Carlism after the Seven Years War: The 1842-1844 revolt in the Maestrazgo

Abstract

After the First Carlist War the Maestrazgo was not pacified for a long time. Two years later a new revolt broke out, initiated by former soldiers of the last war, which hadn`t been adapted to civilian life or to exile. But this new revolt scarcely found popular support, due to the desire of peace of a population tired of wars, but also because it didn`t received support from the church or from the landowners. It had neither support from the pretender nor from many exiled carlists, that preferred to reach an agreement with the Liberals, instead of trying new revolts. Thus the carlist rebellion barely mobilized a few hundred men, operating in very small groups without an unified command. If despite this, the rebellion lasted for nearly two years, it was due to the fights between liberals, who worried more about fighting themselves, than about sending troops against the carlists. It also helped that some leaders of the previour war, like “el Serrador” or “La Cova” decided to join the rebels, taking with them some of their former comrades in arms. However, the lack of popular support and the well-conceived plan of general Villalonga, the liberal chief in the Maestrazgo, led to the end of the revolt in the spring of 1844.