First Carlist War
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The First Carlist War was a
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
from 1833 to 1840, the first of three
Carlist Wars The Carlist Wars () were a series of civil wars that took place in Spain during the 19th century. The contenders fought over claims to the throne, although some political differences also existed. Several times during the period from 1833 to 187 ...
. It was fought between two factions over the succession to the throne and the nature of the
Spanish monarchy , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
: the conservative and devolutionist supporters of the late king's brother, Carlos de Borbón (or ''Carlos V''), became known as
Carlists Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – ...
(''carlistas''), while the progressive and centralist supporters of the
regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
, Maria Christina,
acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...
for
Isabella II of Spain Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
, were called Liberals (''liberales''), ''cristinos'' or ''isabelinos''. It is considered by some authors the largest and most deadly civil war of the period. The Carlist forces were split in three geographically distinct armies: ('North'), and ('Catalonia'), which by and large operated independently from each other. Aside from being a
war of succession A war of succession is a war prompted by a succession crisis in which two or more individuals claim the Order of succession, right of successor to a demise of the Crown, deceased or deposition (politics), deposed monarch. The rivals are typic ...
about the question who the rightful successor to king
Ferdinand VII of Spain , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles IV of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Parma , birth_date = 14 October 1784 , birth_place = El Escorial, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Madrid, Spain , burial_plac ...
was, the Carlists’ goal was the return to a traditional monarchy, while the Liberals sought to defend the
constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
. Portugal, France and the United Kingdom supported the regency, and sent volunteer and even regular forces to confront the Carlist army.


Historical background

At the beginning of the 19th century, the political situation in Spain was extremely problematic. During the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
, the
Cortes of Cádiz The Cortes of Cádiz was a revival of the traditional ''Cortes Generales, cortes'' (Spanish parliament), which as an institution had not functioned for many years, but it met as a single body, rather than divided into estates as with previous o ...
which served as the Regency for the deposed
Ferdinand VII , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles IV of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Parma , birth_date = 14 October 1784 , birth_place = El Escorial, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Madrid, Spain , burial_plac ...
collaborated on the
Spanish Constitution of 1812 The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy ( es, link=no, Constitución Política de la Monarquía Española), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz ( es, link=no, Constitución de Cádiz) and as ''La Pepa'', was the first Constituti ...
. After the war, when Ferdinand VII returned to Spain (1814), he annulled the constitution in the Manifesto of Valencia, and became an absolutist king, governing by decrees and restoring the
Spanish Inquisition The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition ( es, Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition ( es, Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand ...
, abolished by
Joseph I Joseph I or Josef I may refer to: *Joseph I of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch in 1266–1275 and 1282–1283 *Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (1678–1711) *Joseph I (Chaldean Patriarch) (reigned 1681–1696) *Joseph I of Portugal (1750–1777) ...
, brother of
Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. The 1805
Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
had all but shattered the
Spanish navy The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
, with the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
leaving Spanish society overwhelmed by continuous warfare and badly damaged by looting. While the Spanish Empire collapsed, the maritime trade in the Americas and Philippines fell to a trickle, and Spain's military struggled to keep their colonies, with Mexico getting its independence in 1821. The overseas revenue was at a historic low, the royal coffers were empty. Balancing the books and recruitment to the military became an overriding concern for the Spanish Crown, with the governments under King
Ferdinand VII , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles IV of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Parma , birth_date = 14 October 1784 , birth_place = El Escorial, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Madrid, Spain , burial_plac ...
failing to provide new solutions or stability. During the '' Trienio Liberal'' (1820-1823), the progressives, who were allied to the business classes, resorted to international money lenders in an attempt to avert the economic meltdown Spain was facing. They turned to Paris, and particularly London, where many liberals (many of them
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
s) had fled on Ferdinand VII's return (1814). In London and Paris negotiations were opened respectively with Nathan Rothschild and
James Rothschild James Mayer de Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild (born Jakob Mayer Rothschild; 15 May 1792 – 15 November 1868) was a German- French banker and the founder of the French branch of the Rothschild family. Early life James de Rothschild was bor ...
. They bailed out the Spanish liberal regime, supported by Great Britain which consistently supported liberal movements in Europe and also had vested interest in securing the debt engaged in previous years. The 1823 intervention of a reactionary international alliance, the Sacred Alliance, restored Ferdinand VII on the Spanish throne, who repudiated the debts incurred by the 1820-1823 liberal rulers with the Rothschilds. For more than a decade, the unserviced liberal debt was a persistent sticking point with these financiers during talks for new loan requests. Against a backdrop of on-off bankruptcy and solvency issues, towards the end of his life, Ferdinand VII promulgated the
Pragmatic Sanction of 1830 The Pragmatic Sanction of 1830 (), issued on by King Ferdinand VII of Spain, ratified a Decree of 1789 by Charles IV of Spain, which had replaced the semi-Salic system established by Philip V of Spain with the mixed succession system that preda ...
giving hopes to the liberals.
Ferdinand VII of Spain , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles IV of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Parma , birth_date = 14 October 1784 , birth_place = El Escorial, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Madrid, Spain , burial_plac ...
had no male descendant, but two daughters, Isabella (later
Isabella II Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
) and
Luisa Fernanda Luisa (Italian and Spanish), Luísa ( Portuguese) or Louise (French) is a feminine given name; it is the feminine form of the given name Louis (Luis), the French form of the Frankish Chlodowig (German Ludwig), from the Germanic elements ''hlo ...
. The "Pragmatic Sanction" allowed Isabella to become Queen after his death. This overrode the rights of Carlos de Borbón, the king's brother, to the succession, He and his followers, such as Secretary of Justice
Francisco Tadeo Calomarde Francisco Tadeo Calomarde y Arría, 1st Duke of Santa Isabel (10 February 1773 – 19 June 1842) was a Spanish statesman. Biography Calomarde was born in Villel, Aragon, to poor parents. He studied law in Zaragoza, and secured through the ...
, pressed Ferdinand to change his mind. But the agonizing Ferdinand kept to his decision and when he died on 29 September 1833, Isabella became queen. As she was only a child, a regent was needed, so her mother Queen Consort Maria Christina was appointed. A strong absolutist party feared that the regent Maria Christina would make liberal reforms, and sought another candidate for the throne. The natural choice, based on Salic Law, was Ferdinand's brother
Carlos Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...
. The differing views on the influence of the army and the Church in governance, as well as the forthcoming administrative reforms paved the way for the expulsion of the Conservatives from the higher governmental circles. Cea Bermudez's centrist government (October 1832-January 1834) inaugurated the return to Spain of many exiles from London and Paris, e.g.
Juan Álvarez Mendizabal ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish language, Spanish and Manx language, Manx versions of ''John (given name), John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronoun ...
(born Méndez). The rise of Cea Bermudez was followed by a closer collaboration and understanding with the Rothschilds, who in turn clearly encouraged the former's reforms and liberalization, i.e. the new liberal regime and the incorporation of Spain to the European financial system. However, with state coffers yet again empty, the impending war, and the ''Trienio Liberal'' loan issue with the Rothschilds still not settled, Cea Bermudez's government fell. Faced with war breaking out in the Basque Country, the envoy of regent Maria Cristina's government, the Marquis of Miraflores (a middle-of-the-road liberal), contacted London's City bankers to open a line of credit with the Spanish Treasury (thus pay the next installment of external debt due in July 1834 and get new credit), as well as the British Government in order to garner its political endorsement. An agreement with Nathan and James Rothschild and a loan advance of 500,000 pounds to the Marquis of Miraflores paved the way to the establishment of the
Quadruple Alliance Quadruple Alliance may refer to: * The October 1673 alliance between the Dutch Republic, Emperor Leopold, Spain, and Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, during the Franco-Dutch War. * The 1718 alliance between Austria, France, the Netherlands, and Great ...
that sealed British and French protection to the Spanish government, including military operations (April 1834). As written by one historian:
The first Carlist war was fought not so much on the basis of the legal claim of Don Carlos, but because a passionate, dedicated section of the Spanish people favored a return to a kind of absolute monarchy that they felt would protect their individual freedoms (fueros), their regional individuality and their religious conservatism.
A vivid summary of the war describes it as follows:
The Christinos and Carlists thirsted for each other's blood, with all the fierce ardour of civil strife, animated by the memory of years of mutual insult, cruelty, and wrong. Brother against brother – father against son – best friend turned to bitterest foe – priests against their flocks – kindred against kindred.
The autonomy of Aragon, Valencia and Catalonia had been abolished in the 18th century by the
Nueva Planta Decrees The Nueva Planta decrees ( es, link=no, Decretos de Nueva Planta, ca, Decrets de Nova Planta, en, link=no, "Decrees of the New Plant") were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V, the first Bourbon King of Spain, during ...
that created a centralised Spanish state. In the Basque Country, the kingdom status of Navarre and the separate status of Álava, Biscay, and Gipuzkoa were challenged in 1833 during the central government's one-sided territorial division of Spain. The resentment against the growing intervention of Madrid (e.g. attempts to take over Biscayan mines in 1826) and the loss of autonomy was considerably strong.


Basque reasons for Carlist uprising

The Spanish liberal government wanted to suppress the
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...
fueros (), (), () or () is a Spanish legal term and concept. The word comes from Latin , an open space used as a market, tribunal and meeting place. The same Latin root is the origin of the French terms and , and the Portuguese terms and ; all ...
and to move the customs borders to the
Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
. Since the 18th century, a new emergent class had an interest in weakening the powerful Basque nobility and their influence in commerce which extended throughout the world with the help of the
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
order. The centralisers in the Spanish government supported some of the great powers against Basque merchants from at least since the time of the abolition of the Jesuit order and the
Godoy Godoy is a French surname coming from the Normandy region in France. It is derived from the Norman-French first name ''Gaudi'' meaning ruler. It is also a Spanish surname. It may refer to: *Adán Godoy (born 1936), Chilean football player *Aníbal ...
regime. First they sided with the French Bourbons to suppress the Jesuits, following the formidable changes in North America after the victory of the United States in the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. Then Godoy sided with the British against the Basques in the
War of the Pyrenees The War of the Pyrenees, also known as War of Roussillon or War of the Convention, was the Pyrenean front of the First Coalition's war against the First French Republic. It pitted Revolutionary France against the kingdoms of Spain and Portuga ...
of 1793, and immediately afterwards with the French of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, also against the Basques. The British interest was to destroy, for as long as possible, Spanish commercial routes and power, which were mainly sustained by the Basque ports and merchant fleet. However,
King Ferdinand VII , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles IV of Spain , mother = Maria Luisa of Parma , birth_date = 14 October 1784 , birth_place = El Escorial, Spain , death_date = , death_place = Madrid, Spain , burial_plac ...
found an important support base in the Basque Country. The 1812
Constitution of Cádiz The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy ( es, link=no, Constitución Política de la Monarquía Española), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz ( es, link=no, Constitución de Cádiz) and as ''La Pepa'', was the first Constituti ...
had suppressed Basque home rule, and was couched in terms of a unified Spanish nation which rejected the existence of the Basque nation, so the new Spanish king garnered the endorsement of the Basques as long as he respected the Basque institutional and legal framework. Most foreign observers, including
Charles F. Henningsen Charles Frederick Henningsen (1815 – 14 June 1877) was a Belgian Americans, Belgian-American writer, mercenary, Filibuster (military), filibuster, and munitions expert. He participated in Revolution, revolutions and Civil war, civil wars in ...
, Michael B. Honan, or Edward B. Stephens, English writers and first-hand witnesses of the First Carlist War, spent time in the Basque districts were highly sympathetic to the Carlists, which they regarded as representing the cause of Basque home rule. Probably the only exception was John Francis Bacon, a diplomat residing in Bilbao during the Carlist siege of (1835), who also praising Basque governance, could not hide his hostility towards the Carlists, whom he regarded as "savages." He went on to contest his compatriots' approach, denied a connection between the Carlist cause and the defense of the Basque liberties, and speculated that Carlos V would be quick to erode or suppress them if he took the Spanish throne.
The privileges of the Basque provinces are odious to the Spanish nation, of which Charles is so well aware, that if he was king of Spain next year, he would quickly find excuses for infringing them, if not their total abolition. A representative government will endeavour to raise Spain to a level with the Basque provinces, – a despot, to whom the very name of freedom is odious, would strive to reduce the provinces to the same low level with the rest.
Similar to what
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
had pointed 60 years before, John F. Bacon (
Six years in Biscay...
', 1838) considers the
Basques The Basques ( or ; eu, euskaldunak ; es, vascos ; french: basques ) are a Southwestern European ethnic group, characterised by the Basque language, a common culture and shared genetic ancestry to the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Bas ...
living to the north of the Ebro river as free citizens, as compared to the Spanish whom he sees as "a mere flock" liable to be mistreated by their masters. For Edward B. Stephens, the Basques were fighting at once for their own sources of legitimacy, their practical freedom, for the rights of their sovereign, and their own constitutional foundations. The excellence of the Basque home rule and its republican character is also highlighted by other authors, such as
Wentworth Webster Wentworth Webster (16 June 1828 – 2 April 1907) was an Anglican clergyman, scholar, and collector of folk tales of the Basque Country. Biography After studying in a private school in Brighton, he entered Lincoln College, Oxford at the ag ...
. A deeper insight into the Basques and their relation to the Spanish during this period is offered by Sidney Crocker and Bligh Barker (1839), stating that:
the Vasques, or as they term themselves, the Escaldunes, do not consider themselves Spaniards, and differ widely from them, in character and language.
The interests of the Basque liberals were divided. On the one side, fluent cross-Pyrenean trade with other Basque districts and France was highly valued, as well as unrestricted overseas transactions. The former had been strong up to the French Revolution, especially in Navarre, but the new French national arrangement (1790) had abolished the separate legal and fiscal status of the French Basque districts. Despite difficulties, on-off trade continued during the period of uncertainty prevailing under the French Convention, the War of the Pyrenees (1793-1795),
Manuel Godoy Manuel Godoy y Álvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, 1st Duke of Alcudia, 1st Duke of Sueca, 1st Baron of Mascalbó (12 May 17674 October 1851) was First Secretary of State of Spain from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1808. He received many t ...
's tenure in office, and the Peninsular War. Eventually, Napoleonic defeat left cross-border commercial activity struggling to take off after 1813. Overseas commerce was badly affected by the end of the
Guipuzcoan Company of Caracas The Royal Guipuzcoan Company of Caracas (modern spelling variant ''Gipuzkoan'', known also as the ''Guipuzcoana Company'', es, Real Compañia Guipuzcoana de Caracas; eu, Caracasko Gipuzkoar Errege Konpainia) was a Spanish Basque trading compan ...
(1785), the French-Spanish defeat at the
Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
(1805), independence movements in Latin America, the destruction of San Sebastián (1813), and the eventual breakup of the Royal Philippine Company (1814). By 1826 all the grand Spanish (including the Basque) fleet of the late 18th century with its renowned Basque navigators was gone for the benefit of the British Empire, and with it, the Atlantic vocation of the Enlightened Spain. Notwithstanding the ideology of Basque liberals, overall supportive of home rule, the Basques were getting choked by the above circumstances and customs on the
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
, on account of the high levies enforced on them by the successive Spanish governments after 1776. Many Basque liberals advocated in turn for the relocation of the Ebro customs to the Pyrenees, and the encouragement of a Spanish market. On Ferdinand VII's death in 1833, the minor Isabella II was proclaimed queen, with Maria Christina acting as regent. In November, a new Spanish institutional arrangement was designed by the incoming government in Madrid, homogenising Spanish administration according to provinces and conspicuously overruling Basque institutions. Anger and disbelief spread in the Basque districts.


Contenders

The people of the western Basque provinces (ambiguously called "Biscay" up to that point) and
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
sided with Carlos because ideologically Carlos was close to them and more importantly because he was willing to uphold Basque institutions and laws. Some historians claim that the Carlist cause in the Basque Country was a pro-''fueros'' cause, but others (
Stanley G. Payne Stanley George Payne (born September 9, 1934) is an American historian of modern Spain and European Fascism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He retired from full-time teaching in 2004 and is currently Professor Emeritus at its Department ...
) contend that no connection to the emergence of Basque nationalism can be postulated. Many supporters of the Carlists cause believed a traditionalist rule would better respect the ancient region specific institutions and laws established under historical rights. Navarre and the rest of the Basque provinces held their customs on the Ebro river. Trade had been strong with France (especially in Navarre) and overseas up to the Peninsular War (up to 1813), but getting sluggish thereafter. Another important reason for the massive mobilisation of the western Basque provinces and Navarre for the Carlist cause was the tremendous influence of the Basque clergy in the society, one that still addressed to them in their own language,
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...
, unlike school and administration, institutions where Spanish had been imposed by then. The Basque pro-''fueros'' liberal class under the influence of the Enlightenment and ready for independence from Spain (and initially at least allegiance to France) was put down by the Spanish authorities at the end of the
War of the Pyrenees The War of the Pyrenees, also known as War of Roussillon or War of the Convention, was the Pyrenean front of the First Coalition's war against the First French Republic. It pitted Revolutionary France against the kingdoms of Spain and Portuga ...
(
San Sebastián San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...
,
Pamplona Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...
, etc.). As of then, the strongest partisans of the region specific laws were the rural based clergy, nobility and lower class—opposing new liberal ideas largely imported from France.
Salvador de Madariaga Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo (23 July 1886 – 14 December 1978) was a Spanish diplomat, writer, historian, and pacifist. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the Charlemagne Prize in 197 ...
, in his book ''Memories of a Federalist'' (Buenos Aires, 1967), accused the Basque clergy of being "the heart, the brain and the root of the intolerance and the hard line" of the Spanish Catholic Church. On the other side, the liberals and moderates united to defend the new order represented by María Cristina and her three-year-old daughter, Isabella. They controlled the institutions, almost the whole army, and the cities; the Carlist movement was stronger in rural areas. The liberals had the crucial support of
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, support that was shown in the important credits to Cristina's treasury and the military help from the British (British Legion or Westminster Legion under General de Lacy Evans), the French (the
French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
), and the Portuguese (a Regular Army Division, under General
Count of Antas Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
). The Liberals were strong enough to win the war in two months. But, an inefficient government and the dispersion of the Carlist forces gave Carlos time to consolidate his forces and hold out for almost seven years in the northern and eastern provinces. As Paul Johnson has written, "both royalists and liberals began to develop strong local followings, which were to perpetuate and transmute themselves, through many open commotions and deceptively tranquil intervals, until they exploded in the merciless civil war of 1936-39."


Combatants

Both sides raised special troops during the war. The Liberal side formed the volunteer Basque units known as the
Chapelgorris Chapelgorris (; eu, txapelgorri, "Red Caps"), also called Peseteros, were a type of volunteer unit during the First Carlist War, raised at the beginning of the war in the province of Guipúzcoa. They fought against the Carlists. A soldier of th ...
, while
Tomás de Zumalacárregui Tomás de Zumalacárregui e Imaz (Basque: Tomas Zumalakarregi Imatz; 29 December 178824 June 1835), known among his troops as "Uncle Tomás", was a Spanish Basque officer who lead the Carlist faction as Captain general of the Army during the Firs ...
created the special units known as
aduaneros The (lit. "customs officers") were a special military force created by Tomás de Zumalacárregui during the First Carlist War. They were entrusted with the levying of revenue for various consumer goods. During the first years of the war, they pr ...
. Zumalacárregui also established the unit known as
Guías de Navarra The Guías de Navarra (, "Navarre Guides") were a Carlist battalion of the First Carlist War, created by Zumalacárregui in 1834. Their name was a misnomer: they were neither Navarrese nor guides, but captured Liberal troops from La Mancha, Valen ...
from Liberal troops from
La Mancha La Mancha () is a natural and historical region located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, and Toledo. La Mancha is an arid but fertile plateau (610 m or 2000 ft) that stretches from the mountains of Toledo to the ...
,
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
,
Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
and other places who had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Alsasua (1834). After this battle, they had been faced with the choice of joining the Carlist troops or being executed. The term Requetés was at first applied to just the Tercer Batallón de Navarra (Third Battalion of Navarre) and subsequently to all Carlist combatants. The war attracted independent adventurers, such as the
Briton British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mo ...
C. F. Henningsen, who served as Zumalacárregui's chief bodyguard (and later was his biographer), and
Martín Zurbano Martín Zurbano Baras (February 29, 1788 – January 21, 1845) was a Spanish military figure. A guerrilla leader, he is considered a "martyr to Spanish liberty".smuggler Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. There are various ...
, who:
soon after the commencement of the war sought and obtained permission to raise a body of men to act in conjunction with the queen's troops against the
Carlists Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – ...
. His standard, once displayed, was resorted to by smugglers, robbers, and outcasts of all descriptions, attracted by the prospect of plunder and adventure. These were increased by deserters...
About 250 foreign volunteers fought for the Carlists; the majority were French
monarchists Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...
, but they were joined by men from
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
,
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
,
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
, and the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
states.19th Century bibliography of military history in the Basque Country
/ref> Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzenberg fought for the Carlists, and had taken part in the
French conquest of Algeria The French invasion of Algeria (; ) took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Deylik of Algiers, and the French consul escalated into a blockade, following which the July Monarchy of France inva ...
and the Swiss civil war of the Sonderbund. The Carlists' ranks included such men as Prince
Felix Lichnowsky Felix (von) Lichnowsky, ''fully'' Felix Maria Vincenz Andreas ''Fürst'' von Lichnowsky, ''Graf'' von Werdenberg ( es, link=no, Félix Lichnowsky; 5 April 1814 – 19 September 1848) was a son of the historian Eduard Lichnowsky who had wr ...
, Adolfo Loning, Baron Wilhelm Von Radhen and
August Karl von Goeben August Karl Friedrich Christian von Goeben (10 December 181613 November 1880), was a Prussian infantry general, who won the Iron Cross for his service in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. Early career Born at Stade 30 km west of Hamb ...
, all of whom later wrote memoirs concerning the war. The Liberal generals, such as Vicente Genaro de Quesada and
Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri (1788–1851) was a Spanish military man and administrator. Born in Beriáin in Navarre, he distinguished himself as a cadet during the War of Spanish Independence. He was married to Josefa de Erice, later Cond ...
, were often veterans of the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
, or of the wars resulting from independence movements in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
. For instance,
Jerónimo Valdés Jerónimo Valdés (1784–1855) was a Spanish military figure and administrator. Born in Villarín, in Asturias, he participated in the battle of Ayacucho (1824), which was a defeat for the Spanish. He served as Viceroy of Navarre from 183 ...
participated in the
battle of Ayacucho The Battle of Ayacucho ( es, Batalla de Ayacucho, ) was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. This battle secured the independence of Peru and ensured independence for the rest of South America. In Peru it is co ...
(1824). Both sides executed prisoners of war by
firing squad Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French ''fusil'', rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are us ...
; the most notorious incident occurred at Heredia, when 118 Liberal prisoners were executed by order of Zumalacárregui. The British attempted to intervene, and through
Lord Eliot Earl of St Germans, in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that is held by the Eliot family. The title takes its name from the village of St Germans, Cornwall, and the family seat is Port Eliot. The earldom ...
, the
Lord Eliot Convention The Lord Eliot Convention, or simply the Eliot Convention or Eliot Treaty ( es, Convenio Lord Eliot), was an April 1835 agreement brokered by Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans between the two opposing sides of the First Carlist War. It had as ...
was signed on April 27–28, 1835. The treatment of prisoners of the First Carlist War became regulated and had positive effects. A soldier of the
British Auxiliary Legion The British Auxiliary Legion, also called the British Legion (''La Legión Británica'') or Westminster Legion, existed from 1835 to 1837. It was a British military force sent to Spain to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain against ...
wrote:
The British and Chapelgorris who fell into their hands he Carlists were mercilessly put to death, sometimes by means of tortures worthy of the North American Indians; but the Spanish troops of the line were saved by virtue, I believe, of the Eliot treaty, and after being kept for some time in prison, where they were treated with sufficient harshness, were frequently exchanged for an equal number of prisoners made by the Christinos.
However, Henry Bill, another contemporary, wrote that, although "it was mutually agreed upon to treat the prisoners taken on either side according to the ordinary rules of war, a few months only elapsed before similar barbarities were practiced with all their former remorselessness."


War


Northern front

The war was long and hard, and the Carlist forces (labeled "the Basque army" by John F. Bacon) achieved important victories in the north under the direction of the brilliant general
Tomás de Zumalacárregui Tomás de Zumalacárregui e Imaz (Basque: Tomas Zumalakarregi Imatz; 29 December 178824 June 1835), known among his troops as "Uncle Tomás", was a Spanish Basque officer who lead the Carlist faction as Captain general of the Army during the Firs ...
. The Basque commander swore an oath to uphold home rule in Navarre (''fueros''), subsequently being proclaimed commander in chief of Navarre. The Basque regional governments of Biscay,
Álava Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see. Its ca ...
, and Gipuzkoa followed suit by pledging obedience to Zumalacárregui. He took to the bush in the Amescoas (to become the Carlist headquarters, next to
Estella-Lizarra Estella (Spanish) or Lizarra (Basque) is a town located in the autonomous community of Navarre, in northern Spain. It lies south west of Pamplona, close to the border with La Rioja and Álava. The town was founded in 1090 when the place, lying by ...
), there making himself strong and avoiding the harassment of the Spanish forces loyal to Maria Christina (Isabella II). 3,000 volunteers with no resources came to swell his forces. In summer 1834, Liberal (Isabeline) forces set fire to the
Sanctuary of Arantzazu The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Arantzazu is a Franciscan sanctuary located in Oñati, Basque Country, Spain. The shrine is a much appreciated place among Gipuzkoans, with the Virgin of Arantzazu being the sanctuary's namesake and patron saint of ...
and a convent of
Bera Bera may refer to: Acronyms * Bioelectric recognition assay, a method in electrophysiology * Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority, an energy regulatory body in Botswana * Brainstem evoked response audiometry, a screening test to monitor for heari ...
, while Zumalacárregui showed his toughest side when he had volunteers refusing to advance over
Etxarri-Aranatz Etxarri-Aranatz ( es, Echarri-Aranaz) is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado ...
executed. The Carlist cavalry engaged and defeated in Viana an army sent from Madrid (14 September 1834), while Zumalacárregui's forces descended from the Basque Mountains over the Álavan Plains (Vitoria), and prevailed over general
Manuel O'Doyle Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...
. The veteran general
Espoz y Mina Francisco Espoz Ilundáin (17 June 1781 – 24 December 1836), being better known as Francisco Espoz y Mina, was a Spanish guerrilla leader and general. Biography He was born in Idocin in Navarre. His father, Juan Esteban Espoz y Mina, and h ...
, a Liberal Navarrese commander, attempted to drive a wedge between the Carlist northern and southern forces, but Zumalacárregui's army managed to hold them back (late 1834). In January 1835, the Carlists took over Baztan in an operation where the general Espoz y Mina narrowly escaped a severe defeat and capture, while the local Liberal Gaspar de Jauregi ''Artzaia'' ('the Shepherd') and his ''
chapelgorris Chapelgorris (; eu, txapelgorri, "Red Caps"), also called Peseteros, were a type of volunteer unit during the First Carlist War, raised at the beginning of the war in the province of Guipúzcoa. They fought against the Carlists. A soldier of th ...
'' were neutralized in Zumarraga and Urretxu. By May 1835, virtually all
Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French depa ...
and seigneury of
Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...
were in Carlist hands. Opposing his advisers and Zumalacárregui's plan, Carlos V decided to conquer
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
, defended by the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
and the British Auxiliary Legion. With such an important city in his power, the Prussian or Russian Tsarist banks would give him credit to win the war; one of the most important problems for Carlos was a lack of funds. In the siege of
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
, Zumalacárregui was wounded in the leg by a stray bullet. The wound was not serious, he was treated by a number of doctors, famously by Petrikillo (nowadays meaning in Basqu
'quack' or 'dodgy healer'
. The relationship of the pretender to the throne and the commander in chief was at least distant; not only had they differed in operative strategy, but Zumalacárregui's popularity could undermine Carlos' own authority, as in the early stages of the war, the Basque general was offered the crown of
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
and the lordship of
Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...
as king of the Basques. The injury did not heal properly, and finally General Zumalacárregui died on June 25, 1835. Many historians believe the circumstances of his death were suspicious, and have noted that the general had many enemies in the Carlist court; however, to date no further light has been shed on this point. In the European theatre, all the great powers backed the Isabeline army, as many British observers wrote in their reports. Meanwhile, in the east, Carlist general Ramón Cabrera held the initiative in the war, but his forces were too few to achieve a decisive victory over the Liberal forces loyal to Madrid. In 1837 the Carlist effort culminated in the Royal Expedition, which reached the walls of Madrid, but subsequently retreated after the
Battle of Aranzueque The Battle of Aranzueque was a military confrontation at the village of Aranzueque, Spain, on 19 September 1837, during the First Carlist War. The battle pitted the troops of the pretender to the Spanish crown, Infante Carlos of Spain, Count of ...
.


Southern front

In the south, the Carlist general
Miguel Gómez Damas Miguel Gómez Damas (5 June 1785 – 11 June 1849) was a Spanish Carlist general of the First Carlist War. Born at Torredonjimeno, in the province of Jaén, he served under the Carlist general Zumalacárregui and in 1836 undertook an unsucces ...
attempted to establish a strong position there for the Carlists, and he left
Ronda Ronda () is a town in the Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about west of the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is about 35,000. Ronda is known for its cliff-side location and a deep chasm ...
on November 18, 1836, entering
Algeciras Algeciras ( , ) is a municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. Located in the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, near the Strait of Gibraltar, it is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar ( es, Bahía de Algeci ...
on November 22. But, after Gómez Damas departed from Algeciras, he was defeated by Ramón María Narváez y Campos at the
Battle of Majaceite The Battle of Majaceite was fought in the First Carlist War. Ramón María Narváez y Campos was ordered to intercept the expedition of the Carlist general Miguel Gómez Damas. Narváez left Madrid in October 1836 with three divisions, while G ...
. An
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
commentator wrote that "it was at Majaciete that arváezrescued
Andalucía Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
from the Carlist invasion by a brilliant ''
coup de main A ''coup de main'' (; plural: ''coups de main'', French for blow with the hand) is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. Definition The United States Department of Defense defines it as ...
'', in a rapid but destruction action, which will not readily be effaced from the memory of the southern provinces."T. M. Hughes, ''Revelations of Spain in 1845'' (London: Henry Colburn, 1845), 124. At
Arcos de la Frontera Arcos de la Frontera () is a town and municipality in the Sierra de Cádiz comarca, province of Cádiz, in Andalusia, Spain. It is located on the northern, western and southern banks of the Guadalete river, which flows around three sides of the c ...
, the Liberal Diego de Leon managed to detain a Carlist
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
by his squadron of 70 cavalry until Liberal reinforcements arrived. Ramon Cabrera had collaborated with Gómez Damas in the expedition of Andalusia where, after defeating the Liberals, he occupied Córdoba and
Extremadura Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it ...
. He was pushed out after his defeat at
Villarrobledo Villarrobledo () is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It's better known for having the world's largest area covered by vineyards (more than 30,000 has., approxima ...
in 1836.


End

After the death of Zumalacárregui in 1835, the Liberals slowly regained the initiative but were not able to win the war in the Basque districts until 1839. They failed to recover the Carlist fortress of Morella and suffered a defeat at the
Battle of Maella The Battle of Maella was a battle of the First Carlist War, occurring on Monday, October 1, 1838, near the Aragonese town of Maella. The battle was a Carlist victory and resulted in the routing of most of the Liberal forces. The Carlist for ...
(1838). The war effort had taken a heavy toll on Basque economy and regional public finances with a population shaken by a myriad of war related plights—human losses, poverty, disease—and tired with Carlos' own absolutist ambitions and disregard for their
self-government __NOTOC__ Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...
. The moderate Jose Antonio Muñagorri negotiated as of 1838 a treaty in Madrid to put an end to war ("Peace and Fueros") leading to the Embrace of Bergara (also Vergara), ratified by Basque moderate liberals and disaffected Carlists across all the main cities and countryside. The war in the Basque Country ended with the '' Convenio de Bergara'', also known as the ''Abrazo de Bergara'' ("the Embrace of
Bergara es, vergarés, vergaresa , population_note = , population_density_km2 = auto , blank_name_sec1 = Official language(s) , blank_info_sec1 = BasqueSpanish , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 ...
", ''Bergara'' in Basque) on 31 August 1839, between the Liberal general Baldomero Espartero, Count of Luchana and the Carlist General
Rafael Maroto Rafael Maroto Yserns (October 15, 1783 – August 25, 1853) was a Spanish general, known both for his involvement on the Spanish side in the wars of independence in South America and on the Carlist side in the First Carlist War. Childhood a ...
. Some authors have written that General Maroto was a traitor who forced Carlos to accept the peace with little focus as to the precise context in the Basque Country. In the east,
General Cabrera General Cabrera is a city located in the Juárez Celman Department Juárez Celman Department is a department of Córdoba Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 55,348 inhabitants in an area of 8,902 k ...
continued fighting, but when Espartero conquered Morella and Cabrera in
Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
(30 May 1840), the fate of the Carlists was sealed. Espartero progressed to
Berga Berga () is the capital of the ''comarca'' (county) of Berguedà, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is bordered by the municipalities of Cercs, Olvan, Avià, Capolat and Castellar del Riu. History Berga derives its name from ...
, and by mid-July 1840 the Carlist troops had to flee to France. Considered a hero, Cabrera returned to Portugal in 1848 for the
Second Carlist War The Second Carlist War, or the War of the Matiners (Catalan for "early-risers," so-called from the harassing action that took place at the earliest hours of the morning), was a civil war occurring in Spain. Some historians consider it a direct ...
.


Consequences

The Embrace of Bergara (August 1839) put an end to war in the Basque districts. The Basques managed to keep a reduced version of their previous home rule (taxation, military draft) in exchange for their unequivocal incorporation into Spain (October 1839), now centralized, and divided into provinces. The October 1839 Act was confirmed in Navarre, but events took an unexpected turn in Madrid when General Baldomero Espartero rose to office with the support of the
Progressives Progressivism holds that it is possible to improve human societies through political action. As a political movement, progressivism seeks to advance the human condition through social reform based on purported advancements in science, techno ...
in Spain. In 1840, he became premier and regent. The financial and trading bourgeoisie burgeoned, but after Carlist war the Treasury's coffers were depleted and the army pending discharge. In 1841 a separate treaty was signed by officials of the Council of Navarre (the ''Diputación Provincial'', established in 1836), such as the Liberal Yanguas y Miranda, without the mandatory approval of the parliament of the kingdom (the ''Cortes''). That compromise (called later the ''Ley Paccionada'', the Compromise Act) accepted further curtailments to self-government, and more importantly officially turned the
Kingdom of Navarre The Kingdom of Navarre (; , , , ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona (), was a Basque kingdom that occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, alongside the Atlantic Ocean between present-day Spain and France. The medieval state took ...
into a province of Spain (August 1841). In September 1841, Espartero's uprising had its follow-up in the military occupation of the Basque Country, and subsequent suppression by decree of Basque home rule altogether, definitely bringing the Ebro customs over to the Pyrenees and the coast. The region was gripped by a wave of famine, and many took to overseas emigration at either side of the Basque Pyrenees, to America. Espartero's regime came to an end in 1844 after the moderate Conservatives gained momentum, and a settlement was found for the stand-off in the Basque Provinces.


Chronology of battles

* Battle of Malays (April 10, 1834) - Liberal victory * Battle of Alsasua (April 22, 1834) - Carlist victory * Battle of Gulina (June 18, 1834) - Carlist victory * Battle of Alegría de Álava (October 27, 1834) - Carlist victory * Battle of Venta de Echávarri (October 28, 1834) - Carlist victory *
Battle of Mendaza The Battle of Mendaza was an early battle of the First Carlist War, occurring on December 12, 1834, at Mendaza, Navarre. The Carlists had enjoyed a victory in the Battle of Venta de Echavarri in October and also the fruits of a raid on Navarre, ...
(December 12, 1834) - Liberal victory *
First Battle of Arquijas The First Battle of Arquijas (December 15, 1834) was a battle of the First Carlist War. Opening shots The battle began when Liberal forces found Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui waiting at the bridge of Arquijas over the Ega River in N ...
(December 15, 1834) - Liberal victory * Second Battle of Arquijas (February 5, 1835) - Carlist victory * Battle of Artaza (April 22, 1835) - Carlist victory * Battle of Mendigorría (July 16, 1835) - Liberal victory * Battle of Arlabán (January 16–18, 1836) - Carlist victory *
Battle of Terapegui The Battle of Tirapegui was fought on April 26, 1836, between Liberals and Carlists in Spain during the First Carlist War. With the help of the French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the Frenc ...
(April 26, 1836) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Villarrobledo The Battle of Villarrobledo took place during the First Carlist War on September 20, 1836, south of Villarrobledo at a campground called Vega de San Cristóbal, which lies near a hermitage of the same name. However, there were also casualties re ...
(September 20, 1836) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Majaceite The Battle of Majaceite was fought in the First Carlist War. Ramón María Narváez y Campos was ordered to intercept the expedition of the Carlist general Miguel Gómez Damas. Narváez left Madrid in October 1836 with three divisions, while G ...
(November 23, 1836) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Luchana The Battle of Luchana (''Lutxana'' in Basque) occurred at Bilbao and its vicinities during the night of December 23, 1836 and went on until December 24, 1836. The Carlists were besieging Bilbao and controlled the water and land routes towards ...
(December 24, 1836) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Oriamendi The Battle of Oriamendi (Basque: ''Oriamendiko Gudua'') was a battle fought on 16 March 1837 during the First Carlist War. The battle was an overwhelming victory for the Carlists. Prelude The battle was part of a campaign in spring 1837 when ...
(March 16, 1837) - Carlist victory *
Battle of Huesca The Battle of Huesca was fought during the First Carlist War on May 24, 1837, between Spanish Constitutionalists and Carlists. During the course of the battle, the French Foreign Legion, which had been attached to the Cristinist army, suffered h ...
(March 24, 1837) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Villar de los Navarros The Battle of Villar de los Navarros (August 24, 1837) was a battle of the First Carlist War. It occurred near the town of Villar de los Navarros in Zaragoza Province and was a victory for the Carlists. The Carlists took many prisoners, inclu ...
(August 24, 1837) - Carlist victory *
Battle of Andoain The Battle of Andoain (Basque: ''Andoaingo Gudua'') was a battle fought on 14 September 1837, during the First Carlist War in northern Spain. The action took place in Andoain, south of the main Liberal stronghold of San Sebastián. Liberal troop ...
(September 14, 1837) - Carlist victory - End of the
British Auxiliary Legion The British Auxiliary Legion, also called the British Legion (''La Legión Británica'') or Westminster Legion, existed from 1835 to 1837. It was a British military force sent to Spain to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain against ...
as an effective fighting force *
Battle of Aranzueque The Battle of Aranzueque was a military confrontation at the village of Aranzueque, Spain, on 19 September 1837, during the First Carlist War. The battle pitted the troops of the pretender to the Spanish crown, Infante Carlos of Spain, Count of ...
(September 19, 1837) - Liberal victory, end of Carlist campaign known as the '' Expedición Real'' *
Battle of Maella The Battle of Maella was a battle of the First Carlist War, occurring on Monday, October 1, 1838, near the Aragonese town of Maella. The battle was a Carlist victory and resulted in the routing of most of the Liberal forces. The Carlist for ...
(October 1, 1838) - Carlist victory * Battle of Peñacerrada (June 20–22, 1838) - Liberal victory *
Battle of Ramales The Battle of Ramales, a battle of the First Carlist War, occurred at Ramales in Cantabria on May 12, 1839. The Liberals were commanded by Baldomero Espartero, the Carlists by Rafael Maroto. History The Liberals, initially outnumbering the C ...
(May 13, 1839) - Liberal victory


References


Further reading

* Lawrence, Mark. ''Spain’s First Carlist War, 1833-40''. Palgrave: Basingstoke, 2014. * Atkinson, William C. ''A History of Spain and Portugal''. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1960. * Brett, Edward M. ''The British Auxiliary Legion in the First Carlist War 1835-1838: A Forgotten Army''. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2005. * Carr, Raymond. ''Spain, 1808-1975'' (1982), pp 184–95 * Chambers, James. ''Palmerston: The People's Darling''. London: John Murray, 2004. * Clarke, Henry Butler. ''Modern Spain, 1815-98'' (1906) old but full of factual detai
online
* Coverdale, John F. ''The Basque Phase of Spain's First Carlist War''. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984. * Holt, Edgar. ''The Carlist Wars in Spain.'' Chester Springs (Pennsylvania): Dufour Editions, 1967. * Payne, Stanley G. ''History of Spain and Portugal: v. 2'' (1973) ch 19-21 * Webster, Charles K. ''The Foreign Policy of Palmerston 1830-1841''. London: E. Bell & Sons, 1951. (2 volumes). * Wellard, James. ''The French Foreign Legion''. London: George Rainbird Ltd., 1974. * Williams, Mark. ''The Story of Spain''. Puebla Lucia (California): Mirador Publications, 1992.


In Spanish

*Alcala, Cesar and Dalmau, Ferrer A. 1a. ''Guerra Carlista. El Sitio de Bilbao. La Expedición Real (1835-1837)''. Madrid : Almena Ediciones, 2006. *Artola, Miguel. ''La España de Fernando VII''. Madrid: Editorial Espasa-Calpe, 1999. *Burdiel, Isabel. ''Isabel II''. Madrid: Santillana Ediciones, 2010. *Bullón de Mendoza, Alfonso. ''La Primera Guerra Carlista''. Madrid: Editorial Actas, 1992. *Bullón de Mendoza, Alfonso (Editor): ''Las Guerras Carlistas. Catálogo de la exposición celebrada por el Ministerio de Cultura en el Museo de la Ciudad de Madrid''. Madrid, Ministerio de Cultura, 2004. *Clemente, Josep Carles. ''La Otra Dinastía: Los Reyes Carlistas en la España Contemporanea''. Madrid: A. Machado Libros S.A., 2006. *Condado, Emilio. ''La Intervención Francesa en España (1835-1839)''. Madrid: Editorial Fundamentos, 2002. *De Porras y Rodríguez de León, Gonzalo. ''La Expedición de Rodil y las Legiones Extranjeras en la Primera Guerra Carlista''. Madrid: Ministerio de *Defensa, 2004. *De Porras y Rodríguez de León, Gonzalo. ''Dos Intervenciones Militares Hispano-Portuguesas en las Guerras Civiles del Siglo XIX''. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa, 2001. *Fernandez Bastarreche, Fernando. ''Los Espadones Románticos''. Madrid: Edito-rial Synthesis, 2007. *Garcia Bravo, Alberto; Salgado Fuentes, Carlos Javier. ''El Carlismo: 175 Años de Sufrida Represión''. Madrid: Ediciones Arcos, 2008. *Henningsen, Charles Frederick. ''Zumalacarregui''. Buenos Aires: Espasa-Calpe Argentina, 1947. *Moral Roncal, Antonio Manuel. ''Los Carlistas''. Madrid: Arco Libros, 2002. *Moral Roncal, Antonio Manuel. ''Las Guerras Carlistas''. Madrid: Silex Ediciones, 2006. *Nieto, Alejandro. ''Los Primeros Pasos del Estado Constitucional: Historia Administrativa de la Regencia de Maria Cristina''. Barcelona: Editorial Ariel, 2006. *Oyarzun, Roman. ''Historia del Carlismo''. Madrid: Ediciones Fe, 1939. *Perez Garzon, Juan Sisinio (Editor). ''Isabel II: Los Espejos de la Reina''. Madrid: Marcial Pons Historia, 2004. *Pirala, Antonio. ''Historia de la Guerra Civil''. Madrid: Turner SA / Historia 16, 1984. (6 Volumes). *Romanones, Conde de. ''Espartero: El General del Pueblo''. Madrid: Ikusager Ediciones, 2007. *Urcelay Alonso, Javier. ''Cabrera: el Tigre del Maestrazgo''. Madrid: Ariel, 2006. *Vidal Delgado, Rafael. ''Entre Logroño y Luchana: Campañas del General Espartero''. Logroño (Spain): Instituto de Estudios Riojanos, 2004.


In Portuguese

*J.B. (Full name unknown). "Relaçao Historica da Campanha de Portugal pelo Exercito Espanhol as Ordens do Tenente General D. Jose Ramon Rodil (1835)". Published as part of ''D. Miguel e o Fim da Guerra Civil'': Testemunhos. Lisbon: Caleidoscopio Edição, 2006.


In French

*Montagnon, Pierre. ''Histoire de la Legion''. Paris: Pygmalion, 1999. *Porch, Douglas. ''La Legion Etrangere 1831-1962''. Paris: Fayard, 1994. *Bergot, Erwan. ''La Legion''. Paris: Ballard, 1972. *Dembowski, Karol. ''Deux Ans en Espagne et en Portugal, pendant la Guerre Civile, 1838-1840''. Paris: Charles Gosselin, 1841.


External links


Site by the Zumalakarregi Museum dedicated to the First Carlist War
{{Authority control Basque history Carlism Civil wars involving the states and peoples of Europe Civil wars of the Industrial era Military history of Spain Wars involving Portugal Wars involving France Wars involving the United Kingdom Wars of succession involving the states and peoples of Europe 1830s in Spain