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The Crisis of Ancien Régime in Spain. Summary

The Ancien Régime in Spain was in crisis at the turn of the 19th century. King Carlos IV dismissed enlightened advisors in favor of Manuel Godoy, whose mismanagement led to war with France and loss of maritime power. Growing unrest and a French-backed coup in 1808 led to the Abdications of Bayonne and start of the Spanish War of Independence. The liberal Cortes of Cádiz established sovereignty and drafted a constitution, though it was later rejected by the returning King Ferdinand VII.

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D Díaz Martín
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107 views3 pages

The Crisis of Ancien Régime in Spain. Summary

The Ancien Régime in Spain was in crisis at the turn of the 19th century. King Carlos IV dismissed enlightened advisors in favor of Manuel Godoy, whose mismanagement led to war with France and loss of maritime power. Growing unrest and a French-backed coup in 1808 led to the Abdications of Bayonne and start of the Spanish War of Independence. The liberal Cortes of Cádiz established sovereignty and drafted a constitution, though it was later rejected by the returning King Ferdinand VII.

Uploaded by

D Díaz Martín
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© © All Rights Reserved
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THE CRISIS OF ANCIEN RÉGIME IN SPAIN.

SUMMARY

Carlos III, an enlightened monarch who reigned in Spain from 1759 to 1788, was succeeded
by his son Carlos IV. The following year the Revolution of 1789 begins in France, which put an end
to the Old Regime, so the rise of the bourgeoisie will be unstoppable.

Carlos IV is afraid that the same thing will happen in Spain and dismisses the enlightened
collaborators that his father had, that is, the count of Aranda and the count of Floridablanca,
being replaced by Manuel Godoy, a personal friend of the kings who helps them to put an end to
the previous reformism. He governs despotically and the nobility stands against, the most unhappy
groups are around the figure of the Prince of Asturias, the future Fernando VII.

Godoy declares war on the France of the Convention but Spain is defeated and is forced to sign
La Paz de Basilea (1795). After Godoy changes his strategy and links Spain with France, which
leads to enmity with England, who attacks Spanish ports, damaging Spanish trade.

In 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power and Godoy is at his mercy. Spain participates in the
War of the Oranges (1801) so Spain also fell out with Portugal, ally of England.

In 1804 Napoleon is crowned emperor. He uses Godoy's ambition to dispose of the Spanish navy
with the objective of invading England. The Battle of Trafalgar takes place in 1805. Our fleet
(Invencible Armada) is destroyed by Nelson's intelligence and Villeneuve's inability. Spain loses
maritime power.

In 1807 Godoy signed another treaty with France: the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Napoleon
deceives Godoy by promising him territories and making him Prince of the Algarbes and asks him to
invade Portugal.

In 1807 Godoy's situation was critical, everyone was against it, including the Prince of Asturias
(El Escorial Process 1807).

When Godoy realizes Napoleon's true invasion intentions, he decides to put the royal family to
safety. He decides that they should embark for America so they go to Seville or Cádiz. However, the
nobility takes advantage of it to promote the Tumult of Aranjuez. Consequently, Godoy falls and
Carlos IV is forced to abdicate his son Fernando VII.

Carlos IV asks Napoleon for help and Napoleon meets Carlos IV and Fernando VII in Bayonne.
The Abdications of Bayonne will take place, Napoleon will take the throne of Spain and he’ll cede
it to his brother José Bonaparte.

Simultaneously in Spain, the uprising of May 2 will take place and the War of independence
starts. There was a general uprising in Madrid against the French, while Napoleon gives the order to
move the Royal Family to France.

Most of the army, all the nobility, a great number of officials and the clergy do not support it. The
Regency Council left in Madrid by Don Fernando, preaches peace and order.

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The people rise up in arms in villages and towns. The mayor of Móstoles declared war on
Napoleon and a large part of the provincial nobility and most of the enlightened intellectuals were
preparing to lead the uprising. They begin to organize themselves into “guerrillas” (irregular troops);
the fight is generalized throughout the country.

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE (1808-1814) is divided into the following phases:

- May 1 to October 1808: phase of Spanish predominance. The site of Zaragoza (General
Palafox) and the Battle of Bailén (General Castaños) stand out. The French army cannot
dominate the Peninsula and is retreating towards the Basque Country.

- October 2 (1808) to July 1812: phase of French military dominance. Napoleon even arrives with
his Grande Armée. However, in 1809 he must leave for other conflict zones in Europe, the
Austrian Empire.

- July 3 (1812) to 1814: phase in which the "guerrilla war" starts and England (Wellington)
decides to support Spain against France, which is defeated on several occasions (Los Arapiles,
Vitoria and San Marcial) until crossing the Pyrenees for which Napoleon will be forced to sign
the Treaty of Valençay (December 1813).

THE COURTS OF CÁDIZ

They were established by the Regency Council born of the Central Board that was dissolved in
1810. They meet between September 1810 and May 1814.

As had happened in France, they reject the meeting by estates and will congregate in a single
chamber with individual vote. They swear national sovereignty by carrying out the division of
the three powers. They express the abolition of the traditional and absolutist monarchy,
rejecting fidelity to the Bourbon monarchy.

They did not recognize the abdications of Bayonne. Freedom of the press with the
suppression of any type of censorship, abolition of the Holy Court of the Inquisition (decision
strongly disputed) and suppression of the nobility tests to enter the military academies would
also be important. Torture to make an accused confess was also abolished. Among the legislative
measures are:

- The abolition of jurisdictional rights.


- The elimination of the majors.
- The confiscation of own goods.
- The abolition of the guilds.
The legislative work of the Cortes of Cádiz represented the break with the Old Regime.

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THE CONSTITUTION OF 1812

It was proclaimed on March 19, 1812. Technically perfect for an evolved society, it was
inadequate for the real conditions of the Spanish people at the beginning of the 19th century. This
explains its failure, Fernando VII did not accept it on his return. Its essential points will be:

- Declaration of national sovereignty with the exclusive right to make laws.


- Indirect universal suffrage.
- Single Chamber of Deputies.
- Judicial unification in a single jurisdiction.
- Equality before the law.
- Division of powers.
- Economic freedom (suppression of unions, confiscations …).
- Catholic religion.
- Universal male suffrage.
- Uniform education (School of first letters).
- Moderate monarchy (it promotes laws and has the right to veto).
- Creation of the National Militia (group of civilians armed to defend the constitutional system).
It had a great influence outside our borders, serving as a model in Portugal, Italy and other Latin
American countries that would be born later.

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