Bombardment of Barcelona (1842)

The Barcelona of 1842 was a keg of social conflict. The 'Bombardment of Barcelona' of December 3, 1842 occurred in Spain during the reign of Isabella II. It was ordered personally by the general Baldomero Espartero to end an insurgency that started in Barcelona the previous month and had forced the army to take refuge in the Montjuic Castle and Parc de la Ciutadella. The city, packed by all social strata of society into the same space, confronted each other in a climate of permanent tension that foreshadowed an eventual explosion of violence. The Montjuic Castle now acquired its new historical purpose in regards to the new beginnings of liberal Barcelona.[1] The indiscriminate artillery bombardment of the city was made from Montjuïc under the command of Captain General Antonio Van Halen.[2]

Espartero was a Spanish general/ politician that played a prominent role in the bombardment. He also served as prime minister for Spain 3 times. He was associated with Spanish liberalism that would ultimately use him as a symbol of victory over the Carlists.[3] He ordered the bombardment of the city from Montjuic as punishment for the spontaneous protests. It is said that a group of workers returning to the city, refused to pay the burot, that is, the tax charged for bringing food into the city. The uprising spread like wildfire, and within hours the working classes of the city had taken up a war footing to reclaim everything.[4] The cannons fired 1014 projectiles and caused at least twenty deaths and widespread destruction throughout the city.

Also, very prominent during this time was the reign of Isabella II (1833-1868). This was seen as very troubled as she first came to the throne as an infant. Her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognize a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars.[5] Isabella’s failure to respond to growing demands for a more progressive regime contributed to the decline in monarchical strength.

The Carlist War was a civil war in Spain that was fought between factions over the succession to the throne and the Spanish monarchy.[6] This was one of the major stepping stones that led to the bombardment. The Carlist force was made up of all who opposed the liberal revolution: small rural nobility, lower clerics, and many farmers that believed all that liberalism would bring was higher taxes.

This castle is an old military fortress, built on top of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona.
  1. "The Castel of the 19th century". Castell de Montjuïc. 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  2. "Bombardment of Barcelona (1842)", Wikipedia, 2019-10-27, retrieved 2019-11-03
  3. "Baldomero Espartero", Wikipedia, 2019-08-08, retrieved 2019-11-03
  4. ""For the good of Spain, Barcelona must be bombarded once every 50 years"". In English. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  5. "First Carlist War". www.spanishwars.net. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  6. "Carlism | Spanish political movement". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2019-11-03.

The 'Bombardment of Barcelona' of December 3, 1842 occurred in Spain during the reign of Isabella II. It was ordered personally by the general Baldomero Espartero to end an insurgency that started in Barcelona the previous month and had forced the army to take refuge in the Montjuic Castle and Parc de la Ciutadella. The indiscriminate artillery bombardment of the city was made from Montjuïc under the command of Captain General Antonio Van Halen.

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