Ballots, Conspiracies and Insurrection in Málaga and Granada, 1857–1859

Abstract

The scale of executions in July, followed by the arrest of Democrats in cities throughout Spain and their confinement at Leganés (a mental asylum south of Madrid), lost Narváez support among ‘Puritanos’ (moderates) in the moderado party. O’Donnell’s project for a Liberal Union regained momentum. On 12 October, Narváez was dismissed over a disagreement with the Queen regarding her new favourite. With the Duke went intransigent Interior Minister Cándido Nocedal. Their replacements, General Joaquín Armero, First Minister and Minister of War, and Manuel Bermúdez de Castro, Minister of the Interior, signalled a modest liberalisation. The Royal amnesty in early December confirmed this trend. On 30 June 1858, after two further moderado ministerial crises, O’Donnell was finally invited to form a government. The Liberal Union, envisaged by Cánovas since 1854, was finally launched.