The Liberal Triennium in Spain (1820-1823)
The Liberal or Constitutional Triennium (1820-1823)
Ferdinand VII and the Constitution of 1812
Ferdinand VII, facing political pressure, swore to uphold the Constitution of 1812, thus beginning the Liberal Triennium. This period had a significant impact on European countries experiencing a second wave of liberal revolutions in the 1820s. In Madrid, the Liberals formed a provisional junta, which then transitioned to a government that included former doceanistas such as Canga Argüelles and Martinez de la Rosa.
Reforms and Divisions within Liberalism
The new government’s primary objective was to reestablish the constitutional framework, but with modifications to appease conservatives. These included a second house based on property ownership and guarantees for large landowners. This reform led to a growing divide within Spanish liberalism, splitting it into two main factions: the moderate or doceanista and the exalted liberals, who were the primary drivers of the revolution.
The liberal government implemented various reforms aimed at dismantling the ancien régime. Primogeniture was abolished, the Inquisition was dissolved, and municipal law was established for local governance. Freedom of the press was proclaimed, the Jesuits were expelled, and the benefit of clergy was repealed. Social reforms included a reduction in tithes, freedom of contract, land confiscation and redistribution, and the regulation of public and private education.
Financial Challenges and Hostile Environment
To address the substantial public finance deficit, the liberals resorted to foreign loans and measures impacting the Church’s economic assets. This included the law suppressing monastic property, leading to the dissolution of most monasteries and the confiscation of their property. Taxes were kept low to encourage capital accumulation.
However, the government faced a hostile environment both domestically and internationally. Domestically, poor harvests in 1822 caused widespread discontent among the peasantry, burdened by taxes. Royalist opposition also grew and aligned with the new government formed by the exalted liberal Evaristo San Miguel.
Intervention of the Holy Alliance
Internationally, the Holy Alliance, convened at the Congress of Verona (1822), decreed the restoration of absolutism in Spain, a move supported by Ferdinand VII himself. France was tasked with reinstating Ferdinand VII as an absolute monarch. On April 7, 1823, the Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis, commanded by Luis Antonio de Borbón, Duke of Angoulême, invaded Spain. They encountered minimal resistance and reached Cadiz, where the liberal government had sought refuge with the King.
End of the Triennium and Exile of Liberals
Following an agreement between the Duke of Angoulême and the besieged liberals, Ferdinand VII was released. Prominent figures of Spanish liberalism, including Martinez de la Rosa, Flórez Estrada, Isturiz, Count of Toreno, and Mendizabal, were forced into exile.