Jaime Moreno Palomero 4º ESO B

Dos años largos hace que ciño la Corona de España, y la España vive en constante

lucha, viendo cada día más lejana la era de paz y de ventura que tan ardientemente

anhelo. Si fuesen extranjeros los enemigos de su dicha, entonces, al frente de estos

soldados tan valientes como sufridos, sería el primero en combatirlos; pero todos los

que con la espada, con la pluma, con la palabra, agravan y perpetúan los males de la

Nación son españoles, todos invocan el dulce nombre de la patria, todos pelean y se

agitan por su bien, y entre el fragor del combate, entre el confuso, atronador y

contradictorio clamor de los partidos, entre tantas y tan opuestas manifestaciones de la

opinión pública, es imposible atinar cuál es la verdadera (…) nadie achacará a

flaqueza de mi ánimo esta resolución. No habría peligro que me moviera a desceñirme

la corona si creyera que la llevaba en mis sienes para bien de los españoles (…).

Febrero,1873

COMENTARY TEXT

Due to its form, it is a political text, because it is a speech signed by

Amadeo I of Savoy proclaiming his resignation from the throne of Spain
on February 10, 1873. He also bids farewell to the Spanish people.
It is a document written by Amadeo of Savoy (1845-1890), Duke of Aosta and King
of Spain (1871-1873), son of the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel II at that time.
Catholic and with deep liberal convictions, Amadeo was elected king by a large
majority of the Cortes, replacing General Serrano who had exercised the
Regency under the Constitution of 1869, which established a constitutional
monarchy as a form of government.

1
 Jaime Moreno Palomero 4º ESO B

This fragment of the text is from a primary source because it is a

document from that time. The author of the text is the same Amadeo I,
son of Víctor Manuel II king of Italy, and of M. ª Adelaida of Austria,
officially accepted the Spanish crown on December 4. from 1870.

It is a public document, since it is a speech addressed to the courts, and to the

Spanish people written by the Savoy monarchy.
He acted faithfully and following the laws and respecting the agreements or
decisions of the courts. However, he felt a certain loneliness due to the influence
and support given to him by General Prim (he died on December 27, 1870), so
that he could come to the throne. I also help you discover the social, political,
and economic reality in Spain. Thanks to this, realizing how Spain was
structured, here is his resignation.

The author of this text was educated in the Court of his father, having
General Rosi as a teacher. He entered the Italian army with the rank of
lieutenant colonel. In 1866, he was in the war against Austria in command
of the Normandy grenadiers. After this war ended, he obtained command
of a cavalry brigade. In 1867, he married Princess María Victoria del Pozo
de la Cisterna. In 1869, he entered the navy as a vice admiral.
Once the Constitution was approved in June 1869, which determined, as a form
of the Government of Spain, the hereditary constitutional monarchy, the Spanish
Crown was offered to the Duke of Aosta, after having been rejected by other
candidates; When he accepted it, the Cortes proclaimed him King of Spain on
November 16, 1870.
Amadeo I arrived in Cartagena on December 30, 1869, and in Madrid on January
2, 1870; Just when he arrived, he went to see the body of General Prim, who had
died on December 30 because of an attack on Calle del Turco, in Madrid, as he
was leaving Congress on December 27.
Amadeo I swore to the Constitution and formed a government headed by General
Serrano. Towards the end of March 1870, Queen María Victoria arrived in Madrid
with her children. The Cortes opened on the following April 3; In them, the king
read a speech, in which he promised to act in accordance with the laws of the
State and with the sovereignty of the people. On April 6, 1872, the third Carlist
war began in the North. On May 2 Carlos VII arrived, but on May 4 he was
defeated and had to flee Spain.

2
 Jaime Moreno Palomero 4º ESO B

On July 18, 1872, the king suffered an attack on Calle del Arenal in Madrid; but he
was unharmed. The political situation deteriorated more and more, and, as soon
as the year 1873 began, events worsened to such an extent that the king made
the firm and clear decision to abdicate, which he did on February 11, 1873. That
day, reunited the Congress and the Senate in National Assembly, the king sent
them a message renouncing the Crown of Spain, for himself and for his children.
The two Chambers accepted the abdication of the king and proclaimed the First
Spanish Republic.

The historical context of this text occurs in the democratic six-year term (1868-
1874), a period from the overthrow of the monarchy of Elizabeth II through the
"Glorious" revolution (September 1868) to the Restoration of the Bourbon
monarchy in the figure of Alfonso XII (1875). Specifically, the text illustrates the
moment of the abdication of Amadeo I (02-11-1873), a fact that led to the
proclamation on the same day of the First Republic.

The main idea is the presentation of the total resignation to the throne
and to the dynastics of Amadeo due to the internal Spanish division during
his reign.
The secondary ideas are the reasons why he has abdicated. The enemies that
are not outside the border, but within Spain. Amadeo I of Savoy justifies its
abolition by stating that the real problem in the country is the political factions
themselves due to their eagerness and their struggle to gain power, confronting
each other, instead of solving the problems that Spain has been dealing with for
so long. weather.

Amadeo, in the minutes, also gives some importance to the weakness of the
liberal and monarchical political system, since all the factions try to impose
themselves, as mentioned above, instead of first stabilizing said system.

Amadeo I lacked the necessary support to stabilize the country. Instead, the king
had numerous and varied Opposition forces, among which stood out "the
confused, thunderous and contradictory clamour of the parties", and those of all
those who confronted him "with the sword, with the pen, with the word".

3
 Jaime Moreno Palomero 4º ESO B

The republican opposition was exercised both "with the sword" (through
insurrections of a federalist nature that, although they were repressed,
increased the instability of the regime), "with the word" (exercised through the
republican representation in Congress) and " with the pen" (through newspaper
articles and scathing caricatures that appeared in satirical magazines such as
La flaca).
The army, while not a definite opposition force, did not offer the king any support
either.
The Church was not only dissatisfied with the anticlerical policy of the six-year
governments, but also deeply hated the House of Savoy for its leading role in
the Italian unification process. In 1870, they were annexed by Italy and the clerics
are opposed to accepting the authority of Savoy. They say that the clerics are
'prisoners of the Vatican'.
As for the monarchical reference, this is quite discredited after the passing of
the previous monarch Isabel II and is almost without support from the Spanish
people.

AMADEO I OF SABOYA

If I had to put a title to the reign of Amadeo I of Savoy, it would be:

'’ The tragic and brief reign’’