| The Carlists of Spain |
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| If there is one thing that traditionalists and communists alike agree on it is that the Spanish Civil War was a crucial conflict that deserves more attention and study than it gets. However, the Spanish Civil War was only the last and most costly in a series of conflicts in Spain that began with the First Carlist War from 1834-1839. The problems originated with the reign of King Ferdinand VII, an absolutist monarch whose policies of liberal tyranny and disregard for tradition lost Spain her empire and her stability as a European power. He insisted on breaking Salic Law to decree that his only child, his daughter Isabel, would succeed him. |
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| The King could have worked with the Cortes to change the law, but instead, at the pressing of his troublesome and power-hungry wife Maria Cristina, decided to place Isabel on the throne by royal decree alone. Out of loyalty to the institution of monarchy, the King's brother and lawful heir, Don Carlos, did not take action until Ferdinand VII died and his wife siezed power in the name of the infant Queen Isabel II. War soon erupted between the traditional Carlists and the liberal Cristinos. Despite having less of everything than the government troops, the Carlists had the benefit of the brilliant general, Tomas Zumalacarregui, who constantly defeated forces far superior to his own. The Cristinos had help from France, England and Portugal, as well as money |
| taken by plundering Church property. The first war ended in defeat for the Carlists after General Zumalacarregui was killed in battle. However, the Carlist struggle went on for many years under a succession of descendants from the first Don Carlos. As religious persecution grew worse, particularly under the republic, more people joined the traditionalist forces. The platform of the Carlists was to protect the monarchy, restore the independence of the Church and allow greater local autonomy for the ethnic groups within Spain. Their symbol was the Sacred Heart of Jesus and eventually even named the Virgin Mary "Generalissima" of |
| the Carlist armed forces. The rise of the republic is evidence enough that the liberal monarchy of Isabel II and Alfonso XIII was a failure, and often dependent on military dictatorship for its life. The republic was backed by the Communists, anarchists and other radical left-wing groups. Their power forced a wide array of groups into the opposition faction, which included the religious traditionalists who were from the Carlist faction, the minority groups, and the militant Fascists under the leadership of General Franco; these were the "Nationalists". The republican government was extremely oppressive toward the Catholic Church in Spain, even to the point of government involvement in the murder of nuns and priests. However, as often happened, the Carlists lacked a strong and successful leader, and so was dependent on the dynamic personality of General Franco. |
| Support for the republicans came in from various countries, usually consisting of members of local Communist parties, as well as major support from the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin was very eager that Spain be won as a red satellite in Western Europe. The Nationalists were obliged to accept help from any corner (similar to the case of Finland) and the only ones willing to lend a hand were the German and Italian dictators Hitler and Mussolini who thought Spain would be a good training ground for the future conquest of Europe. The war became one of the most cruel conflicts Spain had even faced, the likes of which it had not seen since the French invasion under Napoleon. The Carlists proved to be a major factor in the success of the Nationalist forces even though the alliance with the Fascists was often uneasy. In the end, General Franco emerged successful, and soon the Carlists were pushed aside once again. An earlier victory for the Carlists would have been ideal for Spain, but even in 1939, most people agreed that the better side had won. |
| Music playing is "El Rey" |