Restoration of the Spanish Constitution and independence Royalist (Spanish American independence)

spanish liberals had success in forcing ferdinand vii restore constitution on january 1, 1820, when rafael riego headed rebellion among troops had been gathered large expeditionary force sent americas. march 7, royal palace in madrid surrounded soldiers under command of general francisco ballesteros, , 3 days later on march 10, besieged ferdinand vii, virtual prisoner, agreed restore constitution.

riego s revolt had 2 significant effects on war in americas. first in military matters, large numbers of reinforcements, needed retake new granada , defend viceroyalty of peru, never arrive. furthermore, royalist situation became more desperate in region after region, army experienced wholesale defections of units patriot side. second in political matters, reinstitution of liberal regime changed terms under spanish government sought engage insurgents. new government naively assumed insurgents fighting spanish liberalism , spanish constitution still basis of reconciliation between 2 sides. government implemented constitution , held elections in overseas provinces, in spain. ordered military commanders begin armistice negotiations insurgents promise participate in restored representative government.

the spanish constitution, turned out, served basis independence in new spain , central america, since in 2 regions coalition of conservative , liberal royalist leaders led establishment of new states. restoration of spanish constitution , representative government enthusiastically welcomed in new spain , central america. elections held, local governments formed , deputies sent cortes. among liberals, however, there fear new regime not last, , among conservatives , church, new liberal government expand reforms , anti-clerical legislation. climate of instability created conditions 2 sides forge alliance. alliance coalesced towards end of 1820 behind agustín de iturbide, colonel in royal army, @ time assigned destroy guerrilla forces led vicente guerrero. instead iturbide entered negotiations, resulted in plan of iguala, establish new spain independent kingdom, ferdinand vii king. treaty of córdoba, highest spanish official in mexico approved plan of iguala, , although spanish government never ratified treaty, did not have resources enforce rejection. ultimately, royal army in mexico brought nation s independence.

central america gained independence along new spain. regional elites supported terms of plan of iguala , orchestrated union of central america mexican empire in 1821. 2 years later following iturbide s downfall, region, exception of chiapas, peacefully seceded mexico in july 1823, establishing federal republic of central america. new state existed seventeen years, centrifugal forces pulling individual provinces apart 1840.

in south america independence spurred pro-independence fighters had held out past half decade. josé de san martín , simón bolívar inadvertently led continental-wide pincer movement southern , northern south america liberated of spanish american nations on continent , secured independence southern cone had more or less experienced since 1810. in south america, royalist soldiers, officers (such andrés de santa cruz) , whole units began desert or defect patriots in large numbers royal army s situation became dire. during end of 1820 in venezuela, after bolívar , pablo morillo concluded cease fire, many units crossed lines knowing spanish control of region not last. situation repeated in peru 1822 1825 republican forces advanced there. unlike in mexico, however, top military , political leadership in these parts of south america came patriot side , not royalists.

the collapse of constitutional regime in spain in 1823 had other implications war in south america. royalist officers, split between liberals , conservatives, fought internecine war among themselves. general pedro antonio olañeta, commander in upper peru, rebelled against liberal viceroy of peru, josé de la serna, in 1823. conflict provided opportunity republican forces under command of bolívar , antonio josé de sucre advance, culminating in battle of ayacucho on december 9, 1824. royal army of upper peru surrendered after olañeta killed on april 2, 1825. former royalists, however, played important part in creation of peru , bolivia. in bolivia, royalists, casimiro olañeta, nephew of general olañeta, gathered in congress , declared country s independence peru. , in peru after bolívar s forces left country in 1827, peruvian leaders undid many of political reforms.