On March 19, 1812, during the Spanish War of Independence (1808−14), the Cortes of Cádiz promulgated the Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy. The liberal in character Constitution was the first constitution in Spain that established national sovereignty and the division of powers. King Fernando VII reigned for a short period in 1808, before being overthrown by Napoleon. In 1813, Fernando regained the throne at the conclusion of the war of independence. Fernando abolished the Constitution restoring absolute monarchical power. Fernando exercised this power until the end of his reign in 1833, except for the liberal three-year period of 1820 to 1823, when the constitution of Cádiz was reestablished as the fundamental law of the state. This...