Urgel Regency facts for kids

The Urgel Regency (in Spanish: Regencia de Urgel) was a temporary government in Spain. It was formed in August 1822 by a group called the Spanish absolutists, also known as Royalists. These Royalists supported King Fernando VII. They were against the government that followed the Spanish Revolution of 1820. This government was based on the Spanish Constitution of 1812.

The Regency was led by important figures like Bernardo Mozo de Rosales, the Marquis of Mataflorida; Baron de Eroles; and Jaime Creux, who was chosen to be the Archbishop of Tarragona.

The Urgel Regency was based in Seo de Urgel, a city that Royalist forces had taken control of earlier. It was a major event in the 1822-1823 civil war in Spain. This war happened because Royalists rejected the 1812 Constitution. They wanted to bring back the absolute monarchy, where the king had all the power. The Marquis of Mataflorida was the head of the Regency. He agreed to form this government in the areas not controlled by the liberal government.

The Congress of Verona (1822)

In October 1822, a big meeting called the Congress of Verona took place. Important leaders from different European countries were there. These included Wellington from Britain, Nesselrode from Russia, and Klemens von Metternich from Austria.

At this meeting, a letter from the Urgel Regency was read. The letter, signed by the Marquis of Mataflorida and the Archbishop of Tarragona, asked for help. They wanted the European leaders to help King Fernando VII get his throne back. They also wanted to restore everything to how it was before March 9, 1820.

At first, only Russia was willing to send an army to Spain. So, the request for help was put aside. However, later, four of the five European allies supported invading Spain. Wellington, from Britain, questioned this idea. He asked what they would do if they reached Madrid and overthrew the Spanish Constitution.

The Urgel Regency ended when Francisco Espoz y Mina led the government's army against them. This happened in late 1822 and early 1823. The Royalist Regency was forced to leave Spain and cross the border into France.

The Final Days of the Urgel Regency

Even though the Regency had some support from the Holy Alliance (a group of European powers), there were disagreements among the Royalists themselves. Some important military leaders, like Francisco de Eguía, even spoke out against Mataflorida and his Regency.

Because of the growing pressure from the liberal army, the three leaders of the Regency had to leave Spain in November 1822. They were escorted by 300 troops and went to Toulouse, France.

In early 1823, they met in Perpignan, planning to restart their activities. In March, they returned to Toulouse to meet Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême. He was about to lead a French army, known as the "Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis". This army of about 60,000 soldiers would invade Spain in April. Their goal was to help the Spanish Royalists put King Ferdinand VII back on the throne.

Why the Urgel Regency Was Formed

After the Peninsular War ended in 1814, King Fernando VII returned to Spain. Even though he had promised to follow the Constitution of Cádiz, he did not. Instead, he acted like a tyrant and a despot, bringing back absolute monarchy. He not only rejected the Constitution but also harshly punished and persecuted liberals and those called afrancesados (people who supported French ideas).

On January 1, 1820, Rafael del Riego led a military uprising called a pronunciamiento. This event started the Trienio Liberal, a three-year period of liberal government. This period ended in October 1823. At that time, with the approval of European kings, the French army (the "Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis") invaded Spain. This allowed King Fernando VII to bring back his absolute monarchy.

Riego was not the first to try and stop the king's harsh rule. Before him, several other important figures had tried and failed. Many of them, like Juan Díaz Porlier (1815) and Luis de Lacy (1816), lost their lives.

See also

• Absolutism (European history)

In Spanish: Regencia de Urgel para niños