Spanish History Notes - 1800s PDF

**[Introduction:]** The Bourbon monarchs followed the model of Enlightened Despotism. However, the principles of the French Revolution spread across the Peninsula. With the reign of Carlos IV, the economic situation worsened, and the Old Regime ended, establishing a new regime based on a new politi...

**[Introduction:]** The Bourbon monarchs followed the model of Enlightened Despotism. However, the principles of the French Revolution spread across the Peninsula. With the reign of Carlos IV, the economic situation worsened, and the Old Regime ended, establishing a new regime based on a new political, economic and societal order. Carlo's IV's reign began in 1788, one year before the French Revolution. When Napoleon came to power (1799) Godoy, Spain's new Prime Minister, made an alliance with France. Spain joined forces with the French (signing the Treaty of San Ildefonso) to make the Continental Blockade on Great Britain. The British defeated them at the naval Battle of Trafalgar and Godoy and Napoleon signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau, allowing France to cross Spain to attack Portugal. **[The Spanish War of Independence]** The heir to the throne, Fernando, didn't agree with the Treaty of Fontainebleau so he led and uprising (the Mutiny of Aranjuez) where Godoy was almost killed and Carlos IV had to abdicate. Meanwhile, Napoleon revealed that his plan was to occupy Spain while crossing to Portugal but because of the changes in the throne he asked Carlos IV and his son to meet with him and he forced them to the Abdications of Bayonne. He imprisoned them and made his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, king. On 2 May 1808 the people of Madrid rebelled and started the Spanish War of Independence. The Spanish force won some battles (battle of Bailén) but the occupation was almost complete. Some places resisted (Zaragoza and Girona) but the only place that didn't fall was Cadiz who made and allyship with Great Britain which sent its troops controlled by Duke Wellington. The first army's defeat led to people forming guerrillas, surprise attacks on the French army that were key to victory. In 1813 with the Treaty of Valançay the French withdrew. **[The reign of Joseph Bonaparte and the "Afrancesados" (Frenchified)]** During the war there were two governments: king Joseph I and the Central Council. On June 6, 1808, Joseph Bonaparte was proclaimed king, he promised to improve the economy, restore the Cortes, tolerate only Catholicism and imminent prosperity. He imposed the Bayonne Constitution, it was based on the abolition of the medieval estates and included enlightenment reforms, such as, freedom of printing, equality under the law and everyone had to pay taxes. It didn't have and influence in the Spaniard's life and only its legislative work was important. He had some supporter, who were called "afrancesados". They were civil servants and politicians who had sworn fidelity to him to preserve their position. Most Spanish people rejected his authority. The defeat of the French made the "afrancesados" suffering repression or taking refuge in France, a lot of families were exiled. **[The revolutionary work of the cortes of Cádiz: the Constitution of 1812]** In 1810 the Central Council represented Fernando VII, it coordinated local and provincial councils that were elected. It was the first time Spanish people elected their representatives, they had two functions: respond to the need of the war and convince Courts to analyse the reforms needed in the country. The Central Council took refuge in Cádiz, in 1812 they held election to bring representatives at the first parliament and wrote a constitution. On 19 March 1812 the deputies, influenced by liberal ideas, approved a constitution, the first of Spain, known as La Pepa. In the Constitution of 1812, the king depended on the parliament, ending the absolutist regime. But it maintained two traditional elements: the monarchy and Catholicism: - Sovereignty is in the hands of the nation, which establishes the fundamental laws. - Separations of powers. The king will have the executive power, and the courts will have the judicial power (the establish the law) - Right to universal manhood suffrage. - Abolition of jurisdictional feudal estates. Noblemen couldn't administer justice in their feudal estates, the state authorities had to do ti - Suppression of the Inquisition. - Guaranteed rights and freedoms: equality un the law, the right to privacy and freedom of expression The first example of classic liberalism in Spain and worldwide. It was an attempt to work out a new liberal scheme of government and society in harmony, whit traditional Spanish values. **[Spanish War of Independence in the Basque Country or the Napoleonic invasion of Hegoalde]** In 1808 Fernando VII was alert of the importance of the Basque particularities because of this he swore the traditional oath of loyalty to the Fueros. Soon after, Napoleon invaded the Spanish kingdom. Napoleon called an assembly in Bayonne to which he invited several influential Spanish and Basque representatives. Surprisingly, he agreed to the demand made by the delegations of Araba, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Navarra and the Bayonne Constitution guaranteed the fueros of Hegoalde while also making Joseph Bonaparte as king. This meeting and the Constitution didn't help calm down most of the population and in the summer of 1808, outbursts against the French army were brutally suppressed leading to the start of an insurgent war in which Hegoalde played an important role. By 1809, the French put in strategic centre the "afrancesados" and inflamed the local population developing a major war in Hegoalde. At the end of 1809, guerrilla bands (mostly Basque peasants) started organizing. By 811 the tables turned and the Basque guerrillas controlled the countryside and later the urban centres of Hegoalde. The French started losing the war and in 1812-1813 the enemy withdrew. Two of the most important battles at the end of the War of Independence were: Battle of Vitoria and Battle of San Marcial (Irún). In 1813 the Bourbon monarchy was back in Spain. Despite winning Spain was left with harsh social and economic repercussion. In 1812 the Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed and it called for a centralized state crating a threat to the freedom of the Basque province that serves as the driving political theme in Hegoalde to this day. After the Spanish victory Joseph I left Spain (treaty of Valançay 1813) and the reign of Fernando VII (1813-1833) started, Spain returned to absolutism and the liberalist reforms where stopped with the Constitution. His reign can be divided in three periods: - The Absolutist Sexenio (1814-1820): suppressing the Constitution of 1812 supported by the army and the 69 deputies in the Cortes - The liberal Triennium (1820-1823): restoring the Constitution of 1812 supported by colonel Riego and Quiroga - The Década Ominosa (1823-1833): restoring absolutism supported by the Cien Mil Hijos de San Luis In 1833 de died and the constitutionalism that was in Spain triggered a civil war between Carlo's supporters and Isabel's, this was the First Carlist War