Summary of ESPAÑA-SIGLO XIX (4º E.S.P.A.)

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

The video discusses the history of Spanish politics from the 19th century to the present day, focusing on the role of the electoral system in determining who wins government. It talks about the importance of caciques, or influential local people, in transmitting government wishes to rural areas, and the growth of conservative political analysis in the country during this time. The video then discusses the rise of terrorism in Spain, which began with a failed assassination attempt on the capitán general of Cataluña, General Martinez Campos. The video describes the political context of the time and how the anarchist movement (known for its support of revolutionary terrorism) became a major player in Spanish politics.

• 00:00:00 In 1788, King Charles III died. Charles III's son, Carlos IV, then became king. This began the reign of Carlos IV, who had to wait 40 years to take the throne after being born in 1755. He also inherited Spain and a large colonial empire. All of the country's powers were concentrated in the king's hands. He was also the country's legislator, judge, and ruler. Carlos IV was very fond of hunting. Like his father, he was kind but weak characteristically opposite his wife, Maria Luisa de Parma. Her personality was much stronger. She was the most vilified queen in history, accused of being unfaithful, vengeful, and egocentric. She led a daring assault on the prison in July 1789, starting the French Revolution. The people of Paris took blood and fire to the royal prison, symbolizing the king's absolute power. This began the Revolution in France, which would eventually overthrow many old European monarchies, including Spain's. From this point on, Carlos IV's reign was inseparably linked to that of his Prime Minister, Manuel Godoy. Godoy, who had entered government only 25 years earlier, gained the Queen's favor and Charles IV's trust in just five
• 00:05:00 In this video, Napoleon is shown changing his plans and calling for a meeting with father and son, which ends in a warm reception. Napoleon then hides his true intentions and appoints his brother José Bonaparte as king of Spain in a single stroke, going to take over Spain and its colonies in America. The new king of Spain will be called José I. The 2 May 1808, the Madridians present themselves at the Oriente Palace's exit with destination to Bayona of the last members of the Royal family, including the son of the kings, the infante Francisco de Paula. The hatred against the French in Spain continues to spread as the news spreads, leading to a popular uprising throughout the city. The bloody clash with the Mameluke mercenaries serving the French takes place at the door of the Sun (Sol) and years later, Colla would immortalize this moment with her painting, The Incendiary Wave. The uprising spreads rapidly and French-based rebellions run rampant throughout the country by the end of July 1808, eventually spreading to all of Spain. The members of the central junta have to flee to Cadiz, the only city that will remain under Spanish control for the entire war, with three hundred thousand French soldiers after three days of
• 00:10:00 This video discusses the origins of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which established a parliamentary monarchy in Spain and eliminated the absolute monarchy. The video also discusses the effects of this change on society and the Spanish military. After a year of debate, the constitution was ratified in March 1812 and established many democratic principles, including equality and freedom for Spanish citizens. Within a few months of its ratification, the king dissolved the parliament and revoked all the reforms passed by it, including the Constitution. This led to a period of unrest and liberal activism, culminating in the military uprising of 1823. The video concludes with the statement that, because of the Constitution, Spain was "living at the mercy of absolute power and arbitrary rule" during the reign of King Fernando VII.
• 00:15:00 In 1820, in the town of Seville, Spain, a group of military officers led a rebellion against the king to try to restore Ferdinand VII to the throne. The rebellion was successful, and six months later, Ferdinand VII accepted the Constitution of 1812. This led to a series of military uprisings throughout the country until, in 1823, Fernando VII was restored to the throne with the help of French troops. The liberal revolution was eventually crushed, and many of its supporters were punished. Fernando VII then embarked on a series of reforms intended to improve the economy and society. This led to a new opposition group, the realists, who became more powerful in the late 1830s. In 1836, Fernando VII married his fourth wife, Maria Christina of Bourbon, and within six months she gave birth to a son, Carlos. The popular celebration of the birth was used by the king to legitimize his claim to the throne. The realists saw this as a chance to overthrow Fernando VII, and a series of conspiracies were hatched. In 1839, Fernando VII learned of a plot to kill him and his new wife, and he quickly married his fifth wife, Maria Cristina of Bourbon. The realists were unsuccessful in their attempts to stage a
• 00:20:00 This video discusses the history of Spain during the 19th century, specifically focusing on the reign of Queen Isabella II (1830-1833). The queen's brother, Carlos, who was the rightful heir to the throne, was excluded from the succession due to Isabella's pregnancy. This led to the first Carlist War (1830-1835), in which Carlos's supporters tried to overthrow the queen and restore the monarchy under his rule. The queen's moderating influence on Spanish politics during this time allowed the liberals to form a government, and they appointed former liberals as governors and appointed a constitutional monarchy in 1837. This new government was opposed by the reactionary monastic and noble factions, who formed the Carlist army and attempted to overthrow the queen in 1868. The queen fled to exile in France and the Carlist Revolution was ultimately defeated. This new liberal era saw the rise of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in the early 20th century.
• 00:25:00 Continuing news from Spain comes in rapid succession, with unrest beginning to brew in Cuba two days after General Serrano is sworn in as Prime Minister. On October 10th, a rebellion breaks out on the eastern side of the island, spearheaded by Manuel Hesse Perez, who promises his followers independence and the abolition of slavery. Spain's colonies, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, are the most prosperous and best situated strategically to fulfill Spain's coffee, sugar, and tobacco exports. One man alone could have been the slogan of the Spanish elections of 1869, in which for the first time all men aged 25 or over were allowed to vote. Six months after his coronation, King Amadeo II abdicates due to the political and social divisions he's faced during his two years on the throne. The new Constitution, drafted in June of 1869, is the most liberal and democratic of all those promulgated up to that point. It proclaims national sovereignty and establishes individual rights and freedoms in a comprehensive manner. One of the main goals of Amadeo's reign was to resolve the country's ongoing financial crisis. The nobility and the ecclesiastical hierarchy continued to be loyal to the House of Borbón, while the
• 00:30:00 In 1873, the Spanish parliament, the Congress, and the Senate convened together to proclaim the republic as the form of government for a nation that had failed to achieve democracy. The monarchy was the only remaining solution to the revolution of 1868, which kept its spirit. The moderate Federalists attempted to draft a new constitution that incorporates the new form of government and ends with centralized government. Spain would be composed of 17 states with extensive autonomy and was established as the separation of church and state. The first city to put this new government into practice was Cartagena, Colombia, on July 12, 1873, with the help of the navy's crewed ships. The citizens' uprising soon spread throughout the Mediterranean and Andalusia, and by December, dozens of cities had declared themselves independent. The Cantonal Revolution caused the fall of Pi and Margall within two months of their appointment. The Republican Congress was elected as new president, federalist Moderato Nicolás Salmerón, determined to restore order. Salmerón reintroduced the unitary form of the republic and appealed to the army to end the Cantonal Revolutions. Most of the cantons were reduced by force, but some fiercely defended, such as Cartagena and Malaga. The possibility of
• 00:35:00 The video discusses the history of Spanish politics from the 19th century to the present day, focusing on the role of the electoral system in determining who wins government. It talks about the importance of caciques, or influential local people, in transmitting government wishes to rural areas, and the growth of conservative political analysis in the country during this time. The video then discusses the rise of terrorism in Spain, which began with a failed assassination attempt on the capitán general of Cataluña, General Martinez Campos. The video describes the political context of the time and how the anarchist movement (known for its support of revolutionary terrorism) became a major player in Spanish politics.
• 00:40:00 In 1897, Spanish President Ramón Cánovas was assassinated while on vacation in the town of Mondragón. The assassin, an Italian anarchist, acted alone. In 1898, after Spain had declared war on the United States, America began its imperialist project, aware of Spain's comparative military weakness. Unable to defeat Spain militarily, the United States decided to pressure Spain into capitulation. This led to the debacle of 1898, three months after the war had technically ended. Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, conceding Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico to the United States. The Spanish empire was thus ended and the American empire began. After the disaster, as it became known, the Spanish spirits fell dramatically from enthusiasm to pessimism and frustration. Regenerationism, a movement spearheaded by intellectuals such as Joaquín Costa, sought to solve Spain's problems by reforming the oligarchy and caciquism.