Carlism is called the movement and doctrine that emerged as an opposition to liberalism , supporting Carlos de Borbón to succeed King Ferdinand VII in place of Isabel II of Spain , who was finally enthroned in 1833 .
Carlism was traditionalist and absolutist: the defense of the monarchy and the Catholic religion were its pillars. It was a movement that lasted until the fall of Francoism in the mid- 1970s . In almost a century and a half, Carlism participated in armed confrontations and was part of Spanish politics.
Historians maintain that Carlism, in its origins, was a response to liberalism , promoted by the most conservative sectors of Spanish society. When Ferdinand VII died in 1833 , a dispute arose over his succession between his daughter Isabel II and her brother Carlos de Borbón . While the former supported the reforms that arose after the French Revolution , Carlos de Borbón defended the privileges of the aristocracy and the Catholic Church.
The one who finally acceded to the Crown was Elizabeth II . Carlism, in this framework, began to take action to overthrow the queen. The insurrections fomented by the movement were known as the Carlist Wars .
The First Carlist War began in 1833 and lasted until 1839 , leaving nearly 200,000 dead . Between 1846 and 1849 the Second Carlist War took place, less tragic. Finally, in 1872 the Third Carlist War broke out, which lasted until 1876 .
In addition to all the data presented about Carlism, we can establish other equally significant ones such as the following:
-Throughout its history it was also known as the Carlist Party, Traditionalist Communion or Catholic-Monarchist Communion.
-His motto was “God, Country, King”, to which, over the years, he would also add the word “Fueros”.
-Its flag was made up of a white background on which the famous Cross of Burgundy was presented in red. This cross we can establish is a representation of the Cross of Saint Andrew where it is made up of two trunks that form the cross and that have knots in the places where it is considered that they broke.
-No less relevant is that Carlism initially had as its anthem what was the so-called March of Don Carlos. However, starting in 1930, it changed and its anthem was the Oriamendi March. This was composed by Ignacio Baleztena Azcárate and had musical arrangements by Silvano Cervantes. It should be noted that it receives its name from a battle that took place on the mountain that gives it its name and that took place in 1837 during the First Carlist War. It is also interesting to know that during the Spanish Civil War it became the combat anthem of Requeté.
-El Requeté was a paramilitary and Carlist organization that was created at the beginning of the 20th century and was made up of more than 60,000 volunteers.