THE CARLISTS AND SPAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 19 June 1931, Page 4

THE CARLISTS AND SPAIN

THE news, which we printed yesterday, that there are signs of an active resuscitation of Carlist claims to the Spanish throne, is what might have, been expected, since, . for nearly a hundred years the Carlist cause, though repeatedly frustrated, lias never died. The story of that cause is full of interest.

Ferdinand Vlf of Spain, who had been married 1 three times, but had no children, in 1829 took as bis fourth wife Maria Christina of Naples. For more than a century the Salic Law, whereby Women were excluded from the throne, had governed the right, of succession in Spain. Hut Ferdiin.nd, at the instigation of the fourth Queen, repealed, in a formal Pragmatic iSaiicfion, the Salic Law and, when their daughter was subsequently born, sin- was christened Isabella and was proclaimed the heiress to the throne. In 1833, death ended Ferdinand’s reign, which lias been described as ! worthless and disastrous, a.nd his infant daughter was proclaimed Queen, with her mother as regent. Don Carlos, Ferdinand’s brother, who claimed that he was next in succession, at once, declared his intention to uphold the Salic Law, and immediately received considerable, support, especially in;the Basque Provinces, in the north of the country. Al first tho

Carlists, as tho followers of Don Carlos were called, appear to have had a great, deal of success, but in 1835 their causo began to wane, and in 1839 was lost, Don Carlos renouncing bis claims in favour of Ids eldest, son, who also was named Carlos, though be is sometimes referred to as Count do Monlemolin. In 1869, Don Carlos H, as wo may call him, tried to create an insurrection in Valencia but with his brother Ferdinand was taken prisoner, and both of them renounced all claims they might have to the, Spanish throne, and so escaped imprisonment, if not death. It seemed as if (| u; CiuTist causo was completely lost. However, when in the late ’sixties Queen Isabella was forced to abdicate, the Carlists’ hopes were revived, and risings took place in 1869, 1870, and 1872. In 1873, Don Carlos 111 took the field in person, the Basques rallied to bis standard. and his troops overran the interior of Navarro, the three Basque Provinces, part of Catalonia, Lower Aragon, and Valencia, and even penetrated Old Caslilo and Extremadura. But Don Carlos seem to have thrown away his military advantages. On two occasions it was possible that, be, might have seized Madrid, if be bad been a little bolder. When Alfonso XII (tho present exiled King’s father) was proclaimed King, tho Carlists’ star began to wane. Their last success was in Navarro, where they defeated powerful royalist forces in tho presence of tho now King. After that Don Carlos seems to have had no success. Ho suffered a series of defeats, and though it was universally acknowledged that he had manfully upheld his cause, in March, 1876, lie was forced to cross the Pyrenees and enter France, where lie and his followers laid down their arms. Since then tho Carlists do not seem to have done anything very serious in Spain, but their cause has never died, since it is kept alive by the tradition that the heir of Don Carlos 111 is the true heir to the Spanish throne.

Throughout their bloodstained career the. Carlists have always received tho support of at loast a certain faction of the Church in Spain, and it appears that to-day Don Jaime, who is the direct descendant of Don Carlos I, is reported to be supported by a strong movement within the Church. To what extent that rumour is true we are in the dark, but if it is a fact that tho Church and the people of the Basque Provinces are favourably disposed towards Don Jaime, (hen, should tho claimant enter Spain as the Carlist candidate for tho throne, the world may witness a rfenewal of those civil wars which in the last century caused so much blood to be shod in tho Peninsula.