Elizabeth II's Reign in Spain: A Transformative Era (1833-1868)

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Reign of Elizabeth II (1833-1868)

In 1833, Ferdinand VII died, leaving the three-year-old Elizabeth II as heir and his wife, Maria Cristina, as regent. Supporting Isabel was instrumental in establishing liberalism in power. The First Carlist War and the Elizabethan era soon began.

Regency of Maria Cristina (1833-1840)

When Ferdinand VII died, his brother Carlos claimed his rights to the throne, rejecting the Pragmatic Sanction. This sparked the First Carlist War, which can be divided into three phases:

  1. In the first two years, Carlist guerrillas operated in groups called "parties" until General Zumalacárregui formed a haphazard army.
  2. Zumalacárregui died, and the conflict spread to Catalonia, Valencia, and Aragon. The Carlists attempted but failed to take Madrid and besieged Bilbao, where the liberal general was victorious.
  3. Espartero divided the liberal Carlists. General Maroto signed the Peace of Vergara with Espartero, ending the war but maintaining their jurisdictions.

Institutionalization of the Liberal Regime

The Liberal party desired a new liberal constitution. The exalted Martínez de la Rosa drafted the Royal Statute, which included some cuts. There were two chambers: the Chamber of Peers, comprised of the grandees of Spain and members of municipalities and taxpayers, and the Chamber of Attorneys. At the end of 1835, Maria Cristina appointed the progressive leader Mendizábal, who decreed the confiscation of church property to provide resources for public finances and end the war. The rise of the military led to the uprising of the sergeants at La Granja, necessitating Maria Cristina's proclamation of the Constitution of 1812. A parliamentary system was implemented with two chambers: Congress and the Senate. Disputes between the moderate and progressive factions over municipal law brought down Maria Cristina, who abdicated and went into exile in France. The courts then appointed Espartero as regent.

Moderate Decade (1843-1854)

After Espartero's departure, Isabella II was declared of age at 13. The main achievement of this period was the Constitution of 1845. Sovereignty was shared between the King and the Cortes, and Congress and the Senate were maintained. The division of provinces took place, the Civil Guard was founded, the decimal system was adopted for weights, measures, and currency, and a new penal code was enacted. A concordat was signed with the Holy See. The railway was the great 19th-century enterprise, while textiles, iron, and steel were attempts at Andalusian industrialization. Isabel's marriage to her cousin Francisco de Asís was miserable.

Progressive Biennium (1854-1856)

The Queen's patronage of the moderates and the corruption of many politicians caused a major upset in the political class in 1854, resulting in the Vicalvaro uprising. The Queen had to appoint General Espartero to lead a progressive government. This stage was very unstable. The adverse economic situation led to a second general strike in Barcelona in 1855. Finance Minister Pascual Madoz issued a new order for the confiscation of civil and ecclesiastical property, causing a rupture with the Holy See.

The Liberal Union (1858-1863)

Led by General O'Donnell, the Liberal Union aimed to provide the country with security and stability to allow for economic development. It promoted mining, railways, public works, and the financial system. Several campaigns were launched, such as the war in Morocco and the Anglo-French intervention in Mexico.

Last Years of the Reign (1863-1868)

The Queen relied on the moderates, and the progressives turned to pronouncements, such as those of the sergeants at the San Gil barracks, which were harshly repressed. The moderate regime had become something close to a dictatorship. Liberals and Democrats met in Ostend and signed a pact to overthrow the Queen.

Assessment of the Reign

Elizabeth II's reign was positive overall. The Old Regime finally fell, and the liberal state was built. Capitalism and social modernization began, and the middle class was strengthened. Access to Spanish culture increased through books and newspapers. The negative aspects were that the Queen did not balance the two parties effectively.

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