Carlism in Prats De Lluçanès

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TOURISTIC TOUR BY COOLTUR TURISME CULTURAL

CARLISM IN PRATS DE LLUÇANÈS

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Carlism was a phenomenon that appeared during the first third of the nineteenth century, and caused three civil wars. Its origin is found in the absence of males in the line of succession Spanish monarch Fernando VII, which only had a daughter, Isabel II. Fernando VII, at the gates of death from illness, in 1830, abolished the Salic law, law that prevented women reign, by the Pragmatic Sanction. With this decision, the monarch ensured the line of succession for his daughter. This decision was strongly opposed by his brother, Carlos Maria Isidro (Carlos V) who aspired to the Spanish crown. These wars, however, went beyond a simple dynastic struggle. They assumed the struggle between two political conceptions, marking a before and after in the Spanish constitution. All attempts of Carlists to access the Spanish throne were unsuccessful. The three wars were won by the liberal side. Who were the Carlists? The Carlists were defenders of tradition, which used to legitimize their rights and values: God, Country, King and Jurisdictions. So, who was part of Carlist was most of noble class, different sectors of the Catholic Church, and some of the agricultural landowners. In the three wars fought for the legitimacy of the male branch to the Spanish throne, and against the liberal doctrine, which they considered an ominous modernity. So in the First Carlist War (1833 - 1840) Carlist leader was Carlos María Isidro, brother of Fernando VII and known as Carlos V. During the Second Carlist War (1846 - 1849), the wedding of Elizabeth with the son of Charles V, Carlos Luis de Borbón and Braganza (Carlos VI) was attempted, but the wedding could not be carried out and exploded the War in defence of the Carlist movement. Third Carlist War (1872-1876) was initiated by the rise of Carlos Maria de los Dolores de Borbón and Austria, known as Carlos VII, son of Carlos VI.

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Who were the Elizabethans (liberals)? Fernando VII left as heir to the throne his daughter Isabel II. The problem is that when the monarch died, Elizabeth was only 2 years old and his mother, Maria Cristina, held the throne as a regent. Both the nobility, like much of the Catholic Church and of the agrarian bourgeoisie was against this appointment. Watching this scene, Isabel defenders was to seek support from the liberal side, basically formed by industrial bourgeoisie and the working class. The strongly imbued with the new ideas arising from the French Revolution, liberal sectors saw that giving support to the Elizabethan side, were able to, gradually, introduce structural changes in the government, and thus do and have a more liberal government. This meant breaking with the idea of divine right to the preservation of rights, opening the possibility of access to rights which until then had been denied them. The wars in Prats de Lluçanès Before the war began, Prats was a diverse town where you could find large industrial were weavers, and agricultural landowners. This diversity indicates the great ideological differences that existed between the townspeople. These differences were more with the Carlist Wars, where these two ideologies clashed using weapons. On August 5, 1833, after the arrival of the news of the death of Fernando VII, Josep Galceran, a resident of Prats, along with 50 other men, staged the first armed uprising in favor of Carlos V. This uprising marked the beginning of First Carlist War in Catalonia. The liberal forces managed to drive away the Carlists of the municipality and to keep the people under their control. To protect the town, they decided to build a wall around the centre of the town. This defensive element, while also aroused interest for its control, was the only walled point between Vic Berga, Manresa and Moià. During these three Wars, combat activity in this village was high. There were many attempts, by the Carlist, to occupy the fortress that the municipality represented. This interest, also, was demonstrated by the presence of first-line characters, such as the Carlist commander Savalls, liberal Cabrinetty brigade,

www.cooltur.org © COOLTUR Turisme Cultural #unmondecultura or the infant Alfonso Carlos de Borbón (brother of Carlos VII) and his wife Maria de las Nieves de Braganza. From COOLTUR we propose a tour in Prats de Lluçanès to discover and observe the passage of the three Carlist Wars in this town. Escoles Street, 2 We start our tour in the Escoles Street, 2. The reason to start at this point is twofold. First, it is because here passed the wall was built during the first Carlist War. This wall, however, is missing. We thought the wall could surround the current rectory wall. What we do know, through documentation, that the wall is left unprotected various parts of the people during the constant attacks that took place on these three wars. Second, the reason to start at this point is because the rectory was used as a prison, to hold parents and children of Josep Galceran, the first Catalan to rise in favour of Carlos V. The arrest of his family was to blackmail Josep Galceran. Moreover, these two buildings were used for the overnight stay of troops and prisoners were moved from city to city, and as a field hospital. Go to south by the Escoles Street 25 m Turn right onto Major Street 119 m Continue along Major Street 107 m Continue straight to Vella Square 7m Major Street, 2 One of the areas that remain outside the walled fabric was Vella Square, where he was one of the four wall gate to access into the walled town. This gate was known as Portal Bona Sort. These features made, in this square, great combat operations during the three wars. Of all the attacks that occurred, we could highlight two as the most important.

• The first occurred in 1834. A Carlist contingent went to Vella Square from Bona Sort Street. As they climbed, the Carlists were shouting, "Let's wash our hands with the blood of the Liberals". The attack was fierce, and the Carlists managed to break the wall and access within the walled part. They went to the Nova Square, but there was a battalion of liberals. When the liberals saw the Carlists, they started shooting the Carlist, driving back, towards Vella Square, the Carlists army. The attack continued until the Carlists decided to escape towards Sant Sebastià, a chapel next to this town. • The second battle, which include, passed in 1835. In this battle, the Carlist tried to regain control of Prats. Carlist prepared a truck and covered with mattresses. Some Carlist hid inside the car, with all their weapons, and forced several women, who living outside walls, to surround the car and direct it to the gate of the wall. The Liberals, who had heard of the strategy, expected on the wall. When the car arrived, in front of the gate, the liberals and carlists started a fire their weapons between the two sides. Some of the women, who had been forced to act as human shields, were killed. When carlists saw that their attack would not succeed, they withdrew while vented their anger against the people who lived in houses outside the wall. Go to north by Vella Square 7m Turn left to stay on Vella Square 15 m Continue along Josep Cirera Square 234 m Continue on BV-440187 m 89m Turn right 129m Continue on the right path 36m Continue on the right path 669m Turn to the left 80 m Chapel of Saint Sebastian Sant Sebastià was, also, a point of conflict between liberal and Carlist armies that fought repeatedly for the control of this point. This interest is evident by visual www.cooltur.org © COOLTUR Turisme Cultural #unmondecultura control you have over the town. To avoid losing control of this point, during the Third Carlist War, in 1875, the liberal army decided to fortify it. Although the wall is currently not preserved in its entirety, but it seems that the wall follows the perimeter of the wall that is around the church. Go to north 80m Continue along the middle path 185m Turn to the left 24m Turn right 403m Continue on the right path 310m Costa de Sant Sebastià The Costa of San Sebastià was one of the most contentious points during the three Carlist wars. There was, on this coast, several clashes between the two armies, causing heavy casualties. Perhaps the most notable battle was in 1874, during the Third Carlist War. We believe this was the most remarkable, as was the beginning of the defeat of the war by the Carlist army. This battle occurred when the Liberals regained the city of Berga, which was controlled by the Carlists. When the Liberals took control of Berga, they sent a group to try to take the control of Prats de Lluçanès, which at that time was controlled by the Carlist army. In this battle a total of 500 soldiers were killed, and led to a major defeat for the Carlist army. The loss of this battle created discrepancies between the various Carlist leaders. Head north 549 m Galceran chair The Galceran chair is a rock that looks like a chair. Josep Galceran give the name of this rock, because the people think that this Charlist general died in this place when he tried to observe the

different battles on the Merlès Valley. (Actually, the trees can’t let us observe this valley). But Josep Galceran didn’t die in this place, because at the end of the First Carlist War (1840), he crossed the border with France with other Carlist generals and his sons. We should remember that Josep Galceran was the first Catalan to rise in favour of Carlos V, beginning the First Carlist War in Catalonia. Head east 454 m Turn to the left 199m Turn right 580m Continue along the road on the left 94m Turn to the left 541m Turn left onto Bruc Street 8 m Turn right on Bruc Street 165 m Turn left into Lira Street 182 m Turn right The destination will be on the left 47 m Major Street, 65 In this street we find a house known as Cal Camps. This house was important during the three Carlist Wars as it hosted the highest-ranking generals of the two armies, both liberal and Carlist. In addition, during the third Carlist War, Prince Alfonso Carlos de Borbón, brother of the Carlist pretender Carlos VII, and his wife, Maria de las Nieves of Braganza, stayed in this house. From COOLTUR we hope that you have enjoyed this tour, and you’ll have a nice day. www.cooltur.org © COOLTUR Turisme Cultural #unmondecultura