First government of the Count of Romanones
1st government of the Count of Romanones | |
|---|---|
Government of Spain | |
| 1912 | |
The government in November 1912 | |
| Date formed | 14 November 1912 |
| Date dissolved | 31 December 1912 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Alfonso XIII |
| Prime Minister | Álvaro de Figueroa, Count of Romanones |
| No. of ministers | 8[a] |
| Total no. of members | 8[a] |
| Member party | Liberal |
| Status in legislature | Majority (single-party) |
| Opposition party | Conservative |
| Opposition leader | Antonio Maura |
| History | |
| Predecessor | Canalejas III |
| Successor | Romanones II |
The first government of Álvaro de Figueroa, Count of Romanones, was formed on 14 November 1912, following the latter's appointment as prime minister of Spain by King Alfonso XIII and his swearing-in that same day, as a result of José Canalejas's assassination on 12 November. It succeeded the third Canalejas government and was the government of Spain from 14 November 1912 to 31 December 1912, a total of 47 days, or 1 month and 17 days.
The cabinet, which except for the prime minister was the same as the last one under Canalejas, comprised members of the Liberal Party and two military officers.
Formation
Overview
The Spanish Constitution of 1876 enshrined Spain as a semi-constitutional monarchy during the Restoration period, awarding the monarch—under the royal prerogative—the power to appoint government members (including the prime minister); the ability to grant or deny the decree of dissolution of the Cortes, or the adjournment of legislative sessions, to the incumbent or aspiring government that requested it; and the capacity to inform, inspect and ultimately control executive acts by granting or denying the signature of royal decrees; among others.[1][2]
The monarch would play a key role in the turno system by appointing and dismissing governments, which would then organize elections to provide themselves with a parliamentary majority.[3] As a result, governments during this period were dependent on royal confidence, which was frequently secured or lost based on the leaders' ability to guarantee the internal unity and parliamentary cohesion of their parties.[4][5] In practice, the royal prerogative was not exercised freely by the monarch, but was carried out through the opening of a round of consultations—with the presidents of the chambers, the leaders of the main parties, the potential candidates and other notable figures—prior to government formation, or when prime ministers raised a matter of confidence to the monarch.[6]
Cabinet crisis
Prime Minister José Canalejas was assassinated in Puerta del Sol by anarchist Manuel Pardiñas on 12 November 1912.[7] As a result, King Alfonso XIII temporarily entrusted Minister of State, the Marquis of Alhucemas, to serve the duties of the prime minister's office in an interim capacity,[8][9] while immediately opening a round of consultations with the two main parties in order to provide for a more permanent solution to fill the power vacuum left by Canalejas's death.[10]
The first round of consultations (held on the same day of the assassination) saw both Conservative and Liberal leaders, as well as the Council of Ministers, recommending Alfonso XIII a continuation of the incumbent Liberal cabinet under a prime minister from outside the government, for—at least—as long as a new budget for 1913 could be approved and the recently negotiated Treaty between France and Spain regarding Morocco could be signed.[11][14] The King, allegedly, had offered both Segismundo Moret and Eugenio Montero Ríos to head a cabinet the next day, but both had declined the offer.[15] New consultations on 14 November with both the Marquis of Alhucemas and the Count of Romanones led to the latter being tasked to resolve outstanding issues, heading a transitional government that comprised the ministers of the previous cabinet under Canalejas.[16]
Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers was structured into the office for the prime minister and eight ministries.[17]
| ← Romanones I Government → (14 November 1912 – 31 December 1912) | ||||||
| Portfolio | Name | Party | Took office | Left office | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Count of Romanones | Liberal | 14 November 1912 | 31 December 1912 | [18] | |
| Minister of State | Marquis of Alhucemas | Liberal | 3 April 1911 | 31 December 1912 | [19] | |
| Minister of Grace and Justice | Diego Arias de Miranda | Liberal | 12 March 1912 | 31 December 1912 | [20] | |
| Minister of War | Agustín de Luque | Military | 3 April 1911 | 31 December 1912 | [19] | |
| Minister of the Navy | José Pidal Rebollo | Military | 3 April 1911 | 31 December 1912 | [19] | |
| Minister of Finance | Juan Navarro Reverter | Liberal | 12 March 1912 | 31 December 1912 | [20] | |
| Minister of Governance | Antonio Barroso y Castillo | Liberal | 29 June 1911 | 31 December 1912 | [21] | |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts | Santiago Alba | Liberal | 12 March 1912 | 31 December 1912 | [20] | |
| Minister of Development | Miguel Villanueva | Liberal | 12 March 1912 | 31 December 1912 | [20] | |
Notes
References
- ^ Calero 1987, p. 275.
- ^ Constitution (1876), arts. 32 & 54.
- ^ Martorell Linares 1997, pp. 139–143.
- ^ Calero 1987, pp. 283–289.
- ^ Ferrera Cuesta, Carlos (2022). "Personajes: Segismundo Moret y Prendergast". Historia Hispánica (in Spanish). Royal Academy of History. Retrieved 18 August 2025.: "... according to the political practice of the Restoration, since voters did not determine majorities due to electoral manipulation, the requirement demanded of any leader to retain power was to guarantee the unity of the Party. [Spanish: ... según la práctica política de la Restauración, dado que los votantes no determinaban las mayorías a causa de la manipulación electoral, el requisito exigido a cualquier líder para conservar el poder pasaba por garantizar la unidad del Partido.]"
- ^ Calero 1987, pp. 289–291.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 447–457.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 457–459.
- ^ "Real decreto disponiendo que D. Manuel García Prieto, Marqués de Alhucemas, se encargue interinamente de la Presidencia del Consejo de Ministros, conservando el cargo de Ministro de Estado" (PDF). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish) (318). State Agency for the Official State Gazette: 404. 13 November 1912.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 459–460.
- ^ a b "Las consultas en Palacio". La Correspondencia de España (in Spanish). National Library of Spain. 13 November 1912. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ "La situación política". El Imparcial (in Spanish). National Library of Spain. 14 November 1912. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 457–460 & 462–466.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 457–460.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, p. 462.
- ^ Soldevilla 1913, pp. 463–466.
- ^ Soldevilla 1912, pp. 159–160.
- ^ "Real decreto nombrando Presidente del Consejo de Ministros a D. Álvaro de Figueroa y Torres, Conde de Romanones" (PDF). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish) (320). State Agency for the Official State Gazette: 427. 15 November 1912.
- ^ a b c "Reales decretos nombrando Ministro de Estado a D. Manuel García Prieto; de Gracia y Justicia, a D. Antonio Barroso y Castillo; de la Guerra, a D. Agustín de Luque y Coca; de Marina, a D. José Pidal Rebollo; de Hacienda, a D. Tirso Rodrigáñez y Sagasta; y de Gobernación, a D. Trinitario Ruiz y Valarino" (PDF). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish) (94). State Agency for the Official State Gazette: 20. 4 April 1911.
- ^ a b c d "Reales decretos nombrando Ministro de Gracia y Justicia a D. Diego Arias de Miranda y Goytia; de Hacienda, a D. Juan Navarro Reverter; de Instrucción Pública y Bellas Artes, a D. Santiago Alba Bonifaz; y de Fomento, a D. Miguel Villanueva y Gómez" (PDF). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish) (73). State Agency for the Official State Gazette: 726. 13 March 1912.
- ^ "Real decreto nombrando Ministro de la Gobernación a D. Antonio Barroso y Castillo, y disponiendo cese en el cargo de Ministro de Gracia y Justicia" (PDF). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish) (181). State Agency for the Official State Gazette: 897. 30 June 1911.
Bibliography
- Constitución de la Monarquía Española (PDF) (Constitution). Madrid Gazette (in Spanish). King of Spain. 30 June 1876. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- Soldevilla, Fernando (1913). El Año Político 1912 (in Spanish). Madrid: National Library of Spain. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- Calero, Antonio María (1987). "La prerrogativa regia en la Restauración: teoría y práctica (1875-1902)" (PDF). Revista de Estudios Políticos (in Spanish) (55). Madrid: Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies: 273–315. ISSN 0048-7694.
- Martorell Linares, Miguel Ángel (1997). "La crisis parlamentaria de 1913-1917. La quiebra del sistema de relaciones parlamentarias de la Restauración" (PDF). Revista de Estudios Políticos (in Spanish) (96). Madrid: Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies: 137–161. ISSN 0048-7694.
External links
- The governments of the third period of the Liberal Party (1909–1913) (under Alfonso XIII). Lluís Belenes i Rodríguez History Page (in Spanish).