Tragic Week of 1909: Causes and Consequences
Tragic Week: Causes and Consequences (1909)
A tragic week: an outbreak of conflict in Northern Africa and new failures of the Spanish army ignited popular sectors, exacerbating tempers. The economic crisis and poor living conditions were not conducive to calming the situation. Ships used to transport troops to Africa were the same ones used by the Marquis of Comillas, a property owner in Cuba, forcing the participation of the Jesuits. The church, the bourgeoisie, and the responsibility of the state were symbolized. Some women of the upper classes organized a charity committee to support the troops.
The Uprising in Barcelona
Revolutionary forces called for a general strike in Barcelona (involving socialists, anarchists, and Lerrouxists). Religious buildings were the first targets; the initial assault was on a Marist school. The church had acquired great political, institutional, educational, and economic power during the Restoration.
Tragic Week Repression: The violent actions were directed against the Church (assaults, looting, and fires). At no time did the unrest threaten any branch of government or banking, the pillars of the city. Barricades were built, and people held popular parties before attacking and burning buildings.
The Spread of the Revolt
The revolt spread to nearby towns like Reus, where railway junctions were controlled, hindering the arrival of troops. Uprisings occurred in various locations (Sitges, Vilanova), with key conflict points in Manresa, Granollers, and Sabadell. In Sabadell, the unrest took on a more political character, with the committee assuming power in the city.
Repression and Aftermath
Some wounded civilians were in hiding, not necessarily participating in the events. When the riots began, the governor, Ángel Ossorio y Gallardo, initially refused to act and even offered his resignation. His position had earned him prestige in Catalonia, where the army maintained a standing garrison. When he finally decided to act, it was too late; he waited three or four days for the first troops to arrive. People returned to work on August 2nd. The repression that followed was very harsh. Many people were detained, banished, and executed. The Catalan bourgeoisie and the conservative Catalan political establishment, represented by the Lliga Regionalista, encouraged this repression, giving it a character of revenge. Francisco Ferrer Guardia, accused of instigating the rebellion in Barcelona, was executed.
The Crisis in Morocco and the Disaster of Annual
In the context of the end of the Great War, Spain was experiencing combined pressure from Catalan nationalists, the military, parliament, and social unrest. The 1918 economic recession prompted solutions, including a government encompassing all political leaders under the chairmanship of Liberal García Prieto, but it failed. Maura then formed a government with the collaboration of conservatives, liberals, and the Lliga Regionalista. A four-point program was developed:
- Modernization of the parliamentary system.
- A military solution to the conflict to restore civil and political normalcy.
- A broad amnesty to pacify social unrest.
- Adoption of a budget to allow for the modernization of the country.
However, instability returned. This stemmed from the fact that many politicians of the Restoration defended *caciquista* (local political boss) and economic interests that were sometimes incompatible. Another factor was the deep interference of the colonial question in the country’s affairs. Spanish intervention in the Moroccan region continued to grow and represented a disaster for the state budget. Expenditures on arms and supplies for North Africa were enormous.
Alfonso XIII criticized politicians harshly. In 1921, this royal intervention emboldened a part of the colonial army, which sought a military success that would help stabilize the treasury and consolidate the political system.
The head of the Melilla zone, General Fernández Silvestre, hastily left this section unprotected, without establishing secure points, leading to a counteroffensive by Moroccan troops headed by Abd el-Krim. The attack occurred in the area of Annual. Territory was lost, resulting in 13,000 deaths and the loss of arms.
The Disaster of Annual had an immediate impact on Spanish politics. General Picasso was tasked with forming a committee to investigate the responsibilities, precipitating a political and military crisis that implicated the monarchy itself.