Timeline / 1800 to 1890 / SPAIN

Timeline / 1800 to 1890 / SPAIN Date Country Theme 1808 - 1813 Spain Political Context Guerra de la Independencia (Peninsular War) during the French occupation of the Iberian Peninsula and the rule of King Joseph-Napoleon Bonaparte. 1812 Spain Political Context Spain's first Constitution of 1812, influenced by the French Revolution, is revolutionary because it declares the Spanish American colonies to be provinces and all their inhabitants citizens. The constitution reduces some of the powers and privileges of the monarchy, aristocracy and church and will influence future post- independence South American constitutions. Up to 1876 Spain will change its constitution four times (1837, 1845, 1869, 1876). 1813 Spain Political Context The Valençay Treaty ends the war between Spain and France. Return of King Fernando VII and absolutist restoration. 1817 Spain Reforms And Social Changes Slave trade (trata de negros) abolished by the Spanish Parliament at Cádiz. Following the influence of the French Revolution the anti-slavery movement grew in Europe. In 1837 slavery was abolished in Spain but not in the colonies. The government later freed the slaves of Puerto Rico (1873) and Cuba (1878). 1819 Spain Fine And Applied Arts Founding of the Museo Nacional del Prado with the Royal collection of paintings as one the first museums in Spain. 1820 - 1823 Spain Political Context In 1820, the army mutiny led by Rafael del Riego leads to King Fernando VII accepting the Constitution, in spite of his former opposition to constitutional monarchy, bringing in the Trienio Liberal period of popular rule. The Congress of Verona in 1822 gives France a mandate to restore Fernando as absolute monarch. In 1823 the French army invades Spain to restore absolutism, ending the Trienio Liberal. 1823 Spain Reforms And Social Changes The French army, known as “Los cien mil hijos de San Luis” (“the hundred thousand sons of St. Louis”), invades Spain to restore absolutism ending the Trienio Liberal (1820 –1823). In 1820 King Fernando VII had agreed to the Constitution, in spite of his opposition to a constitutional monarchy. The Congress of Verona in 1822 gave France a mandate to restore Fernando as absolute monarch. 1829 Spain Economy And Trade Date Country Theme The Banco Español de San Fernando absorbs the highly indebted Banco Nacional de San Carlos, founded in 1782, thus becoming in fact the first Spanish bank. The bank continues as such until 1856, when it becomes Banco de España, the central Bank of Spain. 1830 Spain Migrations From 1830 onwards many Spaniards emigrate to North Africa (Morocco and Algeria), coinciding with the French occupation of Algiers and as a consequence of the economic crises in Spain. The emigrants are mostly from the Mediterranean regions such as Alicante, Almería and the Balearic Islands. 1830 Spain Fine And Applied Arts From the 1830s onwards the Moorish or Alhambresque style is popular in Europe, especially in Spain, but also in England, Austria, Russia, Germany and the USA. This style is found not only in applied arts but also in architecture and interior decoration including the well-known “Moorish” smoking or retiring rooms. 1830 Spain Reforms And Social Changes Fernando VII has no sons, only daughters, so abolishes under Pragmática Sanción, the Salic Law, introduced by the Spanish branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which forbids women to reign. After the death of Fernando VII in 1833, his eldest daughter becomes Queen of Spain as Isabel II. 1831 Spain Economy And Trade Foundation of the Madrid stock exchange (Bolsa de Madrid), driven by the state's need to raise funds to cover, among other things, debts arising from the Carlist wars. 1832 Spain Economy And Trade Mechanisation of the textile industry in Catalonia with the introduction of steam- powered machines. Progress in the textile industry continues in Catalonia until the 1920 crisis. 1832 Spain Music, Literature, Dance And Fashion Publication of Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra, a collection of essays, verbal sketches and stories that Irving began to write while he was staying in the Alhambra in Granada. The book is influenced by Romanticism and includes Spanish legends and traditions. 1833 Spain Political Context Isabel II becomes Queen of Spain. The Salic Law forbidding women to reign had been abolished in 1830 because Fernando VII's only heirs were female. His brother, Carlos de Borbón, asserts his claim to the throne against his niece (first Carlist War, 1836–39); two further Carlist wars will follow (1846–49, 1872–76). 1834 Spain Political Context Date Country Theme Estatuto Real signed by the Queen Regent, María Cristina de Borbón, as a royal charter similar to the one under the French King Louis XVIII. There is no constitution, but it has two chambers (similar to the British House of Lords and House of Commons) and a government, with a president and ministers. 1834 Spain Fine And Applied Arts During his Grand Tour, after visiting Italy, Greece and Egypt, Owen Jones visits Granada and the Alhambra. His six month stay in the Alhambra is very important in the development of his ideas about polychromy and design. 1835 Spain Music, Literature, Dance And Fashion The premiere of Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino by the Duke of Rivas marks the beginnings of Spanish Romanticism in the theatre, especially tragedy, further developed in Don Juan Tenorio by José Zorrilla. All the Romantic plays have elements from poetry and novels and some have a historical background. 1836 - 1876 Spain Political Context As a consequence of political instability and of a woman taking over the rule of Spain, the deeply conservative and ultra-Catholic Carlist party rises three times in three dynastic wars against the State (1836–39, 1846–49 and 1872–76). 1836 Spain Political Context The Queen Regent, María Cristina, is forced to reinstate the 1812 Constitution after a military coup (pronunciamiento) in order to get support from the liberals in the First Carlist War. Under the Desamortización de Mendizábal Church properties are disentailed to fund the war. General Espartero takes over the Regency from the Queen in 1841. 1836 - 1845 Spain Fine And Applied Arts Publication of Owen Jones's Plan, Elevations, Sections and Details of the Alhambra (with an essay by Pascual de Gayangos on the history of the Nasrid Dynasty) in 12 volumes, using the new technique of chromolithography. 1837 - 1844 Spain Economy And Trade First state confiscation and sale of Church properties known, after the minister who developed the law, as Desamortización de Mendizábal (Mendizábal's Disentailment) to fund the Carlist war. 1837 Spain Economy And Trade The feudal system had been abolished under the Cádiz Constitution of 1812 but not completely enacted until 1837. 1843 - 1868 Spain Political Context Isabel II comes of age in 1843. During her reign the political parties are divided into liberals and conservatives. The Church regains its privileges under the 2nd Date Country Theme Concordat signed in 1851. The Queen's rule ends in 1868 with the revolution known as La Gloriosa (the Glorious Revolution). 1844 - 1846 Spain Economy And Trade British interests in raw material – iron and coal – lead to the foundation of the iron and steel industry in Bilbao and Santander and industrial exploitation of the coal mines in Asturias. 1848 Spain Great Inventions Of The 19th Century The first railway in Spain is built between Barcelona and Mataró for the transport of goods and passengers. The first railway built by the Spaniards had been built in Cuba in 1837 linking Havana with Güines. 1850 Spain Rediscovering The Past First photography of the Islamic monuments and remains in Spain such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Alhambra palace. 1850 - 1860s Spain Fine And Applied Arts Rafael Contreras begins to make models from the Alhambra that are shown in international exhibitions and acquired by many museums and schools of design. The models are used as examples of wall decoration in the Alhambresque style. 1850 Spain Fine And Applied Arts First photography of Arab monuments such as the Alhambra and the Great Mosque of Córdoba. The development of photography sheds new light on these monuments and these first photographs are important documents on Arab remains in Spain. 1851 Spain Great Inventions Of The 19th Century While the Barcelona–Mataró railway is under construction, another line is in progress between Madrid and Aranjuez, opened in 1851, and a third between Langreo and Gijón, in Asturias. By the end of the 19th century most Spanish cities will be linked by train. 1853 Spain Migrations The ban on emigration to America is lifted. Under the Constitution of 1869 free emigration for all the inhabitants is recognised on payment of a fee, which remains until 1873. 1855 - 1867 Spain Economy And Trade The Madoz law introduced in 1855 provides for the state confiscation and sale of the rest of the Church properties and also of municipal properties. 1855 Spain Great Inventions Of The 19th Century Date Country Theme The railways law, Ley General de Caminos de Hierro (Law of the Iron Roads) establishes principles for the railway and its public and private development. It specifies a rail width that is wider than the European rail. Its continued use still causes problems for rail connections between Spain and France today. 1855 Spain Great Inventions Of The 19th Century The government introduces a law establishing the telegraphic network in Spanish territory, marking the beginning of telecommunications in Spain. Its objective is to link every important city and the provincial capitals. 1856 - 1860 Spain Cities And Urban Spaces Ildefonso Cerdá designs the "extension" of Barcelona in 1859. The orthogonal design of the streets creates a new neighbourhood: El Ensanche/L’Eixample. The development of wide streets such as Diagonal or Paseo de Gracia allows a new construction style, Modernismo/Modernisme, with buildings by Antonio Gaudí and Puig i Cadafalch.

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