115-686: Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 1857 – 25 November 1885), also known as El Pacificador (Spanish: the Peacemaker ), was King of Spain from 29 December 1874 to his death in 1885. After the Glorious Revolution of 1868 deposed his mother Isabella II from the throne, Alfonso studied in Austria and France. His mother abdicated in his favour in 1870, and he returned to Spain as king in 1874 following
230-756: A war in Cuba and Muslim uprisings in Spanish Morocco . In the midst of these crises, the Carlist War continued and the Carlist party made itself strong in areas with claims over their national and institutional specificity such as Catalonia and the Basque Country . This unrest led to the creation of a group in favour of the Bourbon Restoration , led by the moderate conservative Antonio Cánovas del Castillo . Alfonso
345-497: A basis that afterwards enabled Spain to pass through the disastrous war with the United States without the threat of a revolution. King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy ( Spanish : Monarquía Española ) is the constitutional form of government of Spain . It consists of a hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state , being the highest office of
460-749: A century (see History of Spain (1808–1874) ). Both Europe (the coastal regions, such as the Basque Country, Catalonia, and Asturias) and the colonies in the Antilles and Pacific were able to grow steadily. Cuba and Puerto Rico prospered to the point that Spain's first train was not in Spain proper but between Havana and Güines in Cuba, and the first telegraph in Latin America was in Puerto Rico, established by Samuel Morse , whose daughter and son-in-law lived there. Upon
575-525: A coup aimed at placing the military in the political-administrative positions of power, in reality ushered in a civilian regime that lasted until Primo de Rivera 's 1923 coup d'état. Cánovas was the real architect of the new regime of the Restoration. In 1881 Alfonso refused to sanction a law by which the ministers were to remain in office for a fixed term of 18 months. Upon the consequent resignation of Cánovas del Castillo, he summoned Práxedes Mateo Sagasta ,
690-610: A court of law. However, special legislation was passed by parliament prior to his abdication that states he may only be tried by Spain's Supreme Court and no other. The Person of the King of Spain is inviolable and shall not be held accountable. His acts shall always be countersigned in the manner established in section 64. Without such countersignature they shall not be valid, except as provided under section 65(2). The concept of lèse-majesté ( lesa-majestad ) exists in Spanish jurisprudence , which
805-690: A definite pro-independence movement had coalesced, and Cuba experienced three civil wars in thirty years that culminated in a US intervention and the island's eventual independence: the Ten Years' War (1868–78), the Little War (1879–80) and the War of Independence, which became the Spanish–American War . During the last war the issue of autonomy came to a head. In 1895 the Overseas Minister, with approval from
920-594: A general cabildo (a local government council), which was duly authorized to deal directly with Spain. This legal move removed Velázquez and the settlers from under the authority of Colón, their nominal superior. It was a precedent that would come back to haunt Velázquez during Hernán Cortés 's conquest of the Aztec Empire . Other cities were later founded under Velázquez: Bayamo in 1513; Santísima Trinidad , Sancti Spíritus and San Cristóbal de La Habana in 1514; Puerto Príncipe and Santiago de Cuba in 1515. After
1035-763: A king on the throne, he ruled through a coalition of allied organizations from the Spanish Civil War including, but not limited to, the Falange political party, the supporters of the Bourbon royal family, and the Carlists , until his death in 1975. Despite Franco's alliance with the Carlists, Franco appointed Juan Carlos I de Borbón as his successor, who is credited with presiding over Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy by fully endorsing political reforms. Impatient with
1150-728: A large influx of refugees when the English captured Jamaica and expelled the Spanish settlers in the colony. In 1756 the construction of ships for the Spanish Navy began with the establishment of an Intendancy of the Navy in Havana, which functioned as a royal shipyard . The British capture of the island in 1762 during the Seven Years' War proved to be a turning point in the history of Cuba and Spanish America in general. The British captured Havana after
1265-715: A military coup against the First Spanish Republic . Alfonso died aged 27 in 1885, leaving his pregnant widow, Maria Christina of Austria , as regent of Spain. Their son, Alfonso XIII , became king upon his birth the following year. Maria Christina continued as regent until Alfonso XIII came of age in 1902. Alfonso was born in Madrid as the eldest son of the reigning Queen Isabella II on 28 November 1857. His official father, Isabella's husband Francisco de Asís , has been generally viewed as effeminate, impotent or homosexual, leading writers to question his biological paternity. There
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#17328550435091380-520: A period of great colonial expansion and trade. The Hispanic Crown retained control over and profited from all operations in overseas colonies (by and large royal assets under a monopoly on trade), including slave trade , developed under the purview of the regalía late-medieval system. The death in 1700 of Charles II , last of the Spanish Habsburgs, triggered the War of the Spanish succession . With
1495-488: A special Junta Informativa de Reformas de Ultramar (Overseas Informative Reform Board), with representatives from Cuba and Puerto Rico, was convened in 1865. Even then its proposals were never made into laws. In the 1830s, judicial affairs were restructured. An Audiencia of Havana was created in 1838, with the jurisdiction of the Puerto Príncipe Audiencia limited to the east and center of the island. (The latter
1610-575: A three-month siege and controlled the western part of the island for a year. Britain returned Cuba in exchange for Florida in the Treaty of Paris . The events revealed not only the weaknesses of the region's defenses but also proved just how much the Cuban economy had been neglected by the Spanish. During the year they controlled Cuba, the British and their American colonies conducted an unprecedented amount of trade with
1725-444: Is currently represented by King Felipe VI , Queen Letizia , their daughters Leonor, Princess of Asturias , and Infanta Sofía , and the king's parents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía . The Spanish Constitution of 1978 re-established a constitutional monarchy as the form of government for Spain after the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and the restoration of democracy in 1977 . The 1978 constitution affirmed
1840-572: Is incumbent upon the monarch to "confer civil and military positions and award honors and distinctions in conformity of the law". According to the Spanish Ministry of Justice , nobility and grandee titles are created by the "sovereign grace of the king", and may be passed on to the recipient's heirs, who may not sell the title. Titles may revert to the Crown when their vacancy is observed. Succession of titles may follow one of several courses listed on
1955-598: Is personally immune from prosecution for acts committed by government ministers in the king's name. Although he is nominally chief executive, his acts are not valid unless countersigned by a minister, who then assumes political and legal responsibility for the act in question. This legal convention mirrors the concept of sovereign immunity which evolved in similar constitutional monarchies. The legal concept of sovereign immunity evolved into other aspects of immunity law in similar liberal democracies , such as parliamentary immunity , judicial immunity , and qualified immunity in
2070-443: Is speculation that Alfonso's biological father may have been Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans, a captain of the guard. Others have assigned the fatherhood to Federico Puig Romero, a colonel who was murdered under unclear circumstances in 1866. The relationship of the queen with Puigmoltó was so much of a public hearsay at the time that Francisco de Asís initially refused to attend the baptism ceremony of Alfonso (the heir apparent), though he
2185-695: Is the crime or offense violating the dignity of the head-of-state or the State itself. According to Article 56 of the 1978 Constitution the monarch and the dignity of the Spanish State are one and the same: "The King is Head of State, the symbol of its unity and permanence". Breaching Spain's lèse-majesté laws may carry fines and up to two years in prison. The concept is within the same legal sphere as legislation prohibiting flag desecration in other democratic countries. Additionally, lèse-majesté extends to any foreign heads-of-state visiting Spain, and other members of
2300-556: The situado , to becoming a self-sustaining and flourishing, sugar-, coffee- and tobacco-exporting colony, which also meant that large number of slaves were imported into Cuba . The agricultural economy was aided by the gradual opening of Cuban ports to foreign ships, especially after the loss of the mainland due to the independence wars. During the American Revolutionary War Spain recaptured colonial Florida (which at that time included Gulf Coast lands extending all
2415-574: The American invasion of Puerto Rico , ten US dollars were needed to buy one Puerto Rican peso. On 23 January 1878 at the Basilica of Atocha in Madrid, Alfonso married his first cousin, Princess María de las Mercedes , but she died within five months of the marriage. On 29 November 1879 at the Basilica of Atocha in Madrid , Alfonso married his double third cousin, Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria . During
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#17328550435092530-680: The Bourbon Reforms , attempted to rationalize administration and produce more revenue from the overseas empire. During the Napoleonic Wars , the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte forced Ferdinand VII to abdicate in 1808, and the Bourbons became a focus of popular resistance against French rule. However, Ferdinand's rejection of the liberal Spanish Constitution of 1812 , as well as his ministerial appointments, particularly
2645-612: The Burgundy Family , was the last to claim the imperial title of Spain , but divided his empire among his sons. The Castilian Civil War (1366 to 1369) ended with the death of King Peter (r. 1334–1369) at the hands of his illegitimate half-brother Henry, 1st Count of Trastámara who ruled as Henry II (r. 1369–1379). Henry II became the first of the House of Trastámara to rule over a Spanish kingdom. King Peter's heiress, his granddaughter Catherine of Lancaster , married Henry III , reuniting
2760-580: The Order of Alfonso X , the Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild , the Order of Saint Raimundo de Penafort , the Order of Military Merit , the Order of Naval Merit , the Order of Aerial Merit , the Order of Civil Merit , the Order of Cultural Merit , the Order of Calatrava , the Order of the Knights of Santiago , the Order of Sant Jordi d'Alfama , and the Order of Alcántara , among others. The Spanish monarch
2875-624: The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , Cuba experienced an exodus of settlers, and its population remained small for the next two centuries. In 1565 the Adelantado Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , who was also Captain General of the Spanish treasure fleet which rendezvoused in Havana, established the first permanent Spanish settlement in Florida, San Agustín , initially bringing the province under
2990-785: The Speaker of the Congress (who, in this instance, represents the whole of the Cortes Generales). Captaincy General of Cuba The Captaincy General of Cuba ( Spanish : Capitanía General de Cuba ) was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire created in 1607 as part of Habsburg Spain attempt to better defend and administer its Caribbean possessions. The reform also established captaincies general in Puerto Rico , Guatemala and Yucatán . The restructuring of
3105-643: The Title of Concession when the title is created. As a general rule, most titles are now inherited by absolute Cognatic Primogeniture (as of 2006), in which the first born inherits all titles regardless of gender. However, a title holder may designate his successor, Succession by Assignment , or disperse his titles among his children – with the eldest getting the highest-ranking title, Succession by Distribution . During his reign between 1975 and 2014, King Juan Carlos awarded peerages to two of his former prime ministers who had retired from active politics: Adolfo Suárez , who
3220-732: The Visigothic Kingdom and its Christian successor states of Navarre , Asturias (later Leon and Castille ) and Aragon , which fought the Reconquista or Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula following the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in the 8th century. One of the earliest influential dynasties was the House of Jiménez which united much of Christian Iberia under its leadership in the 11th century. From Sancho III of Navarre (r. 1000–1035) until Urraca of León and Castile (r. 1106–1125), members of
3335-473: The regency of the monarchy and guardianship of the person of the monarch in the event of his minority or incapacitation. The office of Regent(s) and the Guardianship of the monarch (whether the monarch is in his minority or incapacitated) may not necessarily be the same person. In the event of the minority of the monarch, the surviving mother or father, or oldest relative of legal age who is nearest in line to
3450-732: The Captaincy General in 1764 was the first example of the Bourbon Reforms in America. The changes included adding the provinces of Florida and Louisiana and granting more autonomy to these provinces. This later change was carried out by the Count of Floridablanca under Charles III to strengthen the Spanish position vis-a-vis the British in the Caribbean. A new governor-captain general based in Havana oversaw
3565-432: The Captaincy General of Cuba as part of larger plans to defend the Caribbean against foreign threats . The first captain general was Pedro Valdés. Around the same time other captaincies general were established in Puerto Rico (1580) and Central America (1609). Cuba was divided into two governorships with capitals in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The governor of Havana was Captain General of the island. In 1650 Cuba received
Alfonso XII - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-618: The Carlists revolted and the Third Carlist War broke out, he abdicated and returned to Italy in early 1873. Following Amadeo's abandonment, the First Spanish Republic was established, including the territories of Cuba , Puerto Rico and the Pacific Archipelagos. The first act of President Estanislao Figueras was to extend the abolition of slavery to Puerto Rico; Cuban slaves would have to wait until 1889. The republicans were not in agreement either, and they had to contend with
3795-577: The Constitution and the Laws are sustained, and to respect the rights of the citizens and of the autonomous communities. The 1978 Constitution, Title II The Crown , Article 62, delineates the powers of the king, while Title IV Government and Administration , Article 99, defines the king's role in the appointment of the prime minister and the formation of the council of ministers/government. Title VI Judicial Power , Article 117, Articles 122 through 124, outlines
3910-554: The European balance of power . Philip V was the first member of the House of Bourbon (Spanish: Borbón ) to rule Spain. That dynasty still rules today under Felipe (Philip) VI. In the mid-eighteenth century, particularly under Charles III of Spain , the Spanish Crown embarked on an ambitious and far-reaching project to implement major reforms in the administration of Spain and the Spanish empire. These changes, collectively known as
4025-456: The Jiménez family claimed the historic Visigothic title Imperator totius Hispaniae or Emperor of All Spain . The Jiménez rulers sought to bring their kingdoms into the European mainstream and often engaged in cross- Pyrenees alliances and marriages, and became patrons to Cluniac Reforms (c. 950–c. 1130). Urraca's son and heir Alfonso VII of León and Castile , the first of the Spanish branch of
4140-707: The Liberal leader, to form a new cabinet. In order to eliminate one of the problems of the reign of Isabel II , the single party and its destabilizing consequences, the Liberal Party was allowed to incorporate and participate in national politics, and the ' turnismo ' or alternation was to become the new system. Turnismo would be endorsed in the Constitution of 1876 and the Pact of El Pardo (1885). It meant that liberal and conservative prime ministers would succeed each other ending thus
4255-459: The Metropolis, who will carry out his duties in its name, the supreme Authority." The new government functioned only for a few months before the United States took control of the island. The population of Cuba in 1899 when the Spanish rule had ended was 1,572,797 which was 9.2 times larger than the population in 1775 and during that year 171,620 people were reported living on the island. In Cuba,
4370-637: The Nationalists. Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany aided Franco in the Spanish Civil War. The Soviet Union backed the Republican Government as did Mexico under the government of Lázaro Cárdenas . After sixteen years without monarchy or kingdom, in 1947, Spain was made a Kingdom again by General Franco, who claimed to rule Spain as Head of state of the Kingdom of Spain through the Law of Succession . However, without
4485-739: The Novísima Recopilación and the Partidas of Alfonso X . This led to a third cause of instability, the independence of most of the American possessions, recognized between 1823 and 1850. When Queen Isabella II and her husband were forced to leave Spain by the Revolution of 1868 , Alfonso accompanied them to Paris. From there, he was sent to the Theresianum in Vienna to continue his studies. On 25 June 1870, he
4600-439: The Pragmatic Sanction argued that it was never officially promulgated, claiming Ferdinand VII's younger brother, Prince Carlos , the rightful heir to the crown according to the Salic Law. In September 1873, the First Spanish Republic was founded. A coup d'état restored the Bourbon dynasty to the throne in 1874. In 1931 Spanish local elections produced victories (particularly in urban areas) for candidates favoring an end to
4715-407: The President resigned, and his power was transferred to the king's plenipotentiary and adviser, Cánovas. With Cánovas disapproval (he detested the intervention of the military in politics), the 29 December 1875 pronunciamento of Gen. Martínez Campos in Sagunto ended the failed republic and meant the rise of the young Prince Alfonso. Within a few days after Cánovas del Castillo took power as Premier,
Alfonso XII - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-433: The Prime Minister, took the extra-constitutional step in 1897 of writing the Constitución Autonómica , which granted the Caribbean islands autonomy, technically bringing the Captaincy General to an end. Given the urgency of the movement, the government approved this unusual measure. The new government of the island was to consist of "an Island Parliament, divided into two chambers and one Governor-General , representative of
4945-402: The Spanish State domestically and internationally, all the while aiming to maintain a professionally non-partisan yet independent monarchy. The Crown of Spain ( la Corona de España ), with its roots in the Visigothic kingdom from the 5th century and subsequent successor states, is recognized in Title II The Crown , Articles 56 through 65 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 . Constitutionally
5060-418: The Spanish explorations and settlement in the Caribbean, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire and the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire , the crown established high courts ("Audiencias") and viceroyalties in important regions ( Mexico , 1535; Panama , 1538, which was later replaced by Lima , 1542). The viceroy (vice-king) and the Audiencias were the effective administrators of royal policy. In 1505,
5175-429: The Spanish government granted the governors-captain generals of Cuba extraordinary powers in matters of administration, justice and the treasury and in the second half of the 19th century gave them the title of Governor General . Since the 16th century the island of Cuba had been under the control of the governor-captain general of Santo Domingo , who was at the same time, president of the audiencia there. He oversaw
5290-439: The Spanish monarchs have never used the title. In 1492 the Catholic Monarchs conquered the Kingdom of Granada in southern Spain, the last Muslim territory in the Iberian peninsula. The unification of Spain is marked from this date, though the Spanish kingdoms continued past that date. The territories of the Spanish empire overseas were dependencies of the Crown of Castile, and Castile had an outsized influence there. Following
5405-441: The Spanish monarchy passed to the House of Habsburg in the person of King Charles I (also Holy Roman Emperor as Charles V), son of Queen Joanna and King Philip I of Castile (usually Philip the Handsome in English). With the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1516 the Aragonese lands were added to Charles and Joanna's territories. With his mother and co-monarch Joanna confined in Tordesillas , claimed to be mad, Charles I
5520-432: The Two Floridas was established. Both were suffragan to the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, but after the Treaty of Basel, it disappeared, so Santiago de Cuba was elevated to an Archdiocese with the above-mentioned dioceses suffragan to it, as well as the Diocese of Puerto Rico . The Spanish Constitution of 1812 , enacted by the Cortes of Cádiz – which served as a parliamentary Regency after Ferdinand VII
5635-494: The US was cut off from its previous supply in the British West Indies and Hispaniola . Initially, sugar plantations were built around ports and in particular Havana because overland transport was costly, slow and difficult taking the form of large ox-cart trains transporting sugar. A railroad network was developed as a result of overland limitations with the first railroad line being built in 1837 between Havana and Güines spanning 82 kilometres (51 mi). The railroad allowed for
5750-514: The United States. As the reigning monarch the king of Spain has absolute sovereign immunity, he cannot be charged in any court of law in the Spanish state. This immunity applies to both civil and criminal cases. Sovereign immunity is reserved exclusively for the current holder of the Office of King. It does not apply to any other member of the royal family. When Juan Carlos I abdicated the throne to his successor Felipe VI he automatically forfeited his constitutional sovereign immunity and can be charged in
5865-419: The administration of the new district. The local governors of the larger Captaincy General had previously been overseen in political and military matters by the president of the Audiencia of Santo Domingo . This audiencia retained oversight of judicial affairs until the establishment of new audiencias in Puerto Príncipe (1800) and Havana (1838). In 1825, as a result of the loss of the mainland possessions,
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#17328550435095980-476: The administrative control of Cuba, although due to distance and sea currents, Florida's government was granted the right to correspond directly with the Council of the Indies . The Church played an important role in the Spanish settlement of the Americas. Furthermore, since governors, as representatives of the King, oversaw church administration due to the crown's right of patronage , the church and state were tightly intertwined in Spanish America. The first diocese
6095-419: The affection of his people by fearlessly visiting districts ravaged by cholera or devastated by the 1884 Andalusian earthquake . His capacity for dealing with men was considerable, and he never allowed himself to become the instrument of any particular party. During his short reign, peace was established both at home and abroad, finances were well regulated, and the various administrative services were placed on
6210-447: The constitution is obeyed. Lastly, the king swears to respect the rights of Spanish citizens and of the self-governing communities. The Prince of Asturias, upon reaching the age of majority, in addition to any regent(s) upon assuming the office, swears the same oath as that of the king along with a further oath of loyalty to the monarch. The oath reads as follows: I swear faithfully to discharge my functions, to sustain and see to it that
6325-402: The context of the post-Napoleonic restorations and revolutions which engulfed Europe and the Americas, both the Carlistas and the Isabelino conservatives were opposed to the new Napoleonic constitutional system. Much like in Britain, which subtracted itself from the liberal constitutional process, Spanish conservatives wanted to continue with the traditional Organic Laws, such as the Fuero Juzgo ,
6440-420: The country's on-going late-2000s economic crisis . According to the Spanish Constitution voted in referendum , the sovereign power emanates from the people, so it is the very same people who give the king the power to reign: National sovereignty belongs to the Spanish people, from whom all State powers emanate. The monarch " arbitrates and moderates the regular functioning of the institutions " and assumes
6555-430: The country. The current King is Felipe VI since 19 June 2014, after the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos I . The Spanish monarchy is constitutionally referred to as The Crown ( Spanish : La Corona ), and it comprises the reigning monarch , his or her royal family, and the Royal Household , which supports and facilitates the sovereign in the exercise of his duties and prerogatives. The Royal Family
6670-473: The crown , compensation , and a regency -guardianship contingency in cases of the monarch's minority or incapacitation . According to the Constitution, the monarch is also instrumental in promoting relations with the "nations of its historical community". The monarch serves as honorary president of the Organization of Ibero-American States , representing over 700,000,000 people in twenty-four member nations worldwide. The monarchy in Spain has its roots in
6785-431: The death of the childless Charles II, the succession to the throne was disputed. Charles II had designated his sister Maria Theresa 's grandson, Philip of France , Duke of Anjou , as his heir. The possible unification of Spain with France, the two big European powers at the time, sparked the Spanish War of Succession in the 18th century, culminating in the treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Rastatt (1714) , which preserved
6900-602: The dynasties in the person of their son, King John II . In the 15th century, the marriage between Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon , both members of the House of Trastámara , known as the Catholic Monarchs , united two important kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula . Each kingdom retained its basic structure. The last pretender of the crown of the Byzantine Empire , Andreas Palaiologos , who styled himself as "Emperor of Constantinople", bestowed his imperial title to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile in his last testament, dated 7 April 1502, although
7015-399: The exclusion of liberals, gradually eroded popular support for the Spanish monarchy. With the Pragmatic Sanction of 1830 , Ferdinand set aside the Salic law , introduced by Philip V, that prohibited women from becoming sovereigns of Spain. Thereby, as had been customary before the arrival of the Bourbons, Ferdinand VII's eldest daughter Isabella became his heiress presumptive . Opponents of
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#17328550435097130-422: The first census of the island was carried out, revealing 171,670 inhabitants, and other measures were taken to improve the local economy. These reforms, especially the institution of the intendancy, initiated a dramatic social and economic transformation of the island during the last half of the 18th century and early 19th. Cuba went from being a defensive post in the Caribbean sustained by a subsidy from New Spain,
7245-415: The first of the Spanish Bourbons, women were barred from succession until Ferdinand VII reintroduced the right and designated his elder daughter Isabella as his heir presumptive by 1833. The debate on amending the Crown's succession law came to the forefront on 31 October 2005, when Infanta Leonor was born to the current King and Queen of Spain. Amending the law to absolute primogeniture would allow
7360-412: The first-born to inherit the throne, whether the heir be male or female. The Zapatero administration of the day proclaimed its intention to amend the succession law; however, with the birth of the king's second daughter the issue was postponed. Paving the way, in 2006 King Juan Carlos issued a decree reforming the succession to noble titles from male preference primogeniture to absolute primogeniture. Since
7475-416: The goal of shaping him into the ideal king for the planned Bourbon Restoration, and next sent him to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst , in England. The training he received there was severe but more cosmopolitan than it would have been in Spain, given its atmosphere at the time. On 1 December 1874, Alfonso issued the Sandhurst Manifesto , where he set the ideological basis of the Bourbon Restoration. It
7590-426: The government apparatus of Cuba was completely restructured. A report on the island was created by Alejandro O'Reilly , which provided the basis for the changes. A new emphasis was placed on appointing military men to the governorship-captaincy general of Cuba, many of whom were later rewarded with the post of Viceroy of New Spain . To aid the captain general of Cuba, the governor of Santiago was made captain general of
7705-418: The highest representation of the Spanish State in international relations. The monarch exercises the functions expressly conferred on him by the constitution and the laws. The King is Head of State, the symbol of its unity and permanence. He arbitrates and moderates the regular functioning of the institutions, assumes the highest representation of the Spanish State in international relations, especially with
7820-448: The historic dynasty" be included in the text to underscore that the monarchy was a historic institution predating the constitution or the prior regime. The Crown of Spain shall be inherited by the successors of HM Juan Carlos I de Borbón, the legitimate heir of the historic dynasty. Succession to the throne shall follow the regular order of primogeniture and representation, the first line having preference over subsequent lines; and within
7935-442: The honeymoon, a pastry cook named Otero fired at the young sovereign and his wife as they were driving in Madrid. The children of this marriage were: Alfonso had two sons by Elena Armanda Nicolasa Sanz y Martínez de Arizala (15 December 1849, in Castellón de la Plana – 24 December 1898, in Paris): In November 1885, Alfonso died aged 27 at the Royal Palace of El Pardo near Madrid. He had been suffering from tuberculosis , but
8050-456: The immediate cause of his death was a recurrence of dysentery . In 1902, his widow Maria Cristina initiated a national contest to build a monument in memory of Alfonso . The winning design, by José Grases Riera , was constructed in an artificial lake in Madrid's Parque del Buen Retiro in 1922. Coming to the throne at such an early age, Alfonso had served no apprenticeship in the art of ruling. Benevolent and sympathetic in disposition, he won
8165-443: The island. A year earlier France had secretly ceded Louisiana to Spain in compensation for its losses as its ally during the war. As a sign of the seriousness with which the government took the problems, the very year the Spanish retook control of Havana construction began on what would become the largest Spanish fort in the New World, San Carlos de la Cabaña on the eastern side of the entrance to harbor of Havana. Starting in 1764
8280-417: The king and queen in Madrid, and in 2009 two Galician separatists were fined for burning effigies of the king. According to Article 57 the Crown of Spain is inherited by the successors of King Juan Carlos I de Borbón through male preference primogeniture . While drafting the new constitution, lawyer and liberal congressman Joaquín Satrústegui (1909–1992) insisted that the phrase "the legitimate heir of
8395-553: The king in his minority shall fall under the guardianship of the person designated in the will of the deceased monarch, provided that he or she be of age and of Spanish nationality. If no guardian has been appointed in the will, then the father or mother will then assume the guardianship, as long as they remain widowed. Otherwise, the Cortes Generales shall appoint both the Regent(s) and the guardian, who in this case may not be held by
8510-504: The king of Spain can bestow. The second in order the king may award is the Order of Charles III to "citizens who, with their effort, initiative and work, have brought a distinguished and extraordinary service to the Nation". The Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand is Spain's highest military award for gallantry. Other orders, decorations, and medals include the Order of Isabella the Catholic ,
8625-655: The king used a specially designed command communications center in the Zarzuela Palace to denounce the coup and command the military's eleven captains general to stand down. Following the events of 1981, Juan Carlos led a less eventful life, according to author John Hooper. Juan Carlos did not preside over ceremonies such as the opening of hospitals and bridges as often as monarchs in other nations. Instead, he worked towards establishing reliable political customs when transitioning one government administration to another, emphasizing constitutional law and protocol, and representing
8740-452: The king's role in the country's independent judiciary . However, by constitutional convention established by Juan Carlos I, the king exercises his prerogatives having solicited government advice while maintaining a politically non-partisan and independent monarchy. Receiving government advice does not necessarily bind the monarch into executing the advice, except where prescribed by the constitution. His acts shall always be countersigned in
8855-585: The local governor and the Santo Domingo Audiencia heard appeals from the island. The conquest of Cuba was organized in 1510 by the recently restored Viceroy of the Indies, Diego Colón , under the command of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , who became Cuba's first governor until his death in 1524. The new settlers did not wish to be under the personal authority of Colón, so Velázquez founded the city of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa in 1511 and convoked
8970-515: The manner established in section 64. Without such countersignature they shall not be valid, except as provided under section 65(2). It is incumbent upon the King: The 1978 constitution confirms the title of the monarch is the King of Spain , but that he may also use other titles historically associated with the Crown. According to Royal Decree 1368/1987, regulating the titles, treatments and honours of
9085-450: The mid-19th century the slave population in Cuba was close to a half of a million with most working in the sugar industry. Slavery in Cuba existed until being abolished in 1886. Cuba's sugar trade in the 19th century dramatically grew and along with it so did the usage of slavery and number of slaves on the island. By 1830, Cuba was the world's largest producer of sugar. Also in 1830 the United States became Cuba's biggest trading partner as
9200-465: The minority or incapacitation of a monarch. No further constitutional language prescribes titles or forms of address to the fourth generation, or great grandchildren, of a reigning monarch. Following his abdication in 2014, Juan Carlos I and his wife Sofía retain courtesy titles of King and Queen of Spain. The monarch's position as the fount of honour within Spain is codified in Article 62 (f); It
9315-462: The monarch embodies and personifies the "indissoluble" unity and permanence of the Spanish State , and represents the legal personality of the State and by extension fulfills the role of " Father of the Nation ". As a unifying figure for the nation, in 2010 King Juan Carlos worked towards "bridging the gap" between Spain's rival polarized political parties to develop a unified strategy in response to
9430-698: The monarch exercises in the formation of Spanish governments is in the nomination and appointment process of the President of the Government ( Presidente del Gobierno de España ). Following the General Election of the Cortes Generales ( Cortes ), and other circumstances provided for in the constitution, the king meets with and interviews the political party leaders represented in the Cortes, and then consults with
9545-418: The monarch, and the children of the heir apparent, shall have the title and rank of Infante or Infanta (prince or princess), and styled His or Her Royal Highness ( Su Alteza Real ). Children of an Infante or Infanta of Spain "shall have the consideration of Spanish Grandees ", and the address of "Your Excellency". The royal decree further limits the ability of any regent to use or create titles during
9660-415: The monarchy and the establishment of a republic. Faced with unrest in the cities, Alfonso XIII went into exile, but did not abdicate. The ensuing provisional government evolved into the relatively short-lived Second Spanish Republic . The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 and ended on 1 April 1939 with the victory of General Francisco Franco and his coalition of allied organizations commonly referred to as
9775-426: The nations of its historical community, and exercises the functions expressly conferred on him by the Constitution and the laws. Upon accession to the crown and being proclaimed before the Cortes Generales, the king swears an oath to faithfully carry out his constitutional duties and to abide by the constitution and laws of the state. Additionally, the constitution gives the king the added responsibility to ensure that
9890-464: The new king, proclaimed on 29 December 1874, arrived at Madrid , passing through Barcelona and Valencia and was acclaimed everywhere (1875). In 1876, a vigorous campaign against the Carlists , in which the young king took part, resulted in the defeat of Don Carlos and the Duke's abandonment of the struggle. Initially led by Cánovas del Castillo as moderate prime minister, what was thought at one time as
10005-427: The order of succession to the Crown is codified in the Constitution, its reform mandates a complicated process that involves a dissolution of parliament, a constitutional election, and a referendum. If all lines designated by law become extinct, the constitution reserves the right for the Cortes Generales to provide for the succession "in the manner most suitable for Spain". The 1978 constitution disinherits members of
10120-464: The overseas territories as colonies , which should be governed by special laws. The democratic institutions, such as the Diputación Provincial and the cabildos , established by the 1812 Constitution were removed. The new Constitution of 1837 ratified Cuba's demoted status. However, the "special laws" by which the overseas areas would be governed were not drafted until three decades later, when
10235-426: The pace of democratic reforms, the new king, known for his formidable personality, dismissed Carlos Arias Navarro and appointed the reformer Adolfo Suárez as President of the Government in 1977. The next year the king signed into law the new liberal democratic Constitution of Spain , which was approved by 88% of voters. Juan Carlos' "quick wit and steady nerve" cut short the attempted military coup in 1981 when
10350-419: The plantations and working under similar conditions to slaves whom previously worked their. When completing their contracts, some opted to stay in Cuba while others decided to return home to China. The practice of importing Chinese laborers lasted until the 1880s and 1890s. The telegraph was introduced to Cuba in 1851 and a telegraph network was soon made covering the whole island. An underwater telegraph cable
10465-508: The province and given command of the military forces there. At the same time a new institution, which up until now had only been used in Spain, was introduced into Cuba: the intendancy . An intendencia de hacienda y guerra was set up in Havana to oversee government and military expenditures and to promote the local economy. The first Intendant, Miguel de Altarriba arrived on March 8, 1765. Other intendancies soon followed: Louisiana (1766), Puerto Príncipe (1786) and Santiago de Cuba (1786). In 1774
10580-551: The revolution, the Cortes decided to set up a new dynasty on the throne. Prince Amadeo of Savoy , the younger son of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy and a distant cousin of Alfonso by common descent from Charles III , was recognized as King of Spain in November 1870. During a tumultuous reign, Amadeo was targeted by assassination attempts and struggled with opposition from both Carlists and republicans while his own faction split. After
10695-525: The role of the King of Spain as the living personification and embodiment of the Spanish nation and a symbol of Spain's enduring unity and permanence and is also invested as the "arbitrator and the moderator" of Spanish institutions. Constitutionally, the sovereign is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces . The constitution codifies the use of royal styles and titulary, royal prerogatives , hereditary succession to
10810-445: The royal family (as well as their descendants) from succession if they marry against the expressed prohibition of the monarch and the Cortes Generales. Lastly, Article 57 further provides that "Abdications and renunciations and any doubt in fact or in law that may arise in connection with the succession to the Crown shall be settled by an organic act". Constitutionally, the current heirs of Felipe VI are: The constitution outlines
10925-517: The royal family and the regents, the king and his wife, the queen consort , will formally be addressed as "His Majesty and Her Majesty" ( Their Majesties , Spanish: Su Majestad , Su represents His or Her ) rather than the traditional " Catholic Majesty " ( Su Católica Majestad ). A prince consort , the husband of a queen regnant , will have the style "His Royal Highness" ( Su Alteza Real ). The widows and widowers of monarchs are to retain these styles until they remarry. The heir from birth shall hold
11040-508: The royal family, and to the Spanish President of the Government as the king's appointed officer. The Spanish satirical magazine El Jueves was fined for violation of Spain's lèse-majesté laws after publishing an issue with a caricature of the Prince and Princess of Asturias engaging in sexual intercourse on their cover in 2007. In 2008, 400 Catalonia separatists burned images of
11155-484: The same line the closer grade over the more remote; and within the same grade the male over female, and in the same sex, the elder over the younger. Male-preference cognatic primogeniture has been practiced in Spain since the 11th century in the various Visigothic successor states and codified in the Siete Partidas , with women able to inherit in certain circumstances. However, with the succession of Philip V in 1700,
11270-495: The same person, except by the father or mother of direct relation of the king. The constitution defines the government's responsibilities. The government consists of the President of the Government and ministers of state . The government conducts domestic and foreign policy , civil and military administration, and the defense of the nation all in the name of the king. Additionally, the government exercises executive authority and statutory regulations. The most direct prerogative
11385-560: The sugar industry to grow farther. The length of Cuba's railroad network grew from 618 kilometres (384 mi) in the 1850s to 1,218 kilometres (757 mi) by 1860. With the elimination of the slave trade, imported Chinese Chinese contract laborers functioned as a replacement similar to other locations in the Caribbean. These laborers were exclusively male and recruited between the ages of 16 and 40 to serve for contracts ranging from 4 to 10 years. When Chinese laborers arrived in Cuba starting in 1847 they found themselves practically bound to
11500-506: The throne, would immediately assume the office of Regent, who in any case must be Spanish. If a monarch becomes incapacitated, and that incapacitation is recognized by the Cortes Generales, then the Prince of Asturias (the heir apparent), shall immediately become Regent, if he is of age. If the Prince of Asturias is himself a minor, then the Cortes Generales shall appoint a Regency which may be composed of one, three, or five persons. The person of
11615-498: The title of Prince of Asturias and the other titles historically associated with the heir apparent. These additional titles include Prince of Viana , historically associated with the heir apparent to the Kingdom of Navarre ; with the titles Prince of Girona and Duke of Montblanc historically associated with the heir apparent for the Crown of Aragon , among others. Other children of
11730-466: The troubles. This led to the end of the Carlist revolts and the victory over the New York-backed Cuban revolutionaries, and led to a huge backing both by insular and peninsular Spaniards of Alfonso. Alfonso's short reign established the foundations for the final socioeconomic recuperation of Spain, bringing an end to the political instability that had dominated Spain for the past two-thirds of
11845-484: The way to the Mississippi River ) from Great Britain, which was ratified in the 1783 Treaty of Paris . But, within about 35 years, all of this territory was incrementally obtained by the U.S.; this was due in part to boundary disputes. The transfer of the Spanish part of Santo Domingo to France in 1795 in the Treaty of Basel , made Cuba the main Spanish possession in the Caribbean. The Audiencia of Santo Domingo
11960-525: The western part of the island became the most developed due to Havana's port traffic and its ensuing commerce. By 1763, Havana had a population of around 50,000 which made it comparable to Lima . By the year 1790, Havana and the area surrounding it had a population close to 100,000 which made it the 3rd largest urban area in the Americas and was bigger than other cities in the Caribbean. Between 1790 and 1821, 240,721 slaves were imported to Cuba from Africa. By
12075-469: Was created 1st Duke of Suárez ; and Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo who was created 1st Marquess of la Ría de Ribadeo . All successive politicians remain active within politics. The king grants not only military and civil orders, but also grants awards of distinction, customarily on the advice of government. The Order of the Golden Fleece , one of the oldest surviving orders of chivalry, is the highest honor
12190-471: Was deposed – declared the territory of the Captaincy General an integral part of the Spanish Monarchy and transformed it into a province with its own elected diputación provincial , a governing board with joint administrative and limited legislative powers. Municipalities were also granted locally elected cabildos . The provincial deputation and cabildos functioned while the Constitution
12305-413: Was drafted in reply to a birthday greeting from his followers, a manifesto proclaiming himself the sole representative of the Spanish monarchy. At the end of 1874, Brigadier Martínez Campos , who had long been working more or less openly for the king, led some battalions of the central army to Sagunto , rallied the troops sent against him to his own flag, and entered Valencia in the king's name. Thereupon
12420-591: Was established in 1518 in Baracoa and was made suffragan to the Diocese of Seville . The seat of the Diocese was transferred to Santiago de Cuba in 1522. In 1520 Pope Leo X established the short-lived Diocese of Santiago de la Florida (or "Santiago de la Tierra Florida"). In 1546 the Diocese of Santo Domingo was elevated to an Archdiocese and the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba was made suffragan to it. In 1607 Philip III created
12535-463: Was eventually forced to do so. These rumours were used as political propaganda against Alfonso by the Carlists , and he came to be widely nicknamed "Puigmoltejo" in reference to his supposed father. His mother's accession had created a second cause of instability, the Carlist Wars , where the supporters of Don Carlos, Count of Molina as King of Spain rose to have him enthroned. In addition, within
12650-474: Was formally moved to Santa María del Puerto Príncipe (today, Camagüey ) five years later, after temporarily residing in Santiago de Cuba. (It resided in Havana for a few years starting in 1808 before returning to Camagüey.) The Church also experienced growth. In 1787 a Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Habana was established, which included Florida and Louisiana in its territory. In 1793 the Diocese of Louisiana and
12765-406: Was in force from 1812 to 1814 and 1820 to 1823. Ultimately the Constitution was abolished by Ferdinand VII . The death of Ferdinand VII brought about new changes. Regent María Cristina reconvened the Cortes , in its traditional form with three estates . In 1836, Constitutional government was reestablished in Spain, except this time the government in Spain, despite its liberal tendencies, defined
12880-441: Was recalled to Paris, where his mother abdicated in his favour, in the presence of a number of Spanish nobles who had tied their fortunes to those of the exiled queen. He assumed the name Alfonso XII, for although no king of united Spain had borne the name "Alfonso", the Spanish monarchy was regarded as continuous with the more ancient monarchy represented by the 11 kings of Asturias , León and Castile also named Alfonso . After
12995-477: Was temporarily abolished from 1853 to 1868.) In 1851 the filibustering Lopez Expedition from the United States led by Narciso López and William Crittenden failed with many of the participants being executed. Three years later the territory was the subject of the Ostend Manifesto by which several American diplomats discussed a scheme to purchase Cuba from Spain, or even take it by force. By mid-century
13110-491: Was the sole ruler, but the legal situation remained slightly ambiguous until her death in 1555 left Charles the undoubted sole monarch, though as Holy Roman Emperor it was not his principal title. Only in the reign of his son Philip II of Spain from 1556 did "King of Spain" become the usual way to refer to the monarch, in Spain and the rest of Europe. Philip's reign marked the peak of the Spanish Golden Age (1492–1659),
13225-519: Was well-educated and cultured, especially compared to his mother. His tutors took great care to have him educated in good schools and to familiarize him with different cultures, languages and government models throughout Europe. During the Franco-Prussian War , Alfonso relocated from Paris to Geneva with his family, and then continued his studies at the Theresianum in Vienna in 1872. Cánovas began to take responsibility for Alfonso's education with
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