Juan Álvarez Mendizábal (born ''Juan Álvarez Méndez''; 25 February 1790 – 3 November 1853) was a Spanish
economist
An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics.
The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
and
politician
A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
who served as
Prime Minister of Spain
The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government (), is the head of government of Spain. The prime minister nominates the Spanish government departments, ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers (Spain), Council of Mini ...
from 25 September 1835 to 15 May 1836.
Biography
He was born to Rafael Álvarez Montañés, a cloth merchant, and Margarita Méndez, of
converso origin.
[
Converso Non-Conformism in Early Modern Spain: Bad Blood and Faith from Alonso de Cartagena to Diego Velázquez
Kevin Ingram
Springer, 06 Dec 2018] He was given training in banking, first working in a bank and then in the
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
administration during the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
.
In 1820, he was appointed military supplier of the troops that
Ferdinand VII had sent to America to suppress the revolts. Taking advantage of this situation he financed
Rafael del Riego's military uprising. At the time of the coup he became a
Freemason as a member of "Taller Sublime", a Cádiz
masonic lodge
A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.
It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...
.
[ Retrieved on 9 November 2023.] During the
Trienio liberal Mendizábal renounced to the Public Administration, although he had actively participated in the revolts against
absolutism.
When Ferdinand VII renounced the
Constitution of 1812 and restored his absolute power in 1823, Mendizábal and many other revolutionary liberals went into exile: in the United Kingdom he opened a trade business.
In 1835, under
José María Queipo de Llano's presidency, he was appointed Minister of the Treasury. On 14 September he succeeded Queipo de Llano, keeping the Treasury portfolio during a delicate economic situation due to the
First Carlist War's military expenses.
Queen Regent Maria Christina thought a liberal prime minister would hold the rebellions. Mendizábal's political program included the ''Desamortización Eclesiástica'' ("
Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal"), the immediate end to the Carlist war and the elimination of the
public debt.
The Liberal movement, the Queen Regent and Mendizábal were supported by the new owners of the confiscated properties, though the measures only benefited the big land tycoons. The impossibility of ending the Carlist revolts forced Mendizábal's resignation in 1836. A few months later a revolt in
La Granja made the Queen accept a radical government and the restoration of the
Spanish Constitution of 1812. Mendizábal was appointed Minister of Finance and a series of revolutionary measures were taken: the abolition of tithe and ''señoríos'', freedom of the press, confiscation of the Church properties). In 1837 a more moderate government was elected. Mendizábal was again appointed Minister of Finance in 1843 but had to go in exile again when the moderates came back to power.
In 1847, he came back to Spain and occupied a seat in the
Cortes until his death in 1853.
See also
*
Spanish confiscation
The Spanish confiscation was the Spanish government's seizure and sale of property, including from the Catholic Church, from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. It was a long historical, economic, and social process beginning with ...
*
Monument to Mendizábal (Madrid)
References
Sources
Biography of Mendizábal
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvarez Mendizabal, Juan
1790 births
1853 deaths
*
People from Chiclana de la Frontera
Prime ministers of Spain
Economy and finance ministers of Spain
Progressive Party (Spain) politicians
Spanish people of Jewish descent
Spanish Freemasons