King Amadeo of
Brief History
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The Generals were determined
to keep the leadership of the revolution in their own hands by channeling it
into a constitutional monarchy. They were, however, faced with a problem of
finding an appropriate constitutional monarch. Because of the political
interests of other European Nations, which seemed to them to authorise their
active interference, the selection of an occupant for the vacant throne was
no easy matter. During the
interregnum, Francisco Serrano undertook the Regency, and the Cortes drew up
a brand new Constitution by which an hereditary King was to rule in
conjunction with a Senate and a Popular Chamber. There were four
prominent candidates for the throne: a Bourbon, a German, a Portuguese, and
an Italian. As no Bourbon candidate was found acceptable, the offer of the
crown was made to Leopold of Hohenzollern. This offer was opposed by Amadeo, as he was
called in Spanish, attempted to rule as a Constitutional Monarch. Opposed both
by Republicans and by the Carlists, he could form no stable government.
Bereft of Prim's help and feebly served by a series of short-lived
ministries, Amadeo faced continuous turmoil. Support for Alfonso
increased, along with Republican agitation, and the second Carlist War broke
out, (1872 - 1876). On |
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