Iberic Federalism

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Iberist flag, mixing the colors of the old flag of Portugal and the Spanish flag.
Iberist flag, mixing the colors of the old flag of Portugal and the Spanish flag.[1]

Iberic Federalism or Pan-Iberism was an ideology from the beginning of the 20th century purporting the federation of both great countries in the Iberian Peninsula: Portugal and Spain. These ideals were mainly promoted by republican and socialist movements in both nations.

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[edit] Precedents

Portugal and Spain share a common history as heirs of Roman Hispania. Spanish and Portuguese are both Romance languages and have influenced each other and both countries have similar ethnicity and culture.

Portuguese origins as an independent evolution of Galician-Portuguese in the Kingdom of Portugal. The Galician language instead was influenced by Galicia's incorporation to the Crown of Castile.

Both countries forged themselves and their common border in the Reconquista against the Moors. In 1512, Ferdinand II of Aragón conquered the kingdom of Navarre bringing what is know Spain under a common rule. However Portugal was an independent country, competing with Castile in the colonial expansion. The Treaty of Tordesillas divided the world in a Portuguese and a Spanish hemispheres of influence.

Another level of unification was brought by the flee of many Spanish Jews in 1492 to Portugal. In 1498, the Portuguese Jews and their new brethren were expelled from Portugal. The exodus mixed the Iberian Jews forging the Sephardic community with its Ladino language.

The coat of arms of the Hapsburgs includes Portugal between Castile and Aragon.
The coat of arms of the Hapsburgs includes Portugal between Castile and Aragon.

As a result of the disapparition of Sebastian I of Portugal in the battle of Alcazarquivir, Philip II of Spain exerted his dynastic rights and used Castilian troops to overcome the rival pretender. The national poet of Portugal Luís de Camões opposed Philip but had himself written some sonnets in Spanish.

In 1581, Philip became Philip I of Portugal, joining both crowns in the most extended empire of the history upon that time. The Spanish Hapsburgs (Philip III of Spain and II of Portugal, Philip IV of Spain and III of Portugal) ruled what has later been called the Iberian Union, a personal union of different kingdoms. In 1640, the duke of Bragança gathered those unrestful in Portugal and the support of Cardinal Richelieu of France. His rebellion succeeded and he became the John IV of Portugal. The North African city of Ceuta decided to leave the crown of Portugal and remain under the Spanish king.

In 1801, the Portuguese city of Olivença passed to Spanish sovereignty as Olivenza. Portugal has since claimed the city back and there is no common definition of the border in the area.

[edit] History

It was José Marchena who, in the 18th century, gave this doctrine a progressive, federal and republican tone in l'Avis aux espagnols. In the Liberal Triennium (1820 - 1823), the secret liberal organizations tried to spread Iberism in Portugal, to create seven confederated republics, five in Spain and Lusitania Ulterior and Lusitania Citerior in Portugal. In the later Revolutionary Sexennium, the movement reached its apogee; General Prim was compelled by Keratry to join the countries as a new Oliver Cromwell. After his murder, the First Spanish Republic (1873-1874) seemed the right moment for the union given its federalism.

The flag of Portugal
The flag of Portugal

In the 20th century, Iberism melted into the ideologies of some leftist currents such as the anarchist Federación Anarquista Ibérica and the Federación Ibérica de Juventudes Libertarias.

The nationalistic dictatorships of Portugal and Francoist Spain shared many political similarities and some degree of mutual support but both countries were said to live "back to back".

Currently no party represented in either country's parliament has the goal of Iberism but both countries joined the European Economic Community in 1986 and their borders have been opened since then. Large companies have opened shop in the neighboring country, and the Portuguese state closed the hospital of Elvas, sending patients to the Extremadura health system. Some groups defend Iberism, including some Spanish and Portuguese officers [1]. One 2006 survey [2] showed only 28% of Portuguese think that Portugal and Spain should be one country. 42% of these would put the capital in Madrid and a 41% in Lisbon. 96.5% thought that the economy of Portugal would fare better in a union with Spain, and more than a half would accept Juan Carlos I of Spain as head of state. (Note that the survey was taken at a moment of crisis in the Portuguese economy.) A similar survey in Spain, after the Portuguese one, showed that 45.7% of Spanish think that Portugal and Spain should merge; this support is especially higher among younger citizens (18 to 24 years old) and communities near the border with Portugal. But in Spain only 3.3% would prefer Lisbon as the capital, while 80% would prefer Madrid. 43.4% think the country should be known as España/Espanha (Spain) against 39.4% preferring Iberia.

[edit] Iberist personalities

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Antonio Martins. Iberian Federalist Flag. Retrieved on 30 September, 2006.

[edit] External links

[edit] Specialized bibliography

  • Rocamora, Jose Antonio. El nacionalismo ibérico: 1732-1936. Publicaciones Universidad de Valladolid.
  • Cabero Diéguez, Valentín. Iberismo y cooperación: pasado y futuro de la península ibérica. Publicaciones universidad de Salamanca.
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