CARLIST WARS: FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD - HISTORY - 2025

The Carlist Wars were a set of warfare that took place in Spain during the 19th century. These wars occurred because, after the death of King Ferdinand VII, his daughter Elizabeth II was the one who had to assume power.

The late king's brother, Carlos María Isidro (Carlos V), decided to rise up in order to take the throne from his niece, with the excuse that she was too young, as well as a woman.

The Carlist wars are considered one of the most devastating warlike conflicts in the history of 19th century Spain. Source: wikipedia.org

The first war, which occurred between 1833 and 1839, was imbued with the spirit of Romanticism, whose philosophical movement was introduced with fury in the Peninsula and other European regions in those years. Therefore, this first confrontation was inspired by the patriotic and revolutionary ideals typical of this era of uprisings.

In this first coalition, Carlos V was the protagonist, who initiated favorable uprisings in the areas of Aragon, Valencia, Catalonia and the Basque Country; These actions brought with them a balance of approximately 200,000 deaths.

The second Carlist war occurred between 1846 and 1849; it was less passionate and more political, departing somewhat from early romantic and nationalist ideals. The second confrontations took place mainly in rural Catalonia, and there were other minor outbreaks in other parts of the Spanish geography. The protagonist was Carlos Luis de Borbón.

The third war occurred in 1872 and ended in 1876. It occurred as a consequence of a moment of political instability in the course of the so-called Democratic Six-year term during the mandate of Amadeo I. Consequently, both Navarra and the Basque Country became strong Carlist territories difficult to conquer by liberals.

First Carlist War

Causes

The first Carlist war consisted of a warlike confrontation between the Carlists - who were supporters of Carlos María Isidro de Borbón (hence the name of these conflicts) - and the Elizabethans, who supported the reign of Elizabeth II, who remained under the tutelage of the regent queen María Cristina de Borbón.

The regent María Cristina de Borbón and her reforms

According to historians, the government of María Cristina had begun along the lines of absolutism; however, the queen decided to focus on liberal ideas in order to gain the support of the masses.

The motto of these rulers (that is, of Isabel and her mother) was "Homeland, God and King"; They used this motto to articulate their political theory.

Other decisions that María Cristina made with the help of her advisers was to apply foralism - a doctrine that consists of establishing local jurisdictions - in each of the Spanish territories. They also applied the defense of religion and Catholic values ​​above any other cultural aspect.

For their part, the Carlists were made up of a group of small landowners, rural people and small artisans, who did not feel comfortable with the reforms that the government of María Cristina had applied.

For this reason, the first uprisings began in the most rural areas of northern Spain, such as Catalonia, Aragon, Navarra and the Basque Country.

Charles V on the side of the absolutists

Carlos had managed to attract the most absolutist and radical groups, who were in favor of the most traditional values.

This sector was in disagreement with the changes that Fernando VII had implemented before his death, who defended the foralidad as a political resource and the maintenance of the Inquisition as a form of ideological control.

In addition to having the support of the rural sector, Carlos also managed to group some small nobles together with members of the middle and lower clergy. Likewise, it had the help of the popular mass, who were seriously affected by the liberal reforms since the unions were abolished and tribute payments were increased.

The First Carlist War is also known as the "Seven Years War", precisely due to its duration (1833-1839).

This war was ended with the treaty called Abrazo or Agreement of Vergara, which was signed by a Carlist general known as Maroto and by a general of the liberal court known as Espartero. In this way, a brief period of peace could be established in the Iberian Peninsula.

Consequences

In the first place, one of the main consequences of this first Carlist confrontation consisted in the high cost of human lives, as it was a very bloody, violent and long war that wiped out a good part of the Spanish population.

As a political consequence, these conflicts triggered the decision of the Spanish monarchy to become completely liberal, leaving absolutism aside. It is worth saying that both Elizabeth and the Queen Regent disagreed with all liberal policies, so they adopted a more conservative version of this ideology.

In the economic aspect, the war brought with it countless expenses, which worsened the situation around the finance policies. Consequently, the government found it necessary to look after the needs of the State over the needs of agrarian reform.

Second Carlist War

Causes

Failed negotiation through marriage

After the peace treaty with which the first confrontation was finalized, Carlos María Isidro (Carlos V) had proposed the idea that his son Carlos VI should marry Isabel II; in this way the confrontations could stop and finally Carlism could be established in Spanish power.

However, Isabel II married Francisco de Asís Borbón. As a result of this failure in the negotiation attempt, a warlike outbreak occurred again in 1846, which lasted until 1849.

This war took place in the states of Aragon, Burgos, Navarra, Toledo and Catalonia, and was given the name of the War of the Matiners. Carlos Luis de Borbón's attempts were joined by some progressive and republican parties, who had previously disagreed with Carlism.

Economic and social causes

Another cause of this second war had to do with the fact that the poorest and most rural sector of the Spanish population had been greatly affected since the first war, so they were starving.

The government of the regent queen had decided to send food to overcome these difficulties, but there had not been enough provisions to solve the famine.

In parallel, a crisis was also occurring at the industrial level, which had an influence on the gestation of the Catalan Industrial Revolution. Consequently, these difficulties encouraged smuggling, as well as a decrease in foreign demand for different Spanish products.

All these difficulties, both political and economic, led to the outbreak of the Second Carlist War.

Consequences

For some historians, the Second Carlist War was one of the most traumatic events in the history of 19th century Spain, as it completely destabilized the Spanish economy and contributed to the social and spiritual deterioration of the population.

One of the fundamental consequences of this second warfare was that Spanish society was divided into two main camps, which caused the ruin of both public and private estates; This happened because both armies were kept standing thanks to the assets of the rural territories.

From the political point of view, another consequence was the strengthening of the provincial issue, which brought with it many trade restrictions and greater resentment within the more conservative landowners.

Third Carlist War

The Third Carlist War is also considered the Second Carlist War, as some historians deny that it was as important as the other two confrontations of this historical period.

This confrontation took place between 1872 and 1876, but this time the Carlist suitor was Carlos, Duke of Madrid, while on the monarchical side were Amadeo I and Alfonso XII.

Background

After the War of the Matiners some years of peace passed; however, the social conflict between the Carlists and the Liberals remained in force. In 1861 Carlos V died, which left a feeling of bewilderment and emptiness in all Carlist supporters since his brother and successor, Juan, was part of the Liberal party.

During those years, the widow of Carlos V, the princess of Beira, took over the reins of the party.

In 1868 a revolution occurred that forced Elizabeth II to leave the Peninsula, for which Amadeo de Saboya assumed power, who believed in the establishment of a democratic regime under the liberal ideology.

As a consequence of this transitional stage, there was an increase in the number of followers on the Carlist side, since the conservatives decided to join this party. Consequently, by 1871 Carlos's party had become a majority within parliament.

Causes

One of the main causes of this third warfare, in addition to the political weakening of the Liberals in parliament, was the events of the 1872 elections.

During this time, the Carlists had been accused of fraud. This outraged the more traditional and conservative groups, who used this accusation as a pretext to take up arms in some parts of Catalonia and Pamplona.

After that event, the Carlists managed to rise up in other regions such as Navarra and in some Basque provinces, which started the formal warfare.

At that time the Carlists had managed to convince the rulers of the European continent that liberal Spain implied a danger for the Peninsula.

Consequences

Despite the fact that the Carlists considered that on this occasion they could finally access the throne thanks to the fact that they had increased in number and had international support, they definitively failed when Alfonso XII, son of Queen Elizabeth II, obtained the coronation by being the legitimate heir.

Exile of Carlos VII

As a consequence of these events, Carlos VII decided to go into exile to the completely defeated French country, but swearing that he would return to claim what was his.

Another consequence of the Third Carlist War consisted in the discontent left in the population by the fact that none of the objectives set by the Carlist party could be achieved.

To this is added a large number of deaths, which led to an increase in famine, misery and poverty that spread throughout the Peninsula, along with a myriad of diseases that spread thanks to the military expeditions carried out by the Carlists.

Positive effects of the third war

Despite all the disastrous consequences of warfare of this magnitude, some historians believe that something positive was achieved.

Through the treaty made by Lord Eliot, it was sought to reduce the atrocities between the two Spanish sides, since said treaty sought a more adequate procedure for the people who were under arrest.

After the failure of the uprising, the Carlist party soldiers were received into the government army and were able to keep all the decorations from their previous positions. However, many Carlist soldiers did not want to take this path but preferred to desert.

For Alfonso's party, the end of this war implied the establishment of a restoration government through which the creation of the 1876 Constitution was promoted. The king's soldiers were acclaimed and celebrated by awarding the medals corresponding to the civil war.

Alfonso decided to tolerate the military of the other side, stating that they could remain in the Peninsula since they had become respectable rivals. In other words, this civil war did not put an end to Carlist ideas, because no grievances were carried out against the defeated side.

Appearance of the Basque Nationalist Party

Another fundamental consequence of these confrontations was the total disappearance of the fueros, which were legally eliminated in 1876.

As a result of this abolition, it was decided to sign the First Basque Economic Agreement, which allowed this Spanish sector to maintain its economic autonomy. Years later, this promoted the gestation of the well-known Basque Nationalist Party, in 1895.

References

1. (SA) (2011) The Carlist Wars. Retrieved on March 25, 2019 from DNL Histoire-géographie: dnl.org
2. Bullón, A. (2002) The First Carlist War, doctoral thesis. Retrieved on March 25, 2019 from the Department of Contemporary History: eprints.ucm.es
3. Caspe, M. (1998) Some conclusions about the consequences of the Second Carlist War in Navarra (1872-1876). Retrieved on March 25, 2019 from Euskomedia: hedatuz.euskomedia.org
4. Ezpeleta, F. (2012) The Carlist wars in youth literature. Retrieved on March 25, 2019 from Dialnet: dialnet.com
5. Luaces, P. (2011) 1876: The Third and Last Carlist War ends. Retrieved on March 25, 2019 from Libertad Digital: blogs.libertaddigital.com