Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla

Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
Prime Minister of Spain
In office 24 July 1871 – 5 October 1871
Monarch	Amadeo
Preceded by	Francisco Serrano
Succeeded by	José Malcampo
In office 16 June 1872 – 12 February 1873
Monarch	Amadeo
Preceded by	Fernando Fernández de Córdova (acting)
Succeeded by	Estanislao Figueras
Personal details
Born	22 March 1833 Burgo de Osma, Spain
Died	13 June 1895 Burgos, Spain
Political party	Radical Democratic Party (Spain)

Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla (22 March 1833 – 13 June 1895) was a Spanish politician. He served as the 39th Prime Minister of Spain for a little over ten weeks, in the summer of 1871, and again for eight months, between June 1872 and February 1873.

Born in Burgo de Osma, he was educated at Valladolid and studied law at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he leaned towards radicalism in politics. In 1856, he was elected deputy and soon attracted notice among the most advanced Progressists and Democrats.

Zorrilla took part in the revolutionary propaganda that led to the military movement in Madrid on 22 June 1866. He had to take refuge in France for two years, like his fellow conspirators, but he returned to Spain when the revolution of 1868 took place. He was one of the members of the first cabinet after the revolution, and in 1869, under the regency of Marshal Serrano, he became Minister of Grace and Justice. In 1870, he was elected President of the House of Deputies and seconded Juan Prim in offering the throne to Amadeus of Savoy. He went to Italy as President of the Commission and carried, to the Prince at Florence, the official news of his election.

On the arrival of Amadeus in Spain, Ruiz Zorrilla became Minister of Public Works for a short time before resigning in protest against Serrano and Topete entering the councils of the new king. Six months later, in 1871, he was invited by Amadeus to form a cabinet, and he continued to be the principal councillor of the king until February 1873, when the monarch abdicated.

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