Cadiz Courts and Spanish Political Transformations (1812-1874)

Las Cortes de Cádiz and Constitution of 1812

The Situation Before the Crisis

• The situation of the country on the eve of the crisis.
• The Treaty of Fontainebleau and the Mutiny of Aranjuez.
• Abdications of Bayonne and the outbreak of war.

Phases of the Gallic War of Independence

• The war consequences.
• The political revolution (Liberal Party).
• The composition of the Courts (Spanish liberalism).
• The Constitution of 1812 and other measures of the Courts of Cadiz.

Periods of Instability (1814–1833)

• Sexenio Absolutist (1814–1820).
• Constitutional Triennium (1820–1823).
• Counter-revolutionary Triennium and the fall of the Liberal government.
• Decade of Absolutism (Ominous Decade).
• Agony and the succession crisis.

Carlist Wars

• Inheritance issues.
• The ideological confrontation and conflict.
• Supports for each side.

The First Carlist War

• Focus on the Basque-Navarrese insurrection formation.
• Domestic shipments.
• Initiative and the Agreement of Vergara.
• The war in Maestrazgo.

Second and Third Carlist Wars

Reign of Isabella II

1. Transition Period

• Starred by key figures.
• The legal text.
• Reforms that were made.

2. Breakdown Period

• The most representative character.
• The revolt.
• Takes up the disentailment measures.

3. Espartero Regency

1. The Moderate Decade

• Political stability.
• The Constitution of 1845.
• Control of the administration and legislative unification.
• Reform of the state.
• Approach to the Catholic Church.

2. End of the Moderate Decade

3. Progressive Biennium Reforms

• Laws of restoration (1830s).
• New administration.
• Madoz Disentailment.
• Economics, market, train, and bank developments.

4. The Alternation

• Liberal-Moderate-Union alternation.
• September 1868 Glorious Revolution, pronouncement of the Democratic Sexenio in Cadiz.

Revolutionary Six-year Period (1868–1874)

Provisional Government

• Pronouncement.

Constituent Cortes

• Carlist, moderate, and federal Republican parties supported the government.

Constitution of 1869

• National sovereignty, division of powers, parliamentary system, declaration of rights.

Regency and Insurrection

• Regency of General Serrano and Republican People's insurrection.

Financial Problems

• Problems of finance (peseta, tariffs, Mining Act).

Search for a Monarchy

• King Amadeo I.

The First Republic

• Republic of order.

The Restoration System and Cánovas

Statement of System Bases

• Cánovas's monarchy doctrine: exclusion of anti-monarchical, illiberal, and anti-liberal parties.
• Pacification of the country.

Restoration Constitution

• Creation of political parties: Conservative Party (P.C.) and Liberal Party (P.L.).
• Political System.

Regency of Maria Cristina

• Death of Alfonso XII; Maria Cristina swears the constitution.
• Oligarchy and Caciquismo.
• Governmental Task Movements.
• Anti-dynastic Nationalist Movements.