What is carlismo?

Carlismo is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain that supports the restoration of a Spanish monarchy based on the historical rights of the House of Bourbon. The movement originated in the early 19th century during the Spanish War of Independence and took shape as a political force in the 1820s.

The Carlistas, as the supporters of Carlismo are called, have historically been associated with the conservative and Catholic-right in Spain and have been opposed to liberalism, democracy, and secularism. They have been involved in several armed rebellions against the government throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, including the First Carlist War (1833–1839), the Third Carlist War (1872–1876), and the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

The movement has gone through several transformations over the years and has had a significant impact on Spanish politics and culture. Today, Carlismo remains a nostalgic and symbolic force in Spanish society, with some elements of the movement still promoting traditional Catholic values and monarchist ideals. However, its political influence has greatly diminished, and the monarchy that the Carlistas seek to restore is widely perceived as a largely ceremonial institution with limited political power.