The fall of Cea Bermúdez and the end of absolutism. Networks of relationships and action of the elites

  • Arnaud Pierre Université de Poitiers
Keywords: Spanish liberalism, absolutism, Cea Bermúdez, networks of relationships, political change

Abstract

The fall from power of Francisco de Cea Bermúdez, Ferdinand VII’s last minister, represented the definitive end of absolutism in Spain, and marked the beginning of the process which led to the liberal society, in the context of the carlist civil war. This article contends that this break-up was imposed to the regent María Cristina de Borbón by a strong movement within public opinion, channelled by the family and affinity networks in the «political class» of the Monarchy, whose members acted moved by a sincere belief that a better representation of the Nation was necessary, as much as by their own interests. It also argues that there were no specific role played by the military, integrated as they were within the functionaries. The part played by Francisco Javier Castaños and Pedro Agustín Girón is emphasized.

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Author Biography

Arnaud Pierre, Université de Poitiers



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Published
2023-12-20
How to Cite
Pierre A. . (2023). The fall of Cea Bermúdez and the end of absolutism. Networks of relationships and action of the elites. Historia y Política, 50, 187-219. https://doi.org/10.18042/hp.50.07