Spain between Absolutism and Liberalism
The reign of Fernando VII and the return of absolutism
Troops under Lieutenant Colonel Riego revolted against Fernando VII
This marked the start of the Trienio Liberal
Conflict between moderate liberals and radical or fanatic liberals and absolutists.
Decada Ominosa
The Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis invaded Spain and the absolutist throne was finally restored
A period in which the king took anti-liberal and conservative measures, reinstated the Inquisition and closed universities
Fernando made sure that his daughter Isabel would succeed him
Fernando VII passed a new law before his death, the Pragmática Sanción
This replaced the Salic Law, which forbade succession by women
This triggered a civil war between Carlos’s supporters and Isabel’s. This was the First Carlist War
The reign of Isabell II: Moderate Liberalism
She had two regents before ascending to the throne
Characteristics of her reign:
Military victory over the Carlists
Thought there were more carlist wars Isabel still won
Establishment of a constitutional monarchy
Despite the move towards liberalism, the monarchy still maintained a large portion of power
Two-party system
These parties represented the two types of liberalism: the Moderate Party and the Progressive Party
Constitutions
Two constitutions were established during Isabel’s regency and reign
Centralism
Moderantism imposed a strongly centralised government
Desamortizaciones
Land was expropriated by the state to be sold at public auction
Different decades
The Decada Moderada
The government’s position was very conservative
The progressives were marginalised and Democratic Party was suppressed
The Bienio Progresista
It began when a group of moderate, progressive and democratic troops seized power in a rebellion
Crisis of moderantism
During this period, the Moderate Party and the Liberal Union, a centrist party, alternated in power
Sexenio Democratico: Democratic Liberalism
The Revolution of 1868
The Revolution of 1868, known as La Gloriosa made Isabel go into exile
Politics was democratised during this period
In 1869, Spanish Parliament approved a new constitution
The democratic monarchy under Amadeo I
Parliament did not want a Bourbon monarch
They selected Amadeo of Savoy, an Italian candidate supported by Prim, as the new king
His short reign was marked by great instability
The new king abdicated after a short reign, and the Spanish Parliament declared the First Republic
The First Republic
There were four presidents during this 11-month period
None of them managed to resolve the political disagreement amongst republicans
