Ramón María Narváez y Campos, I duque de Valencia

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Ramon Maria Narvaez (1800-1868).

• DD.AA.: Encyclopedia of the History of Spain, vol IV (Biographical Dictionary). (1991). Madrid: Alianza Editorial. Pp. 910.
• English translation

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• He was born in Loja (Granada) on August 5, 1800. Military and liberal politician and leader of the Moderate Party. He entered very young in the Walloon Guards Regiment (1815), thus initiating his long military career. During the Liberal Triennium, and as a person affects the constitutional cause, he joined the Sacred which was very active in neutralizing the absolutist revolt of the Royal Guard in Madrid in July 1822. Only after the death of Ferdinand VII was able to return to active duty in the military. Following that time, his military career was linked to the successes of Cristino army in the Civil War Carlist. Was assigned to the Northern army. He participated in the Battle of Mendigorría (July 1835), commanding the battalion of the Prince: his action in the same earned him a promotion to lieutenant colonel. Following his participation in the battle of Arlabán (1836), was proposed for promotion to brigadier. In 1836 participated in the persecution of the Carlist General Gomez Alaix alienating and, consequently, with Espartero. On the front of Aragon defeated the armies of Cabrera Pobleta Morella. As a result, 1837 was charged with the organization and command of the army of the "Book of Andalusia" with the mission of pacifying La Mancha and expel the Carlist guerrilla sticks, their rivalries festered personalities with Espartero's army chief North. In 1838 he was promoted to field marshal, and was elected Member of Parliament. The then Minister of War. General Alaix, a confidant of Espartero, potentiated the process that opened Narvaez complication after a popular uprising movement, which took place in Seville in 1838, led by Fernandez de Cordoba. This led to emigration.

The rivalry with Espartero, who was to become head of progressivism after the Convention of Vergara, could play a big weight so it is decantase moderate positions. Exiled in Paris during the Regency of Espartero (1840-1843), helped organize the so-called Spanish Military Order, military association argued for the uprising to settle the progressive political situation in Spain. In 1843 he was one of the leaders of the revolt against the ruler, the meeting of Torrejon de Ardoz victorious against Seoane Esparterists troops earned him the surrender of Madrid. Action for which he was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed captain general of New Castile. Since that time, went on to become the leader of the Moderate Party. In May of 1844 was entrusted with the formation of a government with party notables, showing him the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Within this government played the role of arbiter between the positions of Minister of State, Marquess of Viluma, advocates a return to a system of charter granted, and the positions of the ministers of Interior and Finance, Pidal and Mon, respectively, in favor of progressive reform the Constitution of 1837, but with the concurrence of the Cortes. Narvaez opted for the latter, and his government started the process that would lead to the development of moderate Constitution, 1845. Under him lit up the tax reform of Alexander Mon, suspended the sale of Church property, was introduced a high degree of centralization in the regulation of provincial and local government (law of January 8, 1845), was terminated one of the institutions more typically progressive, as was the exclusive jurisdiction of jury trials in the qualification of the offenses of the press (decree of July 6, l 845), and took the initiative to draft a new electoral rule that become the moderate electoral law March 18, 1846. The Fall of Narvaez on February 11, 1846 was due mainly to disagreements arising within the government over the issue of royal weddings.

• On October 4, 1847 was again appointed president of the Council of Ministers, government period would be delayed until the spring of 1851, being only interrupted by the government of Count Cleonard lightning, which lasted one day (October 19, 1849) . This return of Narvaez to power meant the liquidation of the govemment of experience moderate "Puritans", representing a risk of opening the power to progressives. The primary government balance over Narvaez was neutralization of the revolutionary movements of 1848 and which, under its mandate, laid the foundation for the subsequent signing of the Concordat with the Holy See. During this time he issued the new Penal Code (September 22, 1848). Narvaez fell on April 10, l 851, was replaced as president by Bravo Murillo. During the mandate of the self-marginalized from active politics, not participating in the July Revolution of 1854, nor in the political life of Two Progressive.
• The return of the moderates to power in 1856 he rejoined the responsibilities of government, coming to preside over three cabinets: in 1856, 1864 and 1866, respectively. In all of them represented the politics of historical conservatism and doctrinal orthodoxy linked to the monastery full of political regime in 1845. Altemó in power only with the Liberal Union, this being the leader Leopoldo O'Donnell, his main political opponent. His policy in those years focused on the suppression of any outbreak of the revolutionary movement. When he died in the spring of 1868 (Madrid, April 13), being prime minister, was heading the Moderate Party, in a time when progressives and Democrats articulated what became the successful revolution of September 1868. (JimB) (pp. 605-607).