timeline

  • Period: to

    Felipe V

    First Bourbon king of Spain.
  • Period: to

    War of the Spanish succession

    European courts didn’t like this crowning because it would create a strong
    Franco-Spanish alliance, so a civil and international war took place., known as
    the War of the Spanish succession.
    It confronted Felipe D’Anjou, supported by Castilla, France and Bavaria
    against the Archduke Carlos, supported by Aragon, Austria, Great Britain,
    Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia.
  • Period: to

    Felipe V

    First Bourbon king of Spain.
  • Period: to

    Luis I

    Known as “the Brief” because of his extremely short reign.
  • Period: to

    Fernando VI

    Peaceful and cautious ruler.
    Avoided wars and focused on internal improvements.
  • Period: to

    Carlos III

    Considered one of Spain’s best kings.
    Enlightened monarch who modernized cities, economy, and administration.
    Reduced Church influence and promoted science and education.
  • Period: to

    Carlos IV

    Weak ruler dominated by his favorite, Manuel Godoy.
    His reign was marked by the French Revolution’s impact and rising instability.
    Abdicated after Napoleon intervened in Spanish politics.
  • Period: to

    Fernando VII

    Known as “El Deseado” at first, later hated for restoring absolutism.
    Abolished the liberal Constitution of 1812.
  • Period: to

    Jose I

    Napoleon’s brother, imposed as king during the French occupation.
    Rejected by most Spaniards, who called him “Pepe Botella”.
  • Period: to

    War of Independence

    All the Spanish territories but Cádiz were conquered by the French, whose
    army was stronger than the Spanish. However, Spanish people put into practice
    a guerrilla war, in which paramilitary forces (composed by former soldiers and
    peasants) focused on cutting French supplies or ambushing the Napoleonic army.
    The Spanish leaders of this war were El Empecinado and El cura Merino, but they
    also had the help of the British led by the general Wellington.
  • Period: to

    Cortes de Cádiz

    When the French occupation took place, the “Junta Suprema Central”,
    representing the different regions of Spain, met in Cádiz, thanks to the
    protection of the British, with the objective of writing a Constitution. The
    members of this “Junta” were elected by universal suffrage and met, for the
    first time, on 24 September 1810.
  • Period: to

    Fernando VII

    Known as “El Deseado” at first, later hated for restoring absolutism.
    Abolished the liberal Constitution of 1812.
  • Period: to

    Isabel II

    Became queen as a child, causing the First Carlist War.
    Her reign was full of political instability and military uprisings.
    Deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1868.
  • Period: to

    Sexeno democrático

    Six-year experiment with democracy after Isabel II.
    Included a provisional government, the reign of Amadeo I, and the First Republic.
    Ended with the Bourbon Restoration.
  • Period: to

    Amadeo I

    Italian king chosen by the Cortes.
    Faced constant political chaos and lack of support.
    Abdicated, saying Spain was “ungovernable”.
  • Period: to

    Alfonso XII

    Restored the Bourbon dynasty.
    Brought relative stability through the Restoration political system.
    Popular and conciliatory figure who helped calm decades of turmoil.