Contemporary Age

Revolution and changes in Spain• The French Revolution meant:- the end of absolutism in France, - the end of unlimited powers for a king- the beginning of new liberal ideas

- 1788 – Carlos IV came to the Spanish throne - 1807 – Treaty of Fontainebleau - signed by the Prime Minester

Manuel Godoy and Napoleon Bonaparte - they agreed to invade Portugal, but France used it to achieve another objective the invasion of Spain

• Fernando (Carlos'son) led the Mutiny of Aranjuez in 1808 against Godoy• Carlos IV abdicated in favour of his son who became Fernando VII• However, Napoleon forced Fernando to abdicate and put his

brother, Joseph Bonaparte, on the throne of Spain

The War of Independence• Opposition supporters of Joseph Bonaparte supporters of a Spanish monarch

• The French invasion caused an uprising in Madrid on 2 May 1808• It was not only a war against France but also a civil war in Spain about who the

monarch should be • The French were defeated (with the help of the British) • 1814 – Napoleon recognised Fernando as King of Spain – the return of

absolutism

wanted Fernando VII to return

wanted another Spanish monarch

The Constitution of 1812• 1810 – Cádiz- delegates met to draw up a Spanish constitution

(signed in 1812)• It was the most liberal constitution of its time and the first in Spain• The constitution established:

Freedom of the pressVoting rights for all

men over 18

Freedom of expression

A constitutional monarchy

National sovereignty

Equality for all

However, it was abolished in 1814 when Fernando VII came to the throne.

The independence of the American territories

• The French Revolution and America's independence from Britain in 1776 influenced liberal ideas in the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese colonists• By 1825, Spain had lost all

its territories (except for Cuba and Puerto Rico)

Did you know???- European descendants in America, especially Spanish-born ones, are called criollos

Independence of Spanish colonies in America

The reigns of Fernando VII and Isabel II• The reign of Fernando VII can be divided into three periods:

1814-1820 Absolutism

1820-1823 Liberal Triennium

1823-1833 Ominous Decade

- Fernando's return to the Spanish throne was welcomed by the

Spanish- He declared their constitution

illegal in 1814- He became an absolute

monarch

- Rafael del Riego led a military rebellion

- 1823 - Fernando VII revoked the constitution

- Period of repressions- Problem of succession

Isabel II• 1833 – Fernando VII died and chose his eldest daughter, Isabel

II• She came to the throne at the age of 13• The beginning of the regency period was marked by the Carlist

Wars – between those who supported the regent and supporters of the late king's brother, Carlos (called Carlists – in favour of an absolute monarchy)• During Isabel's reign, Spain became a parliamentary

monarchy• Her reign was marked by political instability which led to her

exile in 1868• A provisional government drew up the Constitution of 1869

Social changes and the labour movement

• Conditions for the working class in the 1800s were bad (workers were badly paid, they worked long hours in dangerous conditions)• Many workers started organising themselves into associations (unions) to

demand improvements in their wages and working conditions

The upper class – made up of the nobility, now it also included rich factory owners and bankers (called the

upper bourgeoisie)- They wanted to raise their social status by marrying

into nobility or buying grand houses

The middle class – made up of merchants, doctors, lawyers, small landowners

The working class – made up of low-paid agricultural workers and labourers from rural areas and urban

areas

Culture: a reflection of the times• Francisco de Goya y Lucientes painted throughout this period of

change and revolution in Spain• His paintings reflect what was happening at the time

Did you know???- Towards the end of Goya's life, he went completely deaf. He began a period of Black Paintings. The paintings were painted directly on the walls of his house.

Francisco Goya y Lucientes - paintings

1774-1792Description: leisure activities of different

social classes of his timeWorks: La gallina ciega, El pelele, La vendimia

1785Description: portraits of the royal family

Works: La familia de Carlos IV

El quitasol (The Parasol) La familia de Carlos IV (Charles IV of Spain and his family)

1808-1813Description: horrors of the War of Independence

Works: El dos de mayo, La carga de los mamelucos, Los fusilamientos de la Moncloa

1814-1824Description: black paintings

Works: Saturno devorando a su hijo, El aquelarre

La carga de los mamelucos (The Charge of the Mamelukes) Dos viejos comiendo sopa (Two Old Men Eating Soup)

The horrors of a war• Goya painted several pictures which reflected the horrors of war• One of his masterpieces was Los fusilamientos de la Moncloa

Disposition: The painting is divided into two parts: the right-hand side, which is much darker; and the left-

hand side which draws the observer's eye to the key part

Colours: Despite being a dark painting, the painter uses white and red to highlight some details and to

represent sufferingFacial expressions: The painter wanted to show

suffering as we can only see some of the victims' faces but not those of the French soldiers'