PACT OF EL PARDO: ANTECEDENTS, CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2024

The Pact of El Pardo was an agreement reached by the political leaders of the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party of Spain in 1885, to guarantee a continuity of the Monarchy in the country, after the early death of the then king, Alfonso XII.

The agreement was due in large part to the lack of political and monarchical stability in the country after the overthrow of Queen Elizabeth II (Alfonso's mother). This event had temporarily ended the monarchy in Spain. The two main political parties welcomed the reestablishment and maintenance of a kingdom.

Maria Cristina of Habsburg

The agreement consisted of the alternation between liberals and conservatives in the government during each period, and also proposed the protection of Alfonso XII's wife, María Cristina de Habsburgo, who carried the son of the late king in her womb. Eventually, the son of Alfonso XII would inherit the throne under the name Alfonso XIII.

Background

Revolution of 1868

The September Revolution of 1868, also known as the Septembrina, was a military uprising that occurred in Spain during the reign of the monarchy of Isabel II, mother of Alfonso XII. It was the first attempt in the history of the Iberian nation to officially establish a democratic regime to end centuries of monarchy.

The same uprising had various antecedents that led to the revolution, and there was even an attempted insurrection previously in 1866. When the military finally declared the start of the revolution in 1868, a series of battles broke out between the forces of the Crown and the rebels, in which the latter were victorious.

Although this revolution had civil purposes, the main objective was the overthrow of Isabel II to offer, for the first time in the history of Spain, the selection of the next leader of the nation through universal suffrage.

First Republic

Originally a parliamentary monarchy was established to provide an easier transition period to democracy, but in 1873 the First Spanish Republic was established. This democratic regime had a short life, due to the political instability that the fall of the monarchy had left.

In 1874, six years after the start of the revolution, a general named Arsenio Martínez Campos declared in favor of a reestablishment of the monarchy, an event that triggered a coup that met with little resistance.

The son of Isabel II, Alfonso XII, was proclaimed the new king of Spain and the corresponding monarchical order was restored.

Causes

Instability generated by the democratic regime

The Revolution of 1868 was not a good start for Spanish democracy. It is even believed that it was an attempt at a separatist movement that attacked the integrity of all of Spain. The signing of the Pact of El Pardo served to avoid a repetition of the events that occurred in the country during the constitutional monarchy and the First Republic.

One of the beneficiaries of the 1868 Revolution was Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, who now presided over the Spanish Liberal Party. However, it was he and the president of the Conservative Party, Cánovas del Castillo, who reached the agreement to keep the monarchy alive and to alternate members of their respective parties in political power.

Alfonso XII's tuberculosis

King Alfonso XII was characterized as an emissary of peace in Spain. He performed acts of extreme kindness dedicated to the people and, in fact, decided to visit a cholera hospital when he was 27 years old (having been on the throne since he was 17).

Shortly after his return, he contracted very severe tuberculosis that systematically deteriorated his health until he ended his life.

His wife, María Cristina, was pregnant with a child. This was the one chosen to be the next king, but the sudden death of Alfonso XII was not expected, which would leave a void on the throne as there was no apparent heir.

The agreement reached in the Pact of El Pardo consisted of keeping María Cristina as provisional queen until Alfonso XIII, the son of the late king, could assume the throne when he came of age at 17 years of age.

The agreement was fulfilled, and the liberal and conservative governments alternated political power in Spain for decades.

Consequences

During the regency of María Cristina, conservatives and liberals alternated political power. It should be noted that Antonio Cánovas del Castillo presided over the conservative governments of Spain for almost two decades, alternating in power with the Liberals and with other members of the same party.

In total, Cánovas del Castillo became president six times. Alfonso XIII assumed power in 1903 and remained king for almost 30 years, until 1931.

Prominent figures

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo

Cánovas del Castillo was the leader of the Spanish Conservative Party, who arrived together with Práxedes Sagasta to agree on the Pact of El Pardo. This politician held important positions in the politics of Spain, becoming president six times.

Práxedes Mateo Sagasta

Sagasta was the president of the Liberal Party that signed the Pact of El Prado with Cánovas del Castillo. Unlike his conservative counterpart, Sagasta became president five times during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, when both parties rotated in power in the country.

Arsenio Martínez Campos

Martínez Campos was the army general who spoke out in favor of the reestablishment of the monarchy after the Revolution of 1868. He led the coup that put Alfonso XII in power, as it should have been.

In addition, Martínez Campos was in charge of arranging the meeting between Cánovas del Castillo and Práxedes Sagasta, to reach the agreement that became known as the El Pardo Pact.

Maria Cristina

María Cristina de Habsburgo was the Duchess of Austria and wife of Alfonso XII. She was in charge of ruling as a monarchical authority in Spain while Alfonso XIII reached the age of majority.

Based on his protection, the Pact of El Prado was signed, and this served to extend his stay in power and keep the monarchical authority alive in Spain.

References

1. Pacto de El Pardo (1885), ABC Madrid, March 9, 2009. Taken from abc.es
2. Maria Christina of Austria, Wikipedia in English, February 11, 2018. Taken from Wikipedia.org
3. Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, Wikipedia in English, March 4, 2018. Taken from Wikipedia.org
4. Glorious Revolution (1868), Wikipedia in English, January 11, 2018. Taken from Wikipedia.org
5. Alfonso XII of Spain, Wikipedia in English, March 16, 2018. Taken from Wikipedia.org