Antonio Cánovas del Castillo

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (Málaga, the February 8th 1828 - Mondragón, in Guipúzcoa, the August 8th 1897) was a historian and Spanish politician. It was one of the most important figures of the Spanish political life during second half of the XIXe century, being in particular the principal inspirer of the political system of the Restauration of 1874, then the leader of the Conservative party; he is always regarded by much as one of most brilliant the politician of the history of Spain.

After studies of right and history, it publishes in 1854 a Histoire of the Spanish decline . It begins its political career, at the sides of Leopoldo O'Donnell, and writes proclamation of Manzanares, whose publication will launch the revolution of 1854. Member of the Liberal Union, Cánovas is named Minister of Interior Department in 1864, and Minister for Outre-mer the following year, under the reign of Isabelle II.

After the revolution of 1868 and the fall of monarchy, it prepares the return of the future Alphonse XII, wire of Isabelle II. After the Pronunciamiento of the general Martínez Campos and the proclamation of Alphonse XII like new king, in 1874, it works on the political system of the Restoration, expressing its point of view in proclamation of Sandhurst, which Alphonse XII approves. He proposes a system in which two great political parties would exert alternatively the power, resting on a network of notable buildings practitioner the Caciquisme. During the reign of Alphonse XII, Cánovas exerts with seven recoveries the function of president of the Council of Ministers.

He is the principal writer of the Constitution of 1876; he is again president of the government on several occasions during the regency of Marie-Christine of Habsbourg-Lorraine.

The new political system resulting from the Constitution of 1876 was, in theory, a parliamentary Démocratie. The two-party system allowed the formation of a liberal party accepting the legitimacy of the system in place; in 1881, Cánovas signs the agreements of Pardo with the liberal leader Sagasta, in order to regulate the methods of political alternation. Until he considers ready Sagasta to reach the capacity, in 1881, Cánovas is president of the government in an almost permanent way.

Its government implements a colonial policy founded on the repression of the partisans of independence Cuba innate. That did nothing but support the development of cuban nationalism, and Spain will lose finally the war against the United States in 1898.

In 1897, Cánovas dies assassinated by the Italian anarchist Michele Angiolillo, who wanted to avenge condemned lawsuit for Montjuïc.

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