The Cantonal Uprising and the Fall of the First Spanish Republic

The Cantonal Uprising

The Cantonal Uprising was a serious conflict that occurred during the First Spanish Republic, representing the period's most significant crisis. Cantonalism was a complex phenomenon that blended autonomist aspirations with social revolution. The proclamation of the cantons was a dramatic attempt to directly apply a federal structure from the bottom up, driven by a desire to advance social reform.

In areas with strong support, rebels formed independent cantons. Throughout the month of July, various cantons were proclaimed, including:

• Malaga
• Cartagena
• Seville
• Bailen
• Castellon
• Algeciras

The protagonists of these events were a social group composed of artisans, small traders, and employees, led by federal intransigents.

President Pi i Maragall resigned and was replaced by Nicolas Salmeron, who initiated military action against the cantonalist movement. This military intervention eventually ended the insurrection. Salmeron later resigned because he felt unable to sign the death sentences imposed against cantonalist activists. He was succeeded by Emilio Castelar, marking a shift in the Republic toward the right as the new executive implemented a policy of authority. On 13 September, Castelar obtained full powers from the courts, which he held until 2 January 1874.

The End of the Republican Experience

By late 1873, the Republic had turned conservative. Fearing dismissal by the federal parliamentary majority, Castelar suspended the session and ruled in an authoritarian fashion, aligning with conservative sectors and granting wide powers to military commanders. Figueras, Pi, and Salmeron reached an agreement to raise a motion of censure against Castelar's government to force his resignation, intending to restore control to the republican regime.

On 3 January 1874, the courts reconvened and Castelar's government was defeated. However, Manuel Pavia demanded the dissolution of the Republican Parliament. Although members resisted, they were eventually forced to leave the chamber.

Power passed into the hands of General Serrano, who attempted to stabilize the republican regime. However, the social base had already opted for an Alfonsist solution. On 29 December 1874, the military leader Arsenio Martinez Campos proclaimed Alfonso XII as King of Spain. Previously, on 1 December 1874, Alfonso de Bourbon had signed the Sandhurst Manifesto, written by Canovas del Castillo. This document synthesized the agenda of the new monarchy: a conservative, Catholic regime that guaranteed the functioning of the political system, liberal order, and a return to political stability.