Ramón María Narváez was a Spanish general and conservative political leader who supported Queen Isabella II, serving six times as President of Spain from 1844 to 1866. He rose through the military ranks defending the monarchy and led troops during the First Carlist War, and staged a successful coup in 1843 against Espartero, after which he formed a government under Isabella II. During his terms in office he oversaw the promulgation of a new constitution, suppression of Carlist revolts, and numerous public works, before dying in office in 1868 shortly before Isabella II was forced to abdicate.

1. Ramón María Narváez y Campos
Duke of Valencia
President of Spain
IES NAZARÍ (Salobreña-Granada)
Teacher: Carmen Molina Povea
Language assistant: Anna Toepel

2. Ramón María Narváez, duke of Valencia,
(born Agugust 5, 1800, Loja, Granada, Spain—
died April 23, 1868, Madrid)
Spanish general and conservative political
leader, who supported Queen Isabella II and
served six times as president of Spain from
1844–66.
Narváez was born into a prominent military
family and joined the royal guards at 15. He rose
rapidly through the military ranks in the 1820s,
when he defended the monarchy in the military
revolt against Ferdinand VII.

3. After he and the generals Juan Prim and Francisco
Serrano staged a successful coup d’etat against Espartero in
1843, Narváez was asked to form a government under Isabella
II. In his first ministry the constitution of 1845 was
promulgated, and the finance minister, Alejandro Mon,
reformed the tax system. His government fell early in 1846.
Narváez reached other significant achievements in his third
ministry (October 1847–January 1851), among them
suppression of a new Carlist revolt and the completion of
numerous public works. Although he announced his retirement
in 1851, he returned briefly to power three times, always in the
service of Isabella II. He died in office in 1868, and only a few
months later Isabella was forced to abdicate the throne.
During the First Carlist War (1833–39) Narváez was one of
Regent María Cristina de Borbón’s most capable military leaders.
In 1838 he was elected to the Spanish Cortes (parliament), led
an unsuccessful uprising at Sevilla against the Progresistas
(Liberals) of General Baldomero Espartero, and had to go into
exile.

4. Questions
1. What was Narváez´s position in the military and how did he rise
through the military ranks?
2. Who did Narváez always support?
3. Why did Narváez have to go into exile?
4. What did Narváez do in 1843, and what happened as a result?
5. What were Narváez´s achievements during his first ministry?
6. What were his other achievements during his third ministry?
7. What is your opinion about Narváez´s achievements?
8. Are there ways that these achievements still impact Spain today?
9. Write the definitions for the following words :
a) Uprising b) coup d’etat c) promulgate d) abdicate
10. Try to use those words in sentences.

5. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ramon-Maria-Narvaez-duque-de-Valencia
https://www.buscabiografias.com/biografia/verDetalle/719/Ramon%20Maria%20Narvaez