Summary
Spain’s 19th century was a long struggle between absolutism and liberalism. It began with Napoleon’s invasion (1808): while the French were being fought, the Cortes of Cádiz approved the 1812 Constitution, the first liberal one. Ferdinand VII annulled it twice (1814 and 1823) and, on his death (1833), the succession dispute between his daughter Isabella and his brother Carlos sparked the Carlist Wars. Meanwhile, mainland America became independent.
Under Isabella II the liberal State was built: the disentailments of Mendizábal and Madoz, the constitutions of 1837 and 1845, the railway and an industry concentrated in Catalonia. The Glorious Revolution (1868) opened the Democratic Sexennium: the 1869 Constitution with universal male suffrage, King Amadeo I and the First Republic (1873). The Restoration (1874) brought back the Bourbons with Alfonso XII; Cánovas’ system, with its turno pacífico and caciquismo, gave stability until the Disaster of 1898 lost the last colonies and opened the way to regenerationism.
Key points
- 1808: 2 May uprising and the Peninsular War against Napoleon.
- 1812: Constitution of Cádiz, national sovereignty and separation of powers.
- Ferdinand VII: absolutism (1814), the Liberal Triennium (1820-1823) and the Ominous Decade.
- 1833: Carlist Wars between Isabelline liberals and absolutist Carlists.
- 1836: Mendizábal’s disentailment; 1855, Madoz’s.
- 1868: the Glorious Revolution; 1869: universal male suffrage; 1873: First Republic.
- 1874: Restoration with Alfonso XII; the 1876 Constitution and the turno pacífico.
- 1898: loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines; regenerationism.