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Regency
In 1830 Isabel II, the future Queen of Spain, was born.
After the death of her father King Ferdinand VII in 1833, Isabel II was proclaimed queen. However, until Isabella II came of age, the regency fell to her mother, María Cristina de Borbón.
But her uncle Carlos María Isidro de Borbón did not recognise the legitimacy of this succession, claiming his right to the throne under the previous legislation and thus triggering the First Carlist War (1833-40). -
1st Carlist War
Maria Cristina de Borbon defended her daughter's dynastic rights against Charles. To this end, she allied herself with the liberals, against the absolutist party grouped around Don Carlos.
Maria Cristina de Borbon's army under General Espartero won victory over the Carlists in 1840.
That same year, however, Maria Cristina was removed from the Regency and expelled from Spain. Her successor as Regent was Espartero. -
The beginning of her reign
After three years of Espartero's regency and the consequent political predominance of the progressives, in 1843 the regent was overthrown by a movement involving dissatisfied moderates and progressives (1843); to avoid a new Regency, it was decided to bring forward the coming of age of Isabella II, who thus began her personal reign at the age of only thirteen. -
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Moderate Decade
From 1844-1854 there was "The Moderate Decade" in which power was dominated by General Ramón María Narváez. This moderate predominance was embodied in a new Constitution in 1845, in which the power of the Crown was strengthened against the national representative bodies. In the same year, the Civil Guard was created -
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Progressive Biennium
Liberal discontent eventually led to a revolution that ushered in a "Progressive Biennium" (1854-56), again marked by the influence of Espartero. But a new military uprising re-established the conservative situation, opening a period of alternation between Narváez's moderates and a third centrist party led by General Leopoldo O'Donnell (the Liberal Union). -
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Moderates and Liberal Union
Progressives called for the Queen's dismissal for her partisan actions. The result was the Revolution of 1868, which forced Isabella II into exile in France. -
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End of her reign
In 1870 he abdicated in favour of his son Alfonso and entrusted Antonio Cánovas del Castillo with the defence of the cause of dynastic restoration in Spain.
In 1876 he returned to Spain, but her differences with the government led to her exile in Paris, where she died on 9 April 1904.
