The Carlist Wars: Spain's 19th-Century Dynastic Conflicts

The Carlist Wars: Dynastic Conflicts in 19th-Century Spain

Don Carlos and the Abrantes Manifesto (1833)

On October 1, 1833, Don Carlos proclaimed his dynastic rights through the Abrantes Manifesto, initiating the Carlist Wars.

The Carlist Faction: Absolutists and Traditionalists

The Carlist side was primarily composed of the nobility, ultraconservative members of the administration and army, and the lower clergy who sought to prevent the loss of the Church's influence. All were staunch absolutists. Their support base was predominantly in the rural north of Spain, including the Basque Country, Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia. A key motivation for the Carlists was the defense of traditional privileges (fueros) and economic interests.

The Cristino Faction: Liberals and Reformists

The Cristino side rallied around the Regent Maria Cristina and her daughter Isabel II. This faction was supported by moderates, reformist absolutists, and Liberals, alongside generals, high-ranking army officials, and elements of the Church hierarchy. Their ranks also included the burgeoning business bourgeoisie, intellectuals, and professionals. While Carlist support was strong in the north, Cristino peasants were more prevalent in southern Spain.

International Alliances

From April 1834, the Cristino cause received diplomatic and military backing from Portugal, England, and France. The Carlists, conversely, found support from the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Empires.

The First Carlist War (1833-1839)

This initial conflict spanned from 1833 to 1839. In its early stages, the Carlists achieved victories against government troops, leveraging their strategic prowess and knowledge of the terrain. However, they suffered a significant defeat in 1835 at Bilbao, where their most effective strategist was killed. Subsequent Carlist expeditions to the south also failed.From 1837, negotiations began between the Carlist General Rafael Maroto and the Cristino General Baldomero Espartero, culminating in the Embrace of Vergara in 1839, which effectively ended the war. This agreement, a surrender by the Carlists, recognized the ranks and positions of the defeated soldiers and included a commitment to maintain the fueros (charters). In 1841, the Law on the Immunity of Navarre was signed, further addressing regional privileges.

The Second Carlist War (1846-1849)

The Second Carlist War, also known as the Guerra dels Matiners (War of the Early Risers), erupted between 1846 and 1849. It was primarily triggered by the failed marriage proposal between Isabel II and Carlos VI (son of Carlos María Isidro). Catalonia became a key battleground, with General Ramón Cabrera leading the Carlist forces. Ultimately, the Carlists were defeated.

The Third Carlist War (1872-1876)

The Third Carlist War (1872-1876) saw the return of Carlos VII, a grandson of Carlos María Isidro. The conflict was fueled by the Carlist ideal of a "Monarchical Catholic Communion" and the rejection of the foreign king Amadeo I. The main theaters of war were the Basque Country, Navarre, and Catalonia. Despite their efforts, the Carlists failed to capture Bilbao.Their defeat by General Arsenio Martínez Campos, coinciding with the Restoration of Alfonso XII, led to the abolition of the fueros and traditional institutions of the Basque Country in 1876. However, fiscal autonomy was largely maintained through the Economic Agreement (Concierto Económico) of 1879.