Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Österreich und die spanische Frage in den Jahren 1833–1839

2021; Böhlau Verlag; Volume: 61; Issue: 2–3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7767/dedo.2021.61.2.11

2307-289X

Daniel Martínek,

Historical Influence and Diplomacy

The question of Spanish succession arising from the death of Ferdinand VII in 1833 represents a significant phenomenon both of modern history of Spain as well as of international relations of the 19th century Europe. Not only did it affect Spain's domestic political developments for the next hundred years, but the seemingly internal political affair soon became a conflict of ideologies and thus a serious cause of rivalry amongst European Great Powers. This article examines the role of Austria in the first phase of the Spanish question and analyses the attitude adopted by Vienna, respectively the Austrian Chancellor and Foreign Minister Klemens von Metternich, towards the events in Spain in the years 1833–1839. By doing so, it argues that Austria promoted a policy of stability and conservatism in the Spanish conflict as opposed to revolution and liberalism, both bringing about socio-political changes and, in Austria's view, the risk of general conflict. Its prevention and maintaining peace as a prerequisite for progress lay at the heart of Austria's policy towards Spain in the 1830s and 1840s – a fact that rejects the negative perception of Austria as backward and reactionary.