Plus Ultra (Latin) ("Further Beyond") | |||||||
| Anthem | "Marcha Real" | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Madrid | ||||||
| Other cities | Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Porto | ||||||
| Language official |
Spanish and Portuguese | ||||||
| others | Basque, Catalonian, Galacian | ||||||
| Demonym | Iberian | ||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||
| King | Duarte II | ||||||
| Royal house: | Bragança | ||||||
Iberia, officially the United Kingdom of Spain and Portugal, is a nation in Europe and shares the Iberian Peninsula with the British overseas possession of Gibraltar and the tiny mountain state of Andorra. In addition, Iberia maintains territory outside of Europe, with islands in the Atlantic. Iberia is a union between two countries, Spain and Portugal and as such, is the heir to two of the largest and most prominent colonial empires in history.
The origins of Iberia can be traced to the Glorious Revolution in Spain, where liberal forces led by General Juan Prim overthrew Queen Isabella II for her ineffectual policies. They sought to replace her with a more moderate and liberal monarch and immediately turned to the former king of Portugal, Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. While hesitant to assume the throne, Ferdinand accepted in 1870 after receiving support from other European nations, becoming Ferdinand VIII of Spain. Upon his death in 1885, Ferdinand's son Luis I inherited the throne as Luis I of both Spain and Portugal. A convention in the city of Seville organized the new organs and symbols of state for the union and awarded Luis the honorary title of Emperor of Iberia, ushering in the new United Kingdom.
Since its inception Iberia has suffered considerable turmoil, with the Iberian Civil War of the early 20th century calling into question not only the survival of the union but also of its constituent nations. However, following the war Iberia experienced considerable growth and development, becoming one of the leading nations in Western Europe and the world at large.
History[]
Earlier History[]
For more information see main article: History of Iberia
Imperator totius Hispaniae[]
The idea of a united Iberia had long been the goal of Spanish monarchs. Several kings in the past declared themselves Imperator totius Hispaniae, or "Emperor of All Hispania", but no king was successful until the 17th century. Such a union historically occurred from 1580 to 1640, where the Spanish Habsburgs inherited the throne of Portugal. The Union fell apart because over time Portuguese privileges were removed or reduced by the Spanish monarchy, leading to the restoration of Portuguese independence. From that point on, the two states followed their own policy with regards to colonies, economics and foreign policy.
Ferdinand VIII in 1877 as the only King of Spain from the line of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
In 1868, the Spanish general Juan Prim led a military revolt against Isabella II, the Bourbon queen of Spain. Her supporters only put up slight resistance and the "Glorious Revolution" soon deposed Isabella, sending her and her family into exile in France. Although the Revolution was liberal in nature, many of its participants were tolerant of another monarch that was competent and supportive of constitutional government. The question of who would take the throne, and the possibility that it would be a Prussian Hohenzollern, was one of the catalysts for the Franco-Prussian War two years later. In truth, a Hohenzollern candidate was not the first considered by the ruling Spanish junta. The former king of Portugal, Ferdinand II, was frequently mentioned as a candidate for his well-known liberal tendencies. However, Ferdinand had serious reservations about taking the throne. Other candidates mentioned during this time were Isabella's young son Alphonso and Amadeo, the Duke of Aosta of Italy. Eventually, after promises of support from other nations, Ferdinand agreed to take the throne, becoming Ferdinand VIII of Spain.
The new King of Spain faced considerable internal strife as Spain was riven by competing political factions and rebellions. The most notable was the Third Carlist War, in which many opponents to Ferdinand's crown supported the Carlist pretender Carlos VII for the throne of Spain. Liberal defenders of Spain rallied to Ferdinand's side and his son and heir Luis I of Portugal lent military and political support against the Carlists. The Carlists were unable to gain much ground because of their lack of a single organized army but were able to cause considerable damage throughout the countryside. The war lasted from 1872 to 1876 and resulted in a new constitution for Spain and the rise of Spanish, Basque, and Catalonian nationalism, as well as closer ties with Portugal. Carlos VII failed to gain the throne for himself and Ferdinand remained King of Spain.
Luís I/II, the first Emperor of the United Kingdom of Spain and Portugal.
In 1885, Ferdinand VIII died and by primogeniture laws his son Luis I of Portugal was now in line for the throne of Spain. This was an obvious outcome, and the governments of Spain and Portugal planned for years to find a solution to union that would prove fair to both states. That same year, delegates from both countries arrived at Seville to determine the terms of union. Not since the Iberian Union of the Habsburgs had Iberia been united, and both sides had substantial concerns moving forward. Spaniards were concerned about being ruled by a Portuguese monarch and showing favoritism towards Portuguese interests. Conversely, the Portuguese thought much the same and worried that their language and culture would be swallowed up by Spain.
At Seville, a new constitution was hammered out specifically for the purpose of the newly united peninsula. Under the Constitution of 1886, the constitutions of both previous states would remain in place. Each state's institutions and laws would remain while a federal government is set up to manage external affairs, defense, and trade. The political system of the United Kingdom of Iberia has been described as similar to the systems of Great Britain and Germany. A minor crisis occurred over the city of Olivenza, which was disputed between Portugal and Spain since 1815. An international delegation was called in to resolve the dispute and it overwhelmingly sided with Portugal. With all disputes addressed, the United Kingdom of Spain and Portugal was born in 1886 with Luis I/II acclaimed as Emperor of Iberia and Práxedes Mateo Sagasta of Spain as its first prime minister.
Crisis of the System[]
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The first flag of Iberia, adopted in 1886 not long after the union.
While unification proved to go relatively smoothly, this grace period did not last long. The outbreak of conflict with the United States, principally the island of Cuba, began the Iberian-American War. Both Spain and Portugal entered the war in earnest, ready to defend each others territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific. However, the combined Iberian forces were not enough to defeat the United States, and in the Treaty of Paris the United States annexed Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Portuguese Timor. In addition, Cuba was to be given independence after a short occupational period by American forces. The rapid defeat by Iberian forces quickly made both Spain and Portugal question the value of a union that they couldn't effectively defend. For example, the fortress on Guam surrendered without any resistance to American forces because its garrison had no gunpowder to return fire. The loss of Portuguese colonies significantly exacerbated Portuguese nationalist feeling, who thought that the union had only brought defeat.
In addition, the inability of the Iberian government to accomplish the objectives of the Pink Map further weakened the crediblity of the union. Pro-independence feelings grew in Portugal as a result of both the Pink Map affair and the Iberian-American War. Domestically, politics became increasingly volatile, as Iberia's international failings persuaded many of the need for a military coup. To ease the historical strain between political parties, a system known as El Turno Pacífico was implemented. In this, the major political parties of Portugal and Spain were merged into the Conservative-Regenerator Party and the Progressive-Liberal Party and they alterated in power so that neither the left or the right felt excluded. This regular rotation in government was accomplished through electoral fraud and exluded third parties, fostering further discontent from republicans, socialists, anarchists, and minority groups.
To focus the efforts of the state against an external enemy, Iberia hoped to further its colonial control in Morocco, especially the area of the Rif. The Second Melillan Campaign began on July 9th, 1909 and required the Iberians to draw up reserves of troops to counteract the numerous early defeats that the Iberian army suffered. The early defeats, poor military management, and drastic methods of recruitment all exacerbated public anger. During the "Tragic Week", several towns and cities across Spain and Portugal, most notably Barcelona, were seized by riots and mobs of republicans, anarchists, and socialists. While the Iberian government was successful in reclaiming control, the uprisings helped to highlight the the growing internal discontent between the state and its people.
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