ABSTRACT
The period spanning the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth is known in Spanish historiography as La Restauración, in reference to the return of the Bourbons after Isabel II's expulsion. That return was presided by her son Alfonso XII, the most educated king of the European political environment. Having been exiled since the age of 11 in various countries, and having completed his education at Sandhurst Academy, England, Alfonso was able to speak several languages and was endowed with the liberal spirit proper of a constitutional king. But Alfonso died young, at the age of 28, leaving a still unborn son, the future king Alfonso XIII. This circumstance forced the long regency of Alfonso XII's second wife, María Cristina of Habsburg. Her regency was characterised by a political pact that, in order to avoid the dangers of Isabel II's reign, put political life in the hands of political parties. The parties controlled the Crown, the voters, and even the changes of government, albeit in a distorted manner, at a time when criticism of parliamentarianism and the need for a stronger executive branch were gaining ground.
