Spain's Monarchy Restored: Alfonso XII's Return and the 1874 Political Shift

The Restoration of the Monarchy

After the coup by General Pavía and the dissolution of the Cortes in January 1874, a provisional government was established. In theory, the First Spanish Republic was still in force, but in practice, it functioned as a military dictatorship under General Serrano. Serrano concentrated his efforts on quelling the recent Cantonalist outbreaks. Republican opposition was suppressed, and labor organizations were prohibited. A tax increase and new mobilizations successfully halted the Carlist advance.

However, by the end of the year, Serrano's position was already fragile. Support for the Alfonsine cause grew significantly among the middle classes, businessmen, and within the Army. On December 1, Prince Alfonso had signed the Manifesto of Sandhurst, in which, following the advice of Cánovas del Castillo, he guaranteed a conservative, constitutional, and democratic monarchy. He also expressed his willingness to accept many of the political advancements made in the previous administration. Cánovas was meticulously preparing a peaceful return to the monarchy, without military intervention.

The Sagunto Pronouncement and Alfonso XII's Accession

Despite Cánovas's plans, monarchist generals Jovellar and Martínez Campos went ahead of him. On December 29, they pronounced in Sagunto in favor of the monarchy. The provisional government offered no resistance. Cánovas then formed a regency cabinet and informed Alfonso, who was then in Paris, that he was proclaimed King.

Initial Measures of the New Regime

The first measures of the new regime were aimed at restoring the authority of the Crown. To achieve this, Cánovas implemented several key policies:

• He appointed new governors and mayors.
• He introduced censorship and decreed the closure of Republican newspapers.
• He restored the Concordat with the Catholic Church and returned the few unsold goods.

Despite these initial conservative measures, Cánovas maintained contacts with Progressives and Democrats to secure their support for the new regime.

Ending the Wars: Carlist and Cuban Conflicts

In the subsequent two years, the army took the offensive, bringing an end to two significant wars that had begun in the previous period:

• 1876: The Carlist War concluded with the surrender of the Carlists, formalized by the Somorrostro Manifesto.
• 1878: The Cuban War ended with the Peace of Zanjón. This agreement included a broad amnesty, freedom for slaves from Asia, and a promise of political reforms. However, these promised reforms were largely ignored by the Spanish government in subsequent years.