Provisional Government of Spain (1868–1871)

Provisional Government of Spain (1868–1871)
Name	Provisional Government of Spain (1868–1871)
Common name	Spanish Provisional Government
Era	19th century
Status	Provisional executive authority
Year start	1868
Year end	1871
Date start	30 September 1868
Event start	Glorious Revolution
Date end	2 January 1871
Event end	Reign of Amadeo I
Predecessor	Isabella II of Spain
Successor	Amadeo I of Spain
Capital	Madrid
Government type	Provisional regime
Leader title	President of the Council of Ministers
Leader1	Serrano, Francisco
Year leader1	1868–1871

Provisional Government of Spain (1868–1871) The Provisional Government established after the Glorious Revolution of 1868 served as the temporary executive and legislative authority during a critical interregnum that removed Isabella II of Spain and sought a new political settlement. Dominated by a coalition of progressive and liberal factions, as well as military figures, the regime navigated constitutional drafting, electoral reform, and diplomatic crises while preparing for a new monarch. Its tenure bridged the fall of the Bourbon monarchy and the accession of Amadeo I of Spain, shaping the course of the Sexenio Democrático.

Background and Causes of the 1868 Revolution

A complex matrix of political crises produced the Glorious Revolution: long-term opposition to Isabella II of Spain combined with military insubordination in the Spanish army, fiscal strain in the Ministry of Finance, and rising influence of the Progressive Party and Democratic Party. High-profile scandals involving figures such as Manuel de la Concha and disputes within the Moderate Party eroded dynastic legitimacy, while foreign setbacks in the Spanish-Moroccan War and commercial pressure from United Kingdom and France magnified public discontent. Intellectual currents from Karl Marx, Giuseppe Mazzini, and John Stuart Mill—translated into Spanish outlets like La Iberia and El Contemporáneo—fueled demands for constitutional change and expanded franchise. The outbreak of the revolution crystallized around the pronunciamiento led by Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano, whose victories at sea and on land precipitated the queen’s exile to France.

Formation and Composition of the Provisional Government

Following the victory of the Revolution of 1868, a junta in Madrid established a provisional executive combining military chiefs and civilian politicians: prominent members included Juan Prim, Francisco Serrano, Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, and representatives of the Unión Liberal and Progresistas. The Cortes Constituyentes—a constituent assembly—was convened with deputies drawn from the liberal and republican currents, reflecting alliances among Freemasons, urban bourgeoisie from Barcelona, and provincial elites from Andalusia and Catalonia. Diplomatic figures such as Joaquín Aguirre and jurists like Salustiano de Olózaga advised on constitutional models, citing precedents from the Spanish Constitution of 1812, the Belgian Revolution, and the French Second Republic. The provisional executive concentrated authority in the hands of Serrano as head of state and Prim as minister of war and chief diplomat, though internal factionalism persisted between monarchists favoring a foreign dynast and republicans advocating a First Spanish Republic.

Policies and Reforms (1868–1871)

The provisional administration undertook sweeping measures: it called for a constituent Cortes Constituyentes, promulgated electoral law reforms expanding male suffrage influenced by Nicolás Salmerón debates, and promulgated civil liberties echoing the Spanish Constitution of 1812. Fiscal reform targeted debt contracted under Isabella II of Spain, negotiating with bondholders in Paris and London and restructuring the public treasury under ministers linked to the Bank of Spain. Legal reforms curtailed privileges of the nobility of Spain and modified municipal governance in Barcelona and Seville, while freedom of the press was extended for newspapers like La Época and El País. Land policy debates involved reform proposals affecting the Mesta and agricultural estates in Extremadura, though comprehensive agrarian reform stalled. Education initiatives referenced institutes such as the Institución Libre de Enseñanza and sought to secularize aspects of the school system, sparking controversy with clerical authorities including the Spanish Catholic Church and bishops from Toledo.

Domestic Political Challenges and Opposition

Internal opposition coalesced from monarchist loyalists to Isabella II of Spain, conservative landowners in Castile and Andalusia, and radical republicans demanding immediate universal male suffrage. Assassination and attempted coups—highlighted by plots against Juan Prim—exacerbated instability, while regionalist pressures from Catalonia and Basque Country tested central authority. The provisional government confronted economic unrest manifesting in strikes in Bilbao and riots among artisans influenced by International Workingmen's Association agitators. Tensions between Serrano and Prim over the question of a foreign monarchy versus a domestic republic split the coalition, and press campaigns in organs such as La Nación and El Socialista intensified partisan polarization. The assassination of Prim in 1870 devastated monarchist recruitment efforts and altered the balance among figures like Práxedes Mateo Sagasta and Alejandro Pidal y Mon.

Foreign Relations and Military Affairs

Foreign policy sought recognition from major powers, negotiating with envoys from United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Austria-Hungary while monitoring developments in Portugal and the Holy See. The provisional government reformed the Spanish Navy and reorganized expeditionary forces returning from colonial theaters such as Cuba and the Philippines, addressing mutinies and disciplining officers implicated in the revolution. Diplomatic missions led by Prim pursued a candidate for the crown among European dynasties, liaising with houses like House of Savoy and House of Orléans and consulting figures such as Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. International financial negotiations involved lenders in Paris and London and institutions connected to the Bourse de Paris, affecting military budgets and colonial garrisons.

Transition to the Constitutional Monarchy of 1871

After the constituent vote and protracted deliberations, the Cortes offered the crown to Amadeo I of Spain, a member of the House of Savoy, whose selection reflected negotiations with Italy and assurances sought from United Kingdom and France. Serrano's provisional presidency oversaw the formal offer and abdication of claims by Bourbon loyalists, while electoral processes instituted in 1869 paved the way for the constitutional framework ratified in 1870. The assassination of Prim and factional splits expedited the handover to Amadeo, who arrived in Madrid in late 1870 and was proclaimed king in early 1871, inaugurating a short-lived Constitutional Monarchy of Spain that succeeded the provisional regime and preceded the First Spanish Republic.

Category:Political history of Spain Category:19th century in Spain