Carlism was a conservative political movement in Spain, purporting to establish an alternative branch of the Bourbons in the Spanish throne.

Contents

1 Origin 2 Carlist Wars 2.1 Carlist military leaders 2.2 Isabelline, Alfonsine or Cristine military leaders 3 Carlist symbols 4 Pretenders to the throne

Origin

During the reign (1808-1833) of Ferdinand VII of Spain — in the aftermath of the Spanish War of Independence — the political situation oscillated between the supporters of the Ancien régime and the Liberals influenced by the French Revolution of 1789, though many of them had fought the Napoleonic occupation.

During Ferdinand's last days, the question of succession wasn't clear. After the birth of his daughter Isabella, Ferdinand signed in 29 March 1830 the Prágmatica Sanción (1789) of his father Charles. According to the Bourbon custom (the Salic law), the throne was reserved for males. The Sanción restored the right of women to the throne (with precedence given to their brothers), as it was the custom of Castile since the Siete Partidas of Alfonso X of Castile. Hence, his daughter Isabella II of Spain was proclaimed queen.

After the king's death, followers of the Conservative Carlos María Isidro de Borbón , the king's brother and Isabella's uncle, impugned the Sanción.

What began as a family spat got out of hand, dividing for many years the country between Conservatives and Liberals.

Carlist Wars

• First Carlist War
• Second Carlist War
• Third Carlist War
• Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Carlist military leaders

• Tomás de Zumalacárregui
• El Cura Santa Cruz
• Cabrera

Isabelline, Alfonsine or Cristine military leaders

• Baldomero Espartero

Carlist symbols

• Motto: Dios, Patria, Fueros, Rey.
• Flag: the red sotuer of Burgundy on white.
• Uniform: red beret. In Basque, they were called txapelgorri.
• Anthem: Oriamendi .

The Carlists have traditionally been strong in Navarre (Estella was their capital), Basque Country and Valencia region.

The Carlists wanted the Spanish Inquisition back and region decentralization (Fueros).

Basque nationalism and Catholic integrism emanated from Carlism.

Requeté, Brigadas de Navarra, detente bala , trágala; ojalateros were courtiers saying Ojalá nos ataquen y ganemos, Bergara /Vergara was the royal Court and place of the Abrazo de Bergara.

Carlism was the subject of writings by Karl Marx and Mariano José de Larra .

Pretenders to the throne

• Count of Montemolín.
• Carlos-Hugo de Borbón-Parma, married to Princess Irene of the Netherlands
• Juan de Borbón, the Alfonsine pretender was accepted by some Carlists as rightful heir.

After coming to power in 1939, Franco united the Carlists with the Falange party. By the 1970s, they were again divided among Carlos-Hugo's extreme right, Tito-style autogestion ary Socialists, the pro-democracy Platajunta, and supporters of Juan Carlos of Spain. At Montejurra /Jurramendi, 1977, the rightists fired on the democrats.

After the first democratic elections on June 15, 1977, they remained extra-parliamentary, obtaining only town council seats.