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Compared with its traditional rivals Britain and France, which were still acquiring overseas possessions, Spain went through a political and social wringer in the 19th century. -
As if all this were not enough, by 1825 Spain had also suffered the devastating loss of all its overseas possessions, except Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines; in 1898 these too were lost following Spain’s humiliating defeat by the United States. -
The monarchy was restored in 1875, with Isabella’s oldest son, Alfonso (XII), succeeding to the throne. Having survived an assassination attempt, he died in 1885, before the birth of his son and heir, Alfonso XIII. -
In the space of 64 years (1812 to 1876), five constitutions were proclaimed (eight if we include the brief Statute of 1834, the addenda of 1856-57, and the proposed Republican Constitution of 1873). -
In fact Napoleon invited the Royal family to stay in a palace in Biarriz, but when they got there, he forced them to give up the throne and imprisoned them. He made his brother ,José Bonaparte, king of Spain. -
Using liberal ideas spread by the French Revolution , delegates wrote the Constitution of 1812. It was approved on 19th March 1812 , it became popular under the name of "La Pepa". -
In 1814, Ferdinand returned, ruling despotically until his death in 1833. He was succeeded by his three-year old daughter, Isabella (II), whose personal behaviour later was so erratic that she was eventually deposed in 1868, following a revolution. For the next three years Spain was a monarchy in search of monarch. -
A European-wide search finally came up the Italian, Amadeo of Savoy. He reigned for just over two years (1870-73) before abdicating and escaping from what he called the “lunatic asylum” of Spanish politics. -
Disillusioned with the monarchy, Spain became a republic, which lasted one year (1873-74), ran through four presidents, and was plagued by urban rebellions! -
During the war of Independence and the reign of Fernando VII, the inhabitants of Spain's American territories demanded independence.
All the political battles, wars and instability left Spain unable to defend its territories.
By the end of Fernando's reign in 1883 only Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philipines were under Spanish control.