COMEDY AND ROMANCE OF ROYALTY

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 29, 4 February 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

COMEDY AND ROMANCE OF ROYALTY

The history of Spain, during nearly the whole of the nineteenth century, was a long, complicated and tragic succession of wars, plots, rebellions and general turmoil. The invasions by Napoleon Bonaparte hid overturned the whole constitution of that country. He had set his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne without any consideration of the wishes of the people. The ruling classes of Spam basely deserted their posts, but the indomitable spirit of the Spanish race itself was not crushed. Resistance to the conqueror was organised on a popular basis. A supreme "junta" (assembly) of Spaniards was set up at Seville, and a network of lesser juntas gpread'throughout the land. It was the obstinate resistance of Spain, and her cooperation with the English armies sent against Bonaparte in the Peninsula War which first checked Napoleon and showed Europe that he was not invincible. After the fall of the Corsican, however, Spain's troubles only took a different turn. Freed from Bonaparte's yoke, and with the legitimate King (Fernando VII.) restored, the country found itself face to face with terrible internal and external problems. The discoveries of Christopher Columbus and the other fifteenth and sixteenth century navigators had given Spain a mighty Empire in South America. That Empire, however, had been sadly ill-managed, with disastrous results both there and at home. The effect upon Spain itself was demoralising. By regarding the American colonics as mere mines from which gold could be exported to Spain, a habit was cultivated of neglecting home industries and largely relying on wealth from beyond the seas. In the colonies themselves, a hatred of Spain grew up, and, after the fall of Napoleon, came revolt. Early in the nineteenth century Spain lost all her colonies in' America. The return, of Fernando VII. had led to disaffection in Spain itself. He abolished all the free institutions which_ had grown up in the struggle against Napoleon. As a result a revolution took place in 1820. The French—France was again an anti-liberal monarchy—invaded Spain, restored Fernando, and revoked the liberal reforms of the revolt. A French army occupied Spain for, seven years. Then it was that "Carlism" arose. It was to be indeed a strange, thrilling, and terrible episode in Spanish history. In many ways it was full of high romance. Some of the most gallant hearts, "nobles caballeros" (valiant knights) of Spain gave life and devotion for long years to the Carlist cause,, Yet, in reality, it was the cause of absolutism and reaction. A gtranga story. Salic Law Invoked. Fernando died in 1833. He had declared his will that bis successor, should be his daughter, Isabel, a, baby. For this to be so, the "salic law" —which forbade females to succeefi to the throne —would have to })e set aside.

Here was the beginning of'Carlism. Fernando had ti ; brother, Don Carlos (Charles). With indignation he repudiated Fernanda's appointment of Isobel as successor. Invoking the salic law; he declared that he, and alone he, was rightful King of Spain., : / The policy of Carlos was of absolutism and clericalism. Round the young figure of Isabel,, on 1 the other hand, rallied the Libera] groiijra. She being too young to reign, a regency was appointed, under Maria Cristiha.

The Basqu£ provinces in the north rebelled, proclaiming Don Carlos as King Carlos V, For seven years civil war raged. At thq head of. the; Carlist forces was an able gederal, Tomas Zumalaccaregui. Don Carlos; himself resided in Portugal, but his adherents, under Zumalacarregui, continually threatened the frontiers of Spain.

In 1834, Don Carlos, having made his way through France, made a dramatic appearance in the Spanish province of Navarra. His followers had been in the lowest depths of depression by reason of the succesfees of the Cristinos (followers of Isabel and the Queen-regent). The coming of Don Carlos inspired them with new hope and ardour. "Dios y Don Carlos! Viva el Rey!" was the enthusiastic cry—"God and Don Carlos! Long live the King!" The war was resumed with great passion andcrudty. On June 14th, 1835, at a oattle at Bilboa, Tomaa Zumalacarregui lost his life. It was a terrible blow to the Varnsts, but it was soon compensated. In the service of Dona Cristina, the Vjneen-Regent, was a leader named Cabrera. ut a . restless disposition, he was an able warrior. At the death of Zumalacarregui, ne deserted the Cristinos and went over to tne tarhsts, who at once gained successes against their opponents. Only temporary good fortune, though! deserted by Cabrera, Maria Cristina enwusted the command of her forces to tfaldomero Espartero, Duke of Yittoria, a 7 .bold and skilful soldier. in i<m rfu !i attle was fought at Luchana » Espartero was completely sucafcl j * bitter fight each side snowed fierce valour and devotion. The inspired by their conception of the ancient ideals of chivalric Spain, tought on and on till no fight was any jA 8 + r dP e Cristinos battled for wnat they also believed to be right, and in opposition to absolutism and retrogression. numbers and equipment were superior to those of their opponents. The rri 4 n °t be long in doubt, ihe Carlists were beaten. Unworthy of Devotion.

Don Carlos himself was unworthy of the evot io n which his followers showed to mm. A Spanish historian, J. de Burgos > nid of him: "The heart of this prince lii a v. J nca P a ble of elevated sentiments as n s head was of political combinations. His protound ignorance made him regard the j-. usi f sm displayed by the passionate and aisheartened crowds as general and unania,nd th e delight of the populace he regar ded as a sign of approbation of the SSr? 1 j "jtolerance with which he was credited. His courtiers, puffed up with Passing successes, thought that by dint of nem and the stolid impassivity of Carlos ™ y , c ° uld give the rein to their resentments.

It was not, however, for Don- Carlos as a man > that the gallant Carlist caoalleros de Espana"—knights of Spain rall° U f • I J^rouuc l his standard they had awed m battle for ancient conceptions of cuwalnc and religious ideals, as against new ideas of the nineteenth century. They aia not perceive that their ideals were ofj f™ B . 6 wtlich was gone, and could be enorced now only by a system of absolutism mf® was obsolete. in+t of Luchana produced discord Z j Carlist camp. In the invitation proved by it, Don Carlos committed an act °'f e ? 10u s folly which led to his ruin. ~, e Luchana reverse had been an inevitable one The Cristinos were stronger nan the Carlists both in numbers and in QUipment. Yet Don Carlos chose to Hn on to his General, Cabrera. He reposed him in favour of an incompetent successor named Guergue. liinj ? es "l t w as sure. Espartero, at the aeaa ot the Cristinos inflicted several de-l f™ n on . tlle Car li st s in 1838. Enthusiasm ">r died down. Guergue himself was deposed, his place being taken by another General, Maroto. Maroto, however, betrayed the cause. 5my V ° Ver to the Cl ' istinos with his For Don Carlos this was the end. ? o c l o ? c l uded a tre aty at Vergara on , st 'i ß39 ' recognising Queen Isabel, "on Carlos fled to France, where he lived xor six years in humiliating circumstances or police supervision. In 1845 he was allowed to go to Italy, where he lingered March*loth^ 51855.S1855. <^ a & Trieste on

THE CARLISTS.

(By. J. W. POYNTER.)

Defeat, but no Tranquility.

A few straggling t>ands of Carlists, under Cabrera, roved about the province of Cataluna after the Yergara treaty, inflicting what damage they could on the successful Cristino regime. In July, 1840, however, Espartero, at the head of a force of ten thousand men, finally defeated them. Those who were left took refuge in France, there to live in those pitiful conditions of police supervision which were inflicted on Don Carlos himself.

The defeat of the Carlists, however, had no more restored tranquillity to Spain than the expulsion of the Napoleonic power had done so thirty years earlier.

Although she had received the support of the majority of Spaniards as against Carlists, Dona Maria Cristina was unpopular in most other respects. She was disinclined to fulfil her pledges of reforms, and the efforts to force these upon her led to her resignation of the Regency and to her flight to France in October, 1844. The conquering warrior Espartero became Regent in her place. He, however, found himself less able to dominate Spain than to conquer Carlists. A bitter enemy of his, General Narvarez, entered Madrid at the head of an army. Espartero, finding himself deserted, set sail for England in July, 1845. I Queen Isabel came of age in the same year. Her reign thereupon began. It was a bad one. 1 In 1846 Isabel married her cousin, Francisco de Asis. This was a diplomatic arrangement, not a love match. Louis Philippe, King of France, had planned to marry one of his own sons to Queen Isabel, but had given up the project because of protests from the English Government (Lord Palmereton was then Premier), who were opposed to the prospect of a union of the French and Spanish crowns. Balked of this project, Louis Philippe bethought him of the scheme which was ultimately adopted. Francisco de Asis was weak both in body and in mind. Queen Isabel had a sister, Luisa. If Luisa were married to one of Louis Philippe's sons and Queen Isabel to the semi-imbecile, Francisco, Louis Philippe's object might be achieved indirectly. The powerless Francisco would be put into the shade by the husband of Luisa. Thus it was that two marriages took place—one between Queen Isabel and Francisco de Asis, and the other between the Infanta (Princess) Luisa and the youngest son of Louis Philippe, the Due de Montpensier. It was a luckless arrangement. The marriages—which had been arranged secretly—put an end to good relations between England and France; while, as to Queen Isabel, there never were any good relations between her and the puerile Francisco.

Queen Isabel abandoned her husband, who lived a hermit-like life in the castle of Pardo, while she enjoyed herself with General Serrano—a handsome and agreeable "progressist"—in the Royal mansion of La Granja; until, in 1868, a reactionary'rebellion broke out and Serrano was banished to the Canary lelanad, Isabel fleeing to France. Serrano soon came back, however, at the head of an army and, on October 3, 1868, set up a "liberal" (i.e. revolutionary) Government. He became Regent. Two years later, Amadeo, Duke of Aosta, accepted the crown; only to abdicate in 1873. Again on the Scene. The Car lists wre by this time again on the scene. When the original Don Carlos died in 1855, he had appointed hie son to succeed to his claims. He also dying was succeeded by his own son, Don Carlos Luis Fernando de Bourbon, Count of Montemolin, whom the Carlists proclaimed as King Carlos VI. In 1860 they rose in revolt, but, being defeated, Carlos was compelled to sign a renunciation of his claims. However, his nephew, also naiued Carlos, raised the standard of revolt in the north of Spain in April, 1872. He proclaimed his purpose as being to save the country and restore its ancient liberties. Ince.\sant war followed until, in 1876, the Carlists were beaten and Don Carlos fled to France.

Since then, Carlism has ranked among lost causes. Disorder continued in Spain, but in future it was that of party conflict rather than civil war. King Alfonso XII died in 1885, leaving his wife Cristina pregnant. She became Regent. In 1886 was born Alfonso Xlll.—"King from birth." His mother was Regent till he came of age in 1902. In 1905 he married an English princess, Ena of Battenburg.

Though one cannot fail to 6ee that Carlism was the cause of horrible bloodshed and disorder, and also that in any case it was the symbol of absolutism and retrogression, yet it is also impossible not to admire the enthusiasm, energy and idealism which sustained for so long its adherents; "vi 1.3, in many cases, were noblest gentlemen of their country;' Caballeros valientes de Espana. It was in some respects like Jacobitism in England. The devotion of the Carlists to their lost cause was like the devotion of Jacobites to the Stuart cause here. Beautiful (on the surface, though not below) and romantic, but lost causes.