup ousted both the moderates and Maria Cristina.
Espartero
Espartero’s leadership was marked by conflicts stemming from his personal politics. He opposed the Queen Mother, who conspired from exile in Paris, and much of the military, dissatisfied with his appointment policies. He supported moderate pronouncements (O’Donnell in Pamplona, De la Concha and Diego de León in Madrid) and used election abstention as a political weapon. The 1842 Barcelona uprising against his policies led to the city’s bombardment and harsh repression. Narváez’s pronouncement in Torrejón de Ardoz in July 1843 forced Espartero into exile. To avoid another regency, the Cortes declared Elizabeth II of age, crowning her at thirteen.
Decade of the Moderates
Following the French model, the moderate government centralized and bureaucratized the state apparatus, consolidating the liberal revolution. This was achieved through the Printing Law (1844), the reorganization of provincial and local administrations (1845), the financial reform of Alejandro Mon (1845), the Criminal Code (1848), and the Guardia Civil (1844). The latter two aimed to maintain public order.
The 1845 Constitution reflected doctrinaire liberalism and the spirit of the Royal Charter. It denied popular sovereignty and constituent power, extending the king’s authority to appoint senators and command the national militia. A new electoral law consolidated census suffrage, limiting voting rights to 1% of the population. The Concordat of 1851 resolved the strained relationship with the Church: the Church accepted the confiscation of its properties in exchange for state guarantees on its remaining assets.
Progressive Biennium
. In the short space of two years, unstable, socially speaking , progressives disentailment work continued through the General Confiscation Act (1855) Pas-Madoz and which defined the progressive ideas in the Constitution of 185,627 that was never enacted: national sovereignty, press subject to trial by jury, National Militia, elected mayors, elected Senate and limiting the powers of the Crown.
The regency of Maria Cristina: The beginning of the Carlist War forced the regent to seek support from liberals to the cause Elizabethan. The reforms were launched they meant the ruptu-ra with the absolute monarchy and the establishment of a constitutional regime whose nuances can be essential to consolidate in 1840. On October 4, 1833, Cea Bermúdez made to sign a manifesto for the Regent of continuity that did not convince either constitutional or absolutist. The only way to save the throne was to convene the Parliament and to develop a constitutional framework acceptable to the Crown, reserving a share in the political system, but gives go-also gives the bourgeoisie and aristocracy. Francisco Martinez de la rosa10 was responsible for successfully generating a Royal Charter (1834), which was not really a constitution but a simple Letter Issued Courts is divided into two chambers, the Estate of Deputies, elected by census suffrage and of Peers whose members were appointed by the Crown.The truth is it was considered inadequate by a large majority of the population. In 1835 he was appointed president of the Conde de Toreno Council but dissatisfaction with his policies led to the formation of local or regional boards that took the gov-ernment. The power confided Regent Mendizabal September 14-legalized juntista movement and in order to get credit for the continuation of the Carlist War began de-amortization Church. But the defeat in the courts of Electoral Bill that would introduce changes in the political system led to new elections that were won am-broadly de-fined by the progressives. Before knowing the outcome of the elections, there is the coup of the sergeants in the Granja (Sergeant Farm, August 1936) that forced the Regent to sign the 1812 Constitution and trust in the progressive power. Calatrava took over the government, on the Minister of Finance to Mendizabal. Were put in place laws like town councils and the National Militia, supplemented by the General Law on Confiscation of 1837, also enacted a new electoral law and the progressive constitution of 1837 which simplified the articles of 1812, formulated ex – present national sovereignty, freedom of press and created the National Militia, accepted the bicameral organization of courts and the powers of the Crown in relation to it were extended as the king convoked, suspended and dissolved. Also maintains restricted voting. Fallen Calatrava, moderate governments that succeeded it tried to change the political sys-tem, through a new draft Electoral Law (1840) and a council law, which tended to destroy an independent municipality. The 1840 coup overthrew both the moderate and Maria Cristina. Espartero With Espartero began the era of the generals. His tenure as mayor was plagued by constant conflicts over their personal politics, which caused even the content of the des – he represented progressive. He was against the queen mother, who continually conspired from exile in Paris, and much of the military class, dissatisfied with the policy of appointments and the difficulties of ascent. For his part, supported the moderate party pronouncements (O’Donnell in Pamplona, De la Concha and Diego de Leon in Madrid), while using the abstention in elections as a political weapon against the government. In November 1842, the Barcelona uprising against the policy of ruling led to the bombing of the city and a harsh repression. Finally in July of 1843 won the pronouncement of Narvaez in Torrejón de Ardoz and Espartero obli-gado was to embark for exile. The Courts, in order to avoid a new regency, forward-ing the age of Elizabeth II, who was crowned queen at the age of thirteen.