. From that day Serrano became one of the chief military politicians of Spain. In 1841, he helped Espartero to overthrow the regency of
Maria Christina of Bourbon-Sicily. In 1843, at
Barcelona he made a
pronunciamiento against Espartero. He was appointed as the minister of war in the cabinet of
Joaquín María López y López, which convoked the Cortes that declared Queen Isabella of age at thirteen. He served in the same capacity in an
Olozaga cabinet, sulked as long as the
Moderates ('''') were in office. In 1845, he was appointed as a senator, and in 1848 as
captain-general of
Granada. From 1846 to 1853, he was away from politics, living on his
Andalusian estates or traveling abroad. On 29 September 1850 in
Madrid, Serrano married his first cousin, Antonia Domínguez y Borrell, Guevara y Lemus, 2nd Countess of San Antonio, with whom he had five children. Serrano assisted
Marshal Leopoldo O'Donnell in the
military movements of 1854 and 1856, and was his staunch follower for twelve years.
Captain-General of Cuba O'Donnell appointed Serrano as marshal in 1856 and
captain-general of
Cuba from 1859 to 1862. Serrano governed that island with success, and helped carry out the
war in Santo Domingo. He was the first viceroy to advocate political and financial reforms in the colony.
Return to the Peninsula On his return to
Peninsular Spain, O'Donnell made him
Duke of la Torre (''''), Grandee of Spain of the first class, and the 139th
Minister of Foreign Affairs, serving from 18 January to 2 March 1863. Serrano risked his life in helping O'Donnell quell the insurrection of 22 June 1866 at Madrid. He was awarded with the
Order of the Golden Fleece. After the death of O'Donnell, Serrano became the leader of the Liberal Union Party. As president of the senate, he assisted
Ríos Rosas to draw up a petition to Queen Isabella against her Moderate ministers, for which both were exiled.
The Glorious Revolution Serrano began to conspire with
Antoine, Duke of Montpensier,
Prim and
Sagasta. On 7 July 1868,
González Bravo had Serrano and other generals arrested and taken to the
Canary Islands. There Serrano remained until
Admiral Topete sent a steamer to bring him to Cadiz on 18 September that same year. On landing he signed the manifesto of the
revolution with Prim, Topete, Sagasta, Martos and others, and accepted the command of the revolutionary army. He routed the troops of Queen Isabella under the orders of the
Marquess of Novaliches at the bridge of
Alcolea. The queen fled to France, and Serrano, having entered Madrid, formed a Provisional Government.
1868–1871 Provisional Government in 1869, by
J. Laurent. In February 1869, he convoked the Cortes Constituyentes; he was appointed successively as president of the executive,
Prime Minister of Spain, and
Regent from 3 October 1868 to 18 June 1869. Serrano ruled impartially, respecting the independence of the Cortes and cabinets. He acceded to their selection of
Amadeus I of Savoy as king, although he would have preferred Montpensier. As soon as Amadeus reached Madrid, after the death of Prim, Serrano consented to form a coalition cabinet, which lasted only a few months. Serrano resigned and took the command of the Italian king's army against the
Carlists in northern Spain. He tried to form one more cabinet under King Amadeus as the 65th
Prime Minister of Spain on 6 June 1872, but resigned on 12 June when that monarch declined to give his ministers dictatorial powers and sent for
Ruiz Zorrilla. His mistakes led to Amadeus abdicating the throne on 11 February 1873.
Conspirations against the Republic Serrano opposed the
federal republic, and conspired with other generals and politicians to overthrow it on 23 April 1873. Having failed, he went into exile in France. On the eve of his
coup d'état of 3 January 1874 that sought to thwart the Federal Republic, the leading instigator, the
General Manuel Pavía, sent for Serrano to take the leadership.
Dictatorship of Serrano Serrano again took the title of president of the executive; he tried to form a coalition cabinet, but
Cristino Martos and Sagasta soon quarrelled. His next cabinet was presided over by Sagasta. The military and political unrest continued, and at the end of December 1874, the
Bourbons were restored by another
pronunciamiento. During the eleven months he remained in office, Serrano devoted his attention chiefly to the reorganization of finance, the renewal of relations with American and European powers, and the suppression of revolt.
Later life After
Alfonso XII ascended the throne in 1875, Serrano spent some time in France. He returned to Madrid in 1876, attended palace receptions, took his seat as a marshal in the senate, and flirted politically with Sagasta and his party in 1881. He finally gave his support to the formation of a dynastic Left with a democratic program defended by his nephew, General
José López Domínguez. He died in Madrid on 25 November/26 November 1885, twenty-four hours after Alfonso XII. == Notes ==