A Struggling Monarchy: Spain 1800s-1900s

Spain and France goes into war with one another after almost a century of being in allegiance. French Bourbon King Louis XVI, during the French Revolution was executed in France. In Spain, civilian uprising resulting from a resurgence of the Spanish Inquisition, repressive rulings, and ceased efforts on domestic reforms, were all effects of the French Revolution. The revolution caused great upheavals throughout Europe. This led to war against France in which Spain and Britain became allies. Consequently, France invaded Spain and Manuel de Godoy, chief advisor to Charles IV, accepting defeat reverted to forming alliance with France once again.

The British navy proved superior to the French and Spanish fleets. British blockades cut off Spain from its American colonies as the Spanish colonial trade shifted to Britain. Spain finances thus deteriorated. Napoleon Bonaparte, ruler of France after Louis XVI’s execution, forced Spain to return the Louisiana Purchase to France. By 1805, Spain status in Europe had been reduced to mere pawns in France’s war games. Shortly, thereafter, French troops stormed through Spain with intentions to reach and conquer Portugal. However, they resorted to occupying north and central Spain.

Napoleon decided to assume direct control of Spain as a result of Spain leaders bickering of principalities on how to rule the country. Charles IV appointed his son Ferdinand VII to replace Manuel de Godoy. Ferdinand was then ousted by Napoleon, who put his brother Joseph Bonaparte to rule over Spain. The Napoleonic Wars ensued and by 1810 Spain, aided by British troops, was in a war of independence from France.

While Spain was struggling for its freedom from France after driving Joseph Bonaparte out of its capital, Madrid, a national assembly known as the Spanish Cortes gathered and drew up the Cadiz Constitution for Spain. The Spanish Cortes gave Spain a limited monarchy, curving the power of the nobility and the Catholic Church. They suppressed the Spanish Inquisition and expanded protection of individual rights. The Cadiz Constitution was a victory for the liberals in Spain. By 1813, Spanish, English, and Portuguese forces joined Spain in the Napoleonic Wars. Their forces did not drive France from Spain until 1814.

Although progress was being made towards a liberal government Spain’s American colonies were in jeopardy. The Spanish colonists were demanding independence for themselves and wished to exchange goods freely with all nations and not solely Spain. By 1826 only Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, Guam and several settlements in Northern Africa remained under Spain’s flag. Spain had loss the mainland colonies in the Americas and consequently their chief resources.