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Spain, Portugal and Italy
The first liberal revolution broke out in Spain in 1820. It was rapidly followed in the same year by a revolution in Portugal and in Piedmont (Italy) in 1821. What is important is that the success or failure of these liberal revolutions depended upon which of the great powers became involved. In Italy, the liberal revolts were crushed by Austria. In Spain they were crushed by France in 1822. (However, it has to be said that the France of Louis XVIII, which was a constitutional monarchy, was deeply embarrassed by this affair. So much so that, after 1822, France always took Britain's side in its relations with the absolute monarchies of Russia, Austria and Prussia, despite the Holy Alliance.) In Portugal, by contrast, the liberal revolution succeeded and a constitutional government was created because Britain sent an army to make sure that it did so. From the very beginning the British attitude had been that no country had the right to interfere in the internal affairs of its neighbours, (which is the real reason why it refused to join the Holy Alliance), particularly if this meant revolts against absolute monarchies. When Britain did intervene, as in Portugal and in South America, it did so in order establish a regime which was favourable to British interests, which in general meant friendly republics and constitutional monarchies. Nationalist Revolutions after 1820
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© Shirley Burchill, Nigel Hughes, Richard Gale, Peter Price and Keith Woodall 2009 Footnote : As far as the Open Door team can ascertain the image shown on this page is in the Public Domain. |
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