The 19th century was a period of great strain for Spain. Latin American colonies gained independence, and King Ferdinand VII’s reforms caused deep political division.
Aragon and Castile joined forces in their attempt to reconquer Muslim territory of Granada; however, civil war broke out soon afterwards resulting in great bloodshed.
The Conquest
Iberian Peninsulan civilization had reached advanced states during its Copper and Bronze ages. Additionally, its population consisted of multiple cultures which would prove important in shaping its future development.
By the 1st century AD, Hispania was part of the Roman Empire. This peninsula provided some of Roman culture’s most treasured exports while giving birth to some acclaimed Emperors of their own time.
After Rome’s fall, several Germanic peoples invaded Spain: Suebi, Alani, Vandals and Visigoths. Over time their power slowly diminished until they were eventually expelled to southern France 21 years later.
The Reconquista
Covadonga marked the start of Reconquista when Christian forces defeated Muslim forces at Covadonga in 722, marking its beginning. From that time forward, centuries of warfare gradually reduced Islamic dominance across northern and southern Spain until finally, until 1492 when Granada stood alone as the last stronghold.
Isabella ensured long-term stability by marrying into both Austria’s Habsburg dynasty and Luxembourg’s powerful House of Luxembourg dynasty, cementing alliances between these neighboring polities and herself. Furthermore, she used an iron fist approach when ruling; crushing national insurrections and closing regional autonomous assemblies with her iron rule.
The Inquisition
The Inquisition was an institution which targeted those suspected of heresy. While various tactics were employed in Spain’s Inquisition to gain confessions, its level of cruelty compared to similar institutions was significantly less.
Tomas de Torquemada was the inaugural Inquisitor. He developed many of its procedures. Local tribunals were comprised of multiple layers of workers: fiscal presented accusations and investigated denunciations; calificadores determined whether evidence was valid; expert jurist consultants advised on procedural matters; expert jurist consultants provided legal advice regarding procedural issues; expert jurist consultants advised on procedural matters, and scribes recorded testimony. Officially ending in 1834 due to fears associated with Morisco collaboration with Ottoman Empire collaboration as well as centralizing political philosophies and rising intolerance among others theories on why its end occurred.
The Counter-Reformation
The 16th and 17th centuries were an age of fierce public loyalty that often had obvious political motivations behind it. These years were also marked by powerful counter-Reformation victories with Saint Ignatius, Saint Teresa, as well as numerous theologians, canonists, spiritual writers, etc. making significant spiritual progress during this period.
The 19th century brought Spain great turmoil, including losing colonies and experiencing low-level insurrection by supporters of a rival branch of its royal family. Yet it also saw Canovas del Castillo introduce his revolutionary parliamentary system where two parties alternated power between elections.
The Bourbon Monarchy
Charles II died without an heir, leaving the Crown open for grabs. Philip of Anjou – grandson of Louis XIV – claimed the throne and caused friction with potential Habsburg candidates; thus beginning the War of Succession.
The Bourbons introduced some Enlightenment concepts into Spanish society but the nation remained monarchical with long-established traditions, where nobility and religion held greater sway than in many other European nations.
In the Restoration period, an uncompetitive parliamentary system (turnismo) was instituted, in which two dynastic parties, conservative and liberal, alternated power through controlled elections. Local figures known as caciques played an active role in manipulating election results further fuelling voter disenchantment.
The Second Republic
After Alfonso XIII’s abdication in 1931, liberal democracy seemed possible; however, radical reforms such as land reform, secular education and regional autonomy roused conservative opposition.
Tensions created political instability, shifting coalitions, violence and increased instability. Eventually this led to full-blown civil war between those loyal to the government and Nationalist forces led by General Franco. Following that conflict came a brief Second Republic that eventually gave way to his dictatorship that would last until 1975.
The Civil War
In 1936, General Franco launched his rebellion and quickly expanded it, receiving support from right-wing regimes in Germany and Italy. France and Great Britain issued no intervention policy; nonetheless volunteers from across Europe and North America traveled to Spain in droves to join anti-Fascist International Brigades against him.
Civil war was the result of years of political division in Spain. On one side of this conflict stood Nationalists, including most Roman Catholics and a significant segment of the military; on the other side were liberals and leftists with beliefs ranging from conservatism through socialism to militant anarchism.