The Downfall of Isabel II: Causes of the 1868 Spanish Revolution

The Crisis of the Elizabethan Monarchy (1863–1868)

In 1863, the erosion of government action and divisions within the Liberal Union led O'Donnell to resign. This began a succession of unstable and authoritarian governments, alternately headed by O'Donnell and Narváez.

Political Instability and the Rise of Opposition (1863–1865)

The Progressives withdrew from parliamentary life due to the obvious impossibility of being called to govern. Led by General Prim, they joined Democrats and Republicans to denounce the constitutional system and Queen Isabel II herself. Slowly, the majority of public opinion began to blame the Crown for the political disaster.

The long crisis of the Elizabethan monarchy was caused by a confluence of factors, including severe economic hardship and major political events.

The Economic Collapse of Spain

A severe economic crisis began in 1864 and intensified rapidly:

• Railway Bankruptcy: The crisis started with the bankruptcy of railway companies due to the low profitability of the lines.
• Textile Collapse: This was followed by the collapse of textile mills because of the lack of cotton caused by the American Civil War.
• Market Crack and Famine: In 1866, a crack in the European markets occurred. This was compounded by a rise in agricultural prices due to two consecutive poor harvests.

By 1868, unemployment and popular exasperation caused by famine created the ideal climate for a revolutionary explosion.

Key Political Incidents Leading to Revolution

During these years, a series of major political events further destabilized the regime:

1. The Night of San Daniel (1865): Police opened fire on students demonstrating in support of a president dismissed by the government, killing nine of them.
2. The Revolt of San Gil (June 1866): This revolt of the garrison, led by noncommissioned officers and promoted by the Progressives (under Prim), was suppressed by troops loyal to the government. This was, in fact, one of several attempted uprisings sponsored by the Progressives.

The Pact of Ostend and the Isolation of Isabel II

Hounded by the media, the public, and the parliament, the Elizabethan governments responded with increasingly disoriented repression:

• Orders for the arrest of the opposition.
• Closure of newspapers.
• Suspension of parliament.

In August 1866, Progressive representatives, Democrats, and Republicans reached an agreement, known as the Pact of Ostend, to coordinate opposition efforts with two primary goals:

1. The overthrow of Isabel II.
2. The call for universal suffrage Constituent Cortes (Parliament).

General Prim was put in charge of the conspiracy. The successive deaths of O'Donnell and Narváez between 1867 and 1868 (the first of which led many Unionists to join the Pact of Ostend) left Isabel II completely isolated in the summer of 1868, just as the coup was being prepared.