Personalities of the First Carlist War

A brief biography of some of the leading figures of the First of the Carlist Wars.

Alzá

Colonel Alzá. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Bernelle

General Bernelle. Commander of the French Foreign Legion when they arrived in Spain.

Cabrera, Rámon

Rámon Cabrera. 1806-1877. Started his life as a seminarian and ended it as an English country gentleman – he is buried n Virginia Water. Commande General and essentially the creator of the Carlist Army of the Centre, based in Maestrazgo in Aragon.

Carlos V

Don Carlos V of Spain – at least to his Carlist supporters. Brother of Ferdinand VII. Proclaimed as king on 5 Oct 1833, in opposition to the regent Dona Maria Cristina.

Carmona

Carlist General executed by Maroto (Feb 1838).

Carnicer , Manuel

Manuel Carnicer. Early commander of Carlist Army of the Centre. He keep the bands in existence but did not lead them to major successes. Captured and shot by Cristinos on 6 April 1835. Replaced by Cabrera.

Córdoba

Victorious commander of the Cristino Army of the North at battle of Mendigorría (16 July 1835). Competent. Replaced by Espartero before 1837.

De España, Conde

Conde De España. An ex-regular general. As captain-general of Catalonia he suppressed the Catalonian liberals. When the First Carlist War broke out he was living in France. the French authorities imprisoned him although he escaped in 1838. At age 66 he entered Spain to lead the small, semi-independent Carlist area in Catalonia (Jul 1838 – late 1839). He was a friend of the Tsar of Russia and his cavalry were called “Cossacks”, apparently being more vicious than their models in the east. He was efficient but very brutal. He was unpopular with the local Carlists as his brutality extended to both friends and foe. In late 1939 Don Carlos replaced him at the request of the local Junta, after which the Count was detained and then murdered by his guards.

De Lacy Evans, George

Lieutenant-General George De Lacy Evans. Born in 1787. A radical British MP. Leader of the British Auxiliary Legion (a political appointment). Commander of one of the Cristino forces during the Oriamendi Offensive in March 1837, during which he lost the Battle of Oriamendi. Subsequently was an accomplished field commander in the Crimean War.

De las Vacas, Pérez

Brigadier Pérez de las Vacas. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Eguía, Count of Casa

Count of Casa Eguía Captain General of Galicia before the First Carlist War. Replaced Moreno as commander of Carlist Army of the North in Oct 1835. Replaced by General Villareal.

Espartero, Bartolomeo

Bartolomeo Espartero. Born 1793 in Ciudad Real. Joined a students battalion to fight in the War of Independence. Stayed in the army as an engineer-lieutenant. Rose to Colonel whilst campaigning in South America between 1815 and 1823, and subsequently promoted to General. Cristino General who won battle of Orduña (March 1836). Subsequently took over from Córdoba as commander of the Cristino Army of the North (by beginning of 1837). Overall commander of the Cristino forces during the Oriamendi Offensive (March 1837). Victor of battles of Retuerta (Autumn 1837?) and Peñacerrada (22 June 1838). Became Captain-General of the national armies after crushing Negri’s expedition at Valladolid (27 Apr 1838). Competent, if dilatory (he sometimes passed whole days drinking chocolate in bed).

Espoz y Mina, Francisco

General Francisco Espoz y Mina. Legendary leader in the War of Independence against the French. A strong Liberal. Appointed to command the Cristino Army of the North in early 1835. His reputation suffered as a result of a failed offensive in March 1835, and he was replaced by Don Valdés in April 1835.

Ferdinand VII

He died, which is why there was all the fuss.

Garciá

Carlist General executed by Maroto (Feb 1838).

Gómez, Miguel

40 year old leader of greatest Carlist expedition (3 June 1836 to 20 December 1836). A native of Andalusia, he had fought in the War of Independence, and stayed on in the army as a Captain. He fought for the Royalists during the Riego regime and became a close friend of Zumalacárregui. He was Zumalacárregui chief-of-staff until the latter was died at the Siege of Bilbao.

Goiri

Brigadier Goiri. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Guergué

Commander of the Carlist Army of the North sometime after Don Sebastián was removed. Replaced by Maroto after being defeated at Peñacerrada (22 June 1838). Executed by Maroto (Feb 1838).

Guiladalde

A Carlist commander during the Oriamendi Offensive – he was facing Evans outside San Sebastián. Replace by Iturriza due to ill health.

Isabel

The infanta Isabel II. Daughter of Ferdinand VII and Maria Cristina.

Iturriza, Pedro

Brigadier Pedro Iturriza. A Carlist commander during the Oriamendi Offensive. Replaced Guiladalde facing Evans outside San Sebastián when the Guiladalde fell ill. Commanded a brigade at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Iturriaga

Brigadier Iturriaga. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

João VI of Portugal and Emperor of Brazil

When the mad Maria I of Portugal died in Mar 1816, her son was crowned as João VI of Portugal and Emperor of Brazil (Livermore, 1966). João and his wife Carlota-Joaquina, the sister of Ferdinand VII of Spain, had two sons: Pedro and Miguel. King João VI of Portugal died on 10 Mar 1826 and his eldest son, Pedro I of Brazil, briefly inherited as Pedro IV of Portugal before the start war of succession with his brother (see Liberal Wars). .

Ladrón, Santos

General Don Santos Ladron. A regular general appointed as first Carlist commander-in-chief. Captured at Los Arcos and shot (late 1833).

Leon, Diego

General Diego Leon. Renowned Cristino horse-general. Won second battle of Los Arcos (End of 1838) and the battle of Allo (June 1839).

Maria Cristina

Maria Cristina, fourth wife of Ferdinand VII, and regent for her daughter Isabel II after the death of her husband.

Maroto, Rafael

General Rafael Maroto. Served in Chile and Peru and fought in the War of Independence. Joined Don Carlos in Portugal in 1833. Commanding General in Vizcaya in 1835 from where he went to France. Returned to Spain in June 1838 to replace Don Sebastián as the commander the Carlist Army of the North. A good enough general, but put other things before his loyalty to the cause.

Moreno, Vincente González

Teniente General Don Vincente González Moreno. Captain General of Malaga before the First Carlist War. At the age of 56 he was appointed to command the Carlist Army of the North upon the death of Zumalacárregui at the siege of Bilbao (24 June 1835). Defeated at battle of Mendigorría (16 July 1835), and replaced by Count of Casa Eguía (Oct 1835). Was still Don Sebastiáns chief of Staff in 1837.

Merino

A renegade Castilian priest. He fought in the War of Independence, and took up arms against Riego’s government in 1820-23. In 1833, at age 64, he joined the Carlist cause and lead a major expedition into Castile. He wore clerical attire, carried a heavy cavalry sword and a blunderbuss. He bravery was legendary and he set an austere example, neither smoking nor drinking.

Miguel I of Portugal

Miguel was the second son of João VI of Portugal and his wife Carlota-Joaquina, the sister of Ferdinand VII of Spain (Livermore, 1966), King João VI of Portugal died on 10 Mar 1826 and his eldest son, Pedro I of Brazil, briefly inherited as Pedro IV of Portugal. When Miguel turned 25 he put in a claim on the regency, although nobody accepted the suggestion out of fear of the absolutists. On 22 Feb 1828 Miguel returned to Portugal, and on 26 Feb he took the oath to his brother and the charter and was installed as lieutenant-general. This loyalty did not last long. Miguel and his mother immediately began to oust the liberals (both radical and moderate) and install their cronies. Miguel dissolved the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Peers. .Demonstrations in favour of Pedro or the constitution were prohibited. On 11 Jul 1828 Miguel was proclaimed king by the traditional cortes and the Liberals Wars began in earnest. Miguel lost and went into exile in Austria.

Oráa, Marcellino

Marcellino Oráa. An ex-guerrillero who had served under Mino in the War of Independence. Cristino General who lead the unsuccessful second Siege of Morella. An able soldier in some ways.

Owen, John

Lieutenant-Colonel John Owen. Commanded the Royal Marine Battalion at the Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Pedro I of Brazil and Pedro IV of Portugal

Pedro was the elder son of João VI of Portugal and his wife Carlota-Joaquina, the sister of Ferdinand VII of Spain (Livermore, 1966), In Jul 1821 João VI arrived in Portugal leaving Pedro to rule in Brazil. Pedro I was acclaimed as constitutional emperor of Brazil on 12 Oct 1822; João VI retained sovereignty of Portugal, but the real winner was Carlota-Joaquina whose counter-revolutionaries gained strength as the King’s power waned. King João VI of Portugal died on 10 Mar 1826 and Pedro became Pedro I of Brazil and Pedro IV of Portugal. On 29 Apr 1826 Pedro abdicated the Portuguese crown in favour of his seven year old daughter, Maria da Glória of Portugal . On reaching age 25 his brother Miguel put in a claim on the regency, although nobody accepted the suggestion out of fear of the absolutists. On 22 Feb 1828 Miguel returned to Portugal, and on 26 Feb he took the oath to his brother and the charter and was installed as lieutenant-general. This loyalty did not last long. Miguel and his mother immediately began to oust the liberals (both radical and moderate) and install their cronies. Miguel dissolved the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Peers. .Demonstrations in favour of Pedro or the constitution were prohibited. On 11 Jul 1828 Miguel was proclaimed king by the traditional cortes and the Liberals Wars began in earnest. Pedro duly won and Miguel went into exile in Austria. On 24 Sep 1834 Dom Pedro died of consumption, and his daughter, Maria da Glória, resumed her interrupted reign as Maria II of Portugal

Quesada

Cristino general from February to July 1834. Had been Zumalacárregui’s commander.

Qúilez

Brigadier Qúilez. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

General Pedro Sarsfield y Waters

The son of an Irishman (Holt, 1967) and one of the best tacticians amongst the Spanish generals (Coverdale, 1984). In 1833, when the King died, he commanded the Army of Observation on the Portuguese border. As a personal friend of Don Carlos both liberal and Carlist authors believed he would have declared for the pretender if he had been approached directly. Instead Don Carlos sent an intermediary and Sarsfield remained a lukewarm adherent of the Queen. After delaying suspiciously for a month Sarsfield led his army to the Basque provinces and became the Cristino Captain General of Navarre. He was commander of one of the Cristino forces during the Oriamendi Offensive in March 1837. Somerville (1995) believed he was sympathetic to the Carlists and was deliberately apathetic.

Sanz

Carlist General executed by Maroto (Feb 1838).

Sebastián Gabriel de Borbón

Infante Don Sebastián Gabriel de Borbón, nephew of Don Carlos. Born 1811. Commander of the Carlist Army of the North from 30 December 1836. Won the Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837), lead the Royal Expedition, and was sacked upon its return to the north in late 1837.

Segastibelsa

General Segastibelsa commanded the Carlists on the San Bartolomeo heights against De Lacy Evans and the British Legion (5 May 1836).

Sopelana

Brigadier Sopelana. Carlist brigade commander at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Villareal, Bruno

Lieutenant-General Bruno Villareal. Commander in chief of the Carlist Army of the North. Replaced by the Infante Don Sebastián after the failure of the second siege of Bilbao. Second in command at Battle of Oriamendi (16 March 1837).

Valdés

Replaced Don Espoz y Mina as commander of the Cristino Army of the North in April 1835.

Van Halen, Antonio

General Antonio van Halen replaced General Oráa in command of the Cristino Army of the Centre after the failed second siege of Morella. Ruthless.

Zumalacárregui, Tomás

Tomás Zumalacárregui y de Imaz. Born 1788 in Ormaiztegui, a village in Guipúzcoa 5 km from Villareal. At 19 he gave up his studies to fight in the War of Independence. He stayed in the army and beame colonel of the 14th regiment of infantry. In early 1830s he was appointed military governor of El Ferrol. Political reasons had him retiring on leave to Pamplona in 1832. In November 1833, at age 45, he was appointed to command the Carlist Army of the North upon the death of Don Ladrón. Known to his troops as “El tío Tomás” (Uncle Thomas) or just “El tio”, he basically forged the Army of the North into an effective fighting force. He dominated the early years of the war until his death of wounds received during first Siege of Bilbao (24 Jun 1835). He always rode a white horse, and often wore a red beret with silver tassel, black Zamarra with white fur and with red velvet edging and gilt clasps, and grey trousers.