The History of Madrid, Spain

The site of Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times, as has been shown by numerous objects found during different excavations along the banks of the River Manzanares. Many of these objects (axes and small Palaeolithic objects, remains of animals that prove the existence of large mammals, Neolithic ceramics, etc.) can be seen at the National Archaeological Museum. Madrid's population was initially Iberian and later Roman, and is possibly the Mantua found in certain ancient references and the Roman Miacum from the "Antonine itinerary", although some historians dispute this.

It is now commonly believed that the original name of the settlement here was Matrice, a pre-Muslim word, which refers to the waters of the area and particularly to the stream running down the Calle de Segovia.

However, Madrid as such does not achieve a mention in chronicles until the late tenth century, at which time there was already a fort or castle where the ROYAL PALACE stands today. This fort was occupied by the Moors, who having named the River Manzanares al-Magrit ("source of water"), referred to the area as Mayrit (from which Magerit, then Madrid) and around which the borough of Madrid developed in the following centuries. The old arab walls surrounding this settlement can still be seen today .

Between several different warriors, the Moors kept rule until Madrid was finally conquered in 1085 by Alfonso VI in his advance towards TOLEDO. This king ordered the main mosque within the fort's walls to be "purified" and consecrated as a Catholic church under the guidance of the Virgin of the Almudena, the name deriving from a religious icon found near the "almudín" or wheat deposit. La Virgen de la Almudena later became Madrid's female patron saint, whose saint's day is CELEBRATED on 9th November and who gives her name to Madrid's cathedral.

In the year 1329, King Fernando V assembled The Court of Madrid for the first time.

A little later, due to the Reconquista, Moors and Jews formed a concentrated population in the area that still today carries the name of Morería, but in 1494 the "unbelievers" were expelled and the mosque and other indicative buildings disappeared.

Later, Madrid was taken by the followers of Enrique of Tastamara and ceded by Juan I to King Leon V of Armenia who was then dethroned by the Sultan of Babilonia. Having been destroyed by fire during the reign of Enrique II, the city was rebuilt by his grandson Enrique III, who reincorporated Madrid under the Crown of Castille and who also founded El Pardo, situated just outside the city.

Enrique VI gave Madrid the title of "Very Noble and Loyal" and celebrated here his magnificent wedding with Doña Juana of Portugal. The death of the king caused the formation of two distinct bands within the Castille kingdom - the two sides disputing the succession of the throne. Isabel and her supporters overcame Doña Juana's followers and the victorious "Catholic Kings" (Isabel and her husband Fernando) solemnly entered the city to reside in a mansion in the Plaza de la Paja owned by Don Pedro Lasso de la Vega.

During the war of Communities, the Borough of Madrid took sides with the "Comuneros", although this did not prevent Emperor Carlos V bestowing on the city the title of "Crowned and Imperial". As remnants of these times we can cite the Church of San Jerónimo, the Church of del Paso and the TOWER OF LUJANES, this last in the Plaza de la Villa, opposite the Ayuntamiento or City Hall where Francis I of France was held prisoner after his defeat at Pravia in Italy.

Carlos V was certainly enamoured with Madrid, amongst other things because he managed to cure himself here of tertian fever. However, it was his son, Felipe II who moved the Imperial Court to Madrid in 1561, although without making any official declaration. The population of the borough at this time was around 25,000. From this time Madrid was now the kingdom's capital, apart from the brief years between 1601 and 1606 when Felipe III installed his court in Valladolid.

Madrid enjoyed significant changes during the 18th century, when city gates, bridges and new buildings gave it a new appearance. The Royal Palace (also called the Eastern Palace - Palacio de Oriente, standing next to the large PLAZA DE ORIENTE square) was constructed on the site of the ruins of the Alcazar or old Moorish Castle which had been destroyed by fire in 1734. After 1738 Juan B. Sachetti directed the construction work on the Palace, helped out to some extent by Ventura Rodríguez and developing on original plans made by Juavera. The work was practically completed by 1760.

The reign of Carlos III (1759 - 1788) helped to greatly improve the appearance of the city. The work on the Royal Palace was totally completed (as we know it today), as was the construction of the city gates of PEUTRA DE TOLEDO, Puerta de Segovia (no longer standing) PEUTRA DE ALCALA and, together with THE ROYALTHEATRE, the building that now houses the Ministry of Finance (Hacienda), the Natural Science Museum, the BOTANICAL GARDEN and the temple of San Francisco El Grande, amongst others. Also, the RETIRO PARK was significantly improved and several new buildings built: CASA DE CISNEROS, the General Hospital, the College of San Carlos, the Royal Mint, Casa de los Geranios and the fountains of CIBELES,NEPTUNE and Apollo.

The reign of Carlos IV gave Madrid the Buenavista Palace (today the Ministry of Armed Forces) and other notable mansions such as that of the Dukes of Liria in Princesa Street and that of the Count of Altamira in Calle de la Flor.

On the 2nd of May 1808 a popular revolt started in the PEURTA DEL SOL, initiating the War of Independence. There are numerous place names in Madrid dedicated to these patriotic disturbances, the most significant being of course the Plaza Dos de Mayo in Malasaña. Once General Castaños had repelled the invaders in Bailén, he entered Madrid on 23rd August 1808. However, there were further battles when Emperor Napoleon presented himself in Chamartín and also in December of the same year when José Bonaparte entered Spain, only to be expelled three years later under pressure from the Anglo-Hispanic army led by Wellington. The last of the French left Madrid on the 27th May 1813 and the following year King Fernando VII entered the city.

In 1835 the famous University of Alcalá de Henares was transferred to Madrid, where the Faculty of Science was added, becoming the UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID.

The city continued to be improved during the reign of Isabel II with old houses in the Puerta del Sol being pulled down and the Congreso de los Diputados or Parliament, Royal and Zarzuela Theatres and the Canal de Isabel II (Madrid's water lifeline) being built. Also, in 1857, Madrid's gas lighting system was inaugurated.

Since then Madrid's urban progress has accelerated to reach, today, the level of one of Europe's most beautiful capital cities - pleasing both for its intense animated spirit and its suitable mix of modern and classical appearance.

SPANISH HISTORY-The Parliamentary Monarchy

The Spanish Constitution, which was unanimously approved by Parliament and voted by 87.8% of the citizens in a referendum held on 6 December 1978, provides in his article 1 for a Parliamentary Monarchy of the classical liberal European style, with certain peculiarities to take into account the Spanish situation.

Article 1.3 reads: 'The political form of the Spanish State is that of a Parliamentary Monarchy'

The Constitution provides for separation between legislative, executive and judiciary and gives institutional backing to the King as Head of State and supreme head of the Armed Forces.

Sovereign power is held by a two-chamber Parliament, called the Cortes, whose members are elected by all of the citizens who are 18 or over, for a maximun term of four years. The people's representatives are elected by voting from closed lists drawn up by the political parties or election coalitions, the number of deputies and senators elected for each party being in proportion to the number of votes that each list has received. The proportion is weighted in favour of the lists that receive most votes according to the so-called d'Hondt rule which allocates a larger share of the seats in Parliament to the lists that carry more votes in small constituencies. The rule was introduced by consensus among the different political parties to avoid the possibility that a strictly proportional system would result in too many parties being represented in Parliament, thus leading to weak governments.

The concern over the stability of elected governments is also reflected in the procedure for appointing the Government. This is appointed by the President of the Government (Prime Minister), and the ministers answer directly to him. Therefore, it is the candidate to President of the Government who, upon being entrusted with forming a Government by the King, presents his programme to the Cortes and is chosen by majority vote. In order to be chosen, the Prime Minister must receive an absolute majority of the votes in the firt round or a relative majority in a subsequent round. In order to strengthen the stability of the Government thus elected, any motion of no-confidence must include the name of the candidate nominated to replace the President of the Government, and in the event of the motion being approved a new Government will be formed according to this same procedure. The procedure, introduced by the 'Fathers of the Constitution' (Gabriel Cisneros, Manuel Fraga, Miguel Herrero y Rodriguez de Minon, Gregorio Peces-Barba, Jose Perez Llorca, Miguel Roca and Jordi Sole Tura), is an effective protection against instability resulting from sudden changes in governing coalitions. A Government can only fall if a viable majority reaches an agreement on its replacement.

The stability of Spanish democracy has also benefited from an unconditional backing from the Crown. In restoring Monarchy in Spain King Juan Carlos I has shown intelligence and sensivity, to the point of placing the good name of the Monarchy at the highest level in modern Spanish history both among Spanish people and in other countries. The Royal Family's open and straightforward style, their simple way of life, the absence of a Royal Court and the support given by the King, the Queen, the Crown Prince and the two Infantas to various moral and humanitarian causes have succeeded in placing the Crown above political and ideological confrontations within a period of a few years, turning it into the final guarantor of democratic values and institutions.

SPANISH HISTORY-Democratic Transition

The new king was as determined as he was prudent in his efforts to assure Spain a rapid democratic process, transforming the institution he incarnated into a 'Monarchy for all the Spanish people'. However, it was not an easy task. It was necessary to 'respect' the legal conditions inherited from Francoism, along with a good many of his political groups.

1976: Arias Navarro, who remained in his post as head of the Government, soon showed himself incapable of guaranteeing a smooth transition, while a series of serious incidents such as Vitoria, Montejurra and pro-amnesty demonstrations were taking place throughout the country. Finally, Arias Navarro resigns office and is replaced by Adolfo Suarez (July).

The new Government proposes a bicameral Cortes and requests that workers be allowed to organize their own unions apart from the 'vertical syndicates'.

The Cortes approve the Political Reform Law, which is also ratified by a referendum.

1977: The Government repeals the articles of the Law of Associations which gave it power to refuse the legalization of any political party. Spain and the Soviet Union announce the establishment of full diplomatic relations. Ten parties are legally recognized, including the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), the Popular Socialist Party and the Christian Democrat Party. A royal decree practically dissolves the National Movement. The Government recognizes the Communist Party (PCE). The Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) obtains a majority in the general election (June). Three decrees which restore to a limited extent the self-government of Catalonia are signed by the King. The Government approves the provisional pre-autonomy of the Basque Country.

1978: The Spanish people approve by an 88% majority the new Constitution, which defines Spain as a Parliamentary Monarchy.

1980: The Basque Country and Catalonia legally decome autonomous regions.

1981: Suarez resigns as prime minister and is replaced by Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo. The decline of the UCD and the change of the prime ministers coincided with the death throes of the authoritarian regime to defend itself against democracy. A group of Civil Guards burst into the Congress and held the Deputies as hostages while the General-in-chief of one of the country's military regions supported the coup by ordering his troops to occupy Valencia. The decisive intervention of the King aborted the attempted coup, and the Spanish defended their democracy. This event further weakened the Government and the party in power.

1982: On October 28, new general elections were held. The PSOE obtained an absolute majority. Felipe Gonzalez is invested as Prime Minister. This event can be considered as the culmination of the transition period and it represented the definite consolidation of the democratic process.

SPANISH HISTORY-Francoist Dictatorship

1939 to 1945: Spain stays out of the 2nd World War.

1947: Franco announces the restoration of the monarchy when he dies or retires (Law of Succession).

1953: Spain and the US sign a co-operation agreement providing for the establishment of bases for joint use.

1955: An agreement between the US and the Soviet Union enables Spain to enter the United Nations with other fifteen nations.

1956: Sidi Mohamed ben Yusef, the Moroccan Sultan, reaches an agreement with Franco to end the Spanish protectorate over Morocco.

1958: The Spanish government hands over Tarfaya (an area in the South of Morocco) to Morocco. The Moroccan Government also claims Ifni.

1962: HRH Prince Juan Carlos marries the royal princess Sofia de Grecia.

1963: The Co-operation Agreement with the United States is extended for five years more.

1968: Spain grants Equatorial Guinea its independence (October 12th).

1969: The territory of Ifni is handed over to Morocco. The border with Gibraltar is closed. Juan Carlos de Borbon y Borbon is formally invested as Crown Prince, one day after Franco names him as successor with the title of King.

1970: The Friendship and Co-operation Agreement with the US is renewed for five years.

1973: The head of the government, Luis Carrero Blanco, is assassinated in the bombing attack by ETA, the Basque separatist organization (December 20th).

1975: In collective pastoral -the first since 1937- the bishops state that the guaranteeing of 'the rights of assembly, association and expression' are 'obligatory'.

The US and Spain announce an agreement of principle on the military bases, which establishes American military aid for Spain (October 4th).

A decree declares the regional languages -Catalan, Basque and Galician- to be national languages.

The Cortes approve the end of the Spanish presence in Spanish Sahara and the transfer of the territorial administration of the colonial Government (November 18th).

General Franco dies (November 20th).

King Juan Carlos takes the oath as King of Spain at a joint session of the Cortes and the Council of the Realm.

A chapter of Spanish history was forever closed and the doors of freedom and hope were opened for the Spanish people.

SPANISH HISTORY-Spanish Civil War

Introduction:

1936 to 1939: A military rising originating in Morocco, headed by General Francisco Franco, spreads rapidly all over the country, thus starting the Spanish Civil War.

After a number of bloody battles in which fortunes changed from one side to the other, the 'nacionales' finally prevailed and made a victorious entry into Madrid (March 28th, 1939).

Significant Events:

1936: The tragic death of Calvo Sotelo had the effect of accelerating a military coup that had been under preparation for a long time. Actually, the conspirators had been awaiting General Franco's decision to begin the uprising. On July 18th it spread to other garrisons in metropolitan Spain and the following day Franco took command of the army in Morocco. The rising was succesful in Seville (directed by General Queipo de Llano), the Balearic Islands (General Goded), the Canary Islands and Morocco (Franco), Navarra (Mola), Burgos and Saragossa. General Yague advanced through Extremadura and Mola took Irun. By the end of 1936 the Nationalist troops controlled the greater part of Andalucia, Extremadura, Toledo, Avila, Segovia, Valladolid, Burgos, Leon, Galicia, a part of Asturias, Vitoria, San Sebastian, Navarra and Aragon, as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands with the exception of Menorca. Castilla la Nueva, Catalunya, Valencia, Murcia, Almeria, Gijon and Bilbao remained in Republican hands.

The Republican government formed a coalition Cabinet headed by Giralt which was succeeded by another one under Largo Caballero. It brought the CNT (Confederacion Nacional de Trabajo, the anarcho-syndicalist union) into the Cabinet and moved to Valencia. On September 29, the Junta de Defensa Nacional named Franco head of the government and commander of the armed forces. To offset these circumstances, the Republican government created a Popular army and militarized the militia. Both sides were soon receiving aid from abroad: the International Brigades were supporting Republican Spain and Italian and German troops, Nationalist Spain.

Jarama, Brunete, Quinto, Belchite, Fuentes de Ebro, Teruel, The Retreats and The Ebro are the battlegrounds of the Spanish Civil War in which over twelve hundred Canadian soldiers supporting Republican Spain took part. These men created the most unique military unit in the history of Canada: the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion of the XVth International Brigade of the Spanish Republican Army: 'the Mac-Paps.'

1937: The year 1937 was characterized by fighting in the north of the country: Guernica was bombed in April, Bilbao taken in June, Santander in August, and Gijon in October. The reaction of the Republicans was to open fronts in Guadalajara (March),Brunete (July), and Belchite (August). The Battle of Teruel was launched at the end of the year.

1938: The Nationalist transferred their efforts to Aragon, recovered Teruel and divided the Republican zone in two parts after entering Castellon in July 1938. The government replied with the so-called Battle of the Ebro (July-November 1938) which ended with a Republican defeat and 70,000 casualties.

1939: Once government resistance was exhausted, the Republican exile began with many Spaniards fleeing accross the border into France. Catalunya fell on February 10, 1939. Madrid was the only city still resisting, and the proposals of peace made by its Junta de Defensa (headed by Casado and Besteiro) were useless. Nationalist forces occupied the capital on March 28, 1939, and on April 1, General Franco officially ended the war.

SPANISH HISTORY-The Second Republic

1931: After the municipal elections, the Republic is proclaimed. The revolutionary committee becomes the provisional Government. Niceto Alcala Zamora is named president. The Constituent Cortes draft a new Constitution.

1933: The centre-right parties obtain a majority in the Cartes.

1934: Revolutions take place in Catalonia and Asturias in protest against the participation of the CEDA (Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right-Wing) in the government.

1936: The Popular Front, a left-wing coalition, wins the elections. The new Cortes depose Alcala Zamora and appoint Manuel Azana President of the Republic.

Azana's first government declared a general amnesty and the resumption of the Agrarian Reform and Statutes for Catalunya, the Basque provinces and, eventually, for Galicia. Azana was elected the President of the Republic in May, and Cesares Quiroga was charged with forming the Government. The conflicts continued and after the assassination of Lieutenant Castillo of the Assault Guard by Fascist gunmen, his comrades-in-arms murderes, in turn, the head of the opposition, Calvo Sotelo, on July 12. Five days later, on July 17, the military garrison in Melilla rose. The Civil War had begun.

SPANISH HISTORY-Spain and the First World War

1914 to 1918: Spain remains neutral in the First World War.

Spain's position of neutrality during World War I was no more than a parenthesis. Rising prices and Europe's diminishing market produced increased instability, and in 1917, the General Parliamentary Assembly held in Barcelona decided to introduce constitutional reforms and called for a general strike in August.